The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-17

Who Brought Col Needham, the Eastern
Calamity HowIer, to Kansas.

~
Calamity HowIer, to Kansas
| The speech made before the state
board of agriculture last January by
| Col. Daniel Needham of Boston is to be
used by the Populists of Kansas as cam
paign thunder this summer.
L his speech, which was printed in the
annual report of the secretary of the
board of agriculture, has been discov-
cred to be the best campaign literature
available and State Printer Snow, who
made the discovery, has had the entire
speech reprinted in his paper, the OF
tawa Journal Ten thousand copies of
the speech are to be printed for distribu-
ton over the state by the state central
committee.
Col Needham. who is Massachusetts,
Republican, in discussing the financial
legislation of the present congress
pleased the Kansas Populists and, in re-
viewing the conditions for the past two
years, said:
"a good watchword for America Is,
mo dictation in finance or civil policy
from the ancient aristocracies which we
have OutgrOwn.' Leaving the govern
ment and coming directly to the people,
solution of present business conditions
might be found in the departure of our
people from the simplicity of the fathers.
As evidence of this could cite columns
of our daily papers, which are filled
with embezzlements by men of high bus
mess and social position; the daily sui
eide of educated and cultivated men, the
sequel of whose death, by their
record, is chargeable to extravagant hab-
Its and wasteful expenditures; the so per
cent more bankruptcy this year recorded
by the commercial agencies of the coun-
try over those of last year; the corpora
tIons as we'll as individuals that have
found their way by hundreds into the
hands of receivers, which has made the
outlook at times appear to threaten al
ha lxrF mfr IA
scope of the politician discovered that
the production and use of American sill
yer IN the currency of the country was
the cause of this calamity"
State Printer Snow cOrrects one por-
ton of the speech printed in the agri-
cultural report, and says that Col. Need
ham did not refer to certain" railroad
but said plainly:
''The Atchison, Topeka s. Santa Fe
railway company has lately gone into
the hands of receivers; in other words, it
has failed to pay its debts, because it
could not earn money enough to meet
its fixed charges, and why? 1t has |
capital stock of 81 OF. 492, 700, divided into
1 ,U14,927 shares, representing 800 each.
This vast sum it owes to its stockholders. |
1t owes, on first mortgage, a little more
than one hundred and thirty million
dollars; and on a second mortgage eighty |
million dollars. 1t stands responsible |
for thirty-seven million dollars of other |
indebtedness, including a floating debt of |
seven million dollars. A grand total of /
35515 million dollars debt"
1t Is now learned that no less promi-
nent Republican politician than Farmer
A. w. Smith. once candidate for COVER
nor, was responsible for Col Needham,
the calamity bowler of New England,
being invited to address the Kansas ag-
'icultural society.
Ex-Secretary Mohler, of the board of
agriculture, rises in haste, to say that he
vas not responsible for Needham's being
IN the programme, but that Farmer
smith did the mischief.