Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-11-18
WHAT DID 1T?
opin1ons of Leading Populists.

dHQ OlSISuIcu lSI dPpSa1"hNS, OuS NAAN
not incapacitate her for talking. No
not one whit, for Mrs. Lease had some
thing to say. She frankly acknowledges
the populist's defeat in this state and is
perfectly willing to inform the public as
to the why and wherefore of the surpris-
ing returns that the heads of the admin
istration have been reading backwards.
"To what cause do you attribute this
defeatP" Mrs. Lease was asked by a
Capital reporter.
$40 the men up there" she said,
pointing towards the state house. "I'll
tell you the present administration is
enough to damn any party. If they are
kept in office it means political death.
Some of our populist representatives
sold their birthright for a mess of pot
tage and voted for John Martin. These
men can never hope to hold Office again.
They must be turned down. There are
several men in the state house who are
as corrupt as you car find men in any
party. They were corrupt before they
came to us, and we have lost power
through their outrageous conduct. l
believe that the people of Kansas are
honest and loyal to their principles but
few men who have received Office are fit
to represent me.
"This defeat is a loud and effective
protest against corrupt men and their
measures and fusion with the democrats.
have been working from one end of the
country to the other and quietly, some
times loudly, crying out against fusion
with the democrats. If the people line
themselves into two parties, which [
think they will very soon, silver and
anti-silver parties they must be, and
the principle of land and transportation
will be lost sight Of"
Chow do you feel over the repeal of
the Sherman laW?"
at is just what the populists wanted.
People see that industries are shut down,
trade is decreasing, and they turn for re-
lief to the advocates of free silver. Many
honest democrats saw no hope from
their own party. All hope from them
is practically gone. We will catch many
recruits on the reaction"
Governor Lewelling has not been a
bowling success as the head of this state
in your eyes?"
Gar from it. In the first place he is
very weak man, and it is undoubtedly
true that the ring around him has had
more to do with the governing of the
state than he has. They are fine lot
of advisers. His lack of backbone has
been exemplifed in his interview with
George r. Peck. That was every word
true, and Lewelling does not deny it.
Mr.. Peck is lovely man and think it
was contemplate in George L. Douglass
to tell the story when he was implicated.
"You know was the only delegate in
the Sedgwick county convention that
voted against Lewelling. cast my
ballot for w. d. Vincent, splendid
man. The committee was determined
to make the report unanimous, but de-
clared that would bring in a minority
report. Lewelling is not strong enough
to run anything and the majority of his
appointments have been unsatisfactory.
Mrs. Lease is making great deal of
money on the platform and she enjoys
it. Oratory is her forte and, in ordinary
conversation, when she is very earnest,
her tones swell out with stage effect.
In an interview last night Governor
Lewelling, while he still maintained
that he.did not regard the election as an
overwhelming victory for republican,
admitted that he was very much sur
prised that the populists had not made
much greater gains. When asked to
give the reasons for the failure of the
party to make a better showing he
summed them up. First, he said, it was
an off year and the populist party's
strength is in the agricultural districts
and thousands of populist farmers staid
at home while the republicans that were
anxious to defeat the populists went to
the polls The attitude of Hoke Smith
towards the old soldiers was considered
another cause. The soldiers who got
their pensions under republican rule,
said the governor, became scared and
voted to put the republicans back in
power. The hard times were further
factor against the populists, in the gov
ernor's estimation, simply because they
were in power. The year before the
governor of course admitted that the
democrats helped elect the populist Off
GERS, while this year there was COMPARE
lively little fusion.
The governor said he was not prepar
ed to speak of the policy the populist
party would pursue next year, as he had
not conferred with any of the leaders.
He said, however, that there would be
no fusion and that the fight would be
three-cornered one. The populist idea,
he believes, is abroad in the land, and he
, looks for the organization of new party
embracing its principles and one in
which free silver will be a leading feat
ure.
Judge Frank Doster says: 81 agree
with Mrs. Lease in one of her two points
about the alleged defeat of our party,
and that is the fusing with democrats.
That had something to do with it"
''Then you certainly acknowledge
defeat?"
ooh no, certainly not"
"Why does Mrs. Lease feel so bitterly |
toward Governor Lewelling and Senator |
Martini"
81 do not know that she does. think |
not. She perhaps speaks bitterly of the |
principle of fusion through Martin.
ann not prepared to say why she launches
forth against the administration, unless
that is the easiest way of alternating the
pain of defeat"
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