The record-union., 1894-10-25
POPULTSM IN TWO STATES
What 1t Has Done for Kansas and Col
From the Oakland Tribune

From the Oakland Tribune.
Populism has posed as the friend of the
laboring element, the handmaiden of
industrial prosperity, and the acme of
that which is good and honest and pure
and economical in public life and Govern
ment. The sincerity OF its profession,
outside two States is largely a matter OF
speculation. In those two States-kansas
and Colorado-we have an eXemplitica-
ton OF what PopulIsm really is, for in
both of them the PopuliSts have been for
some time in control of the State Govern
ment.
In the State of Kansas, Mrs. Mary
Lease has been one OF the Populist stall
warts. AS a Populist apostle she did,
perhaps, as much as anyone 10 put Gov
ernor Llewellyn in the executive chair,
and she was rewarded for her pains
with q position on the State Board of
Charities as its President. This board
has control OF all the charity institutions
under State jurisdiction. Subsequently,
the Governor and Mrs. Lease disagreed
and the former attempted to GUST the
latter from her place. But Mrs. Lease
would not surrender ana carried the
case into court, where she trlumDhed.
She has since been paying her respects
to the corruption Of the State govern
ment under Llewellyn's administration.
Now some new features i'll Mrs. Leases
have just como to light Atfidavits of
the Superintendent and MatrOn OF the
Deaf and Dumb Asylum have been
printed and circulated which charge the
petticOated apostle of purity ana Popu-
llsm with cOnspiiing to rob the State
and with appYopriating enough from the
State funds TO pay the expenses Of the
Board of Charities to the Worlds Fair.
The affidavit says Mrs. Lease called on
the two officers mentioned on the even
ing of their installation and addressing
Superintendent Dixon, said:
Now, Judge, you have chance to
make money. Now pay yourself from
the income of the institution, ana charge
it to maintenance and repairs OF the in-
stitution. All you will have to do will be
to make your books agree with the
amount you take
The answer was, according to the atfi-
davit:
II can't do that; I never had that kind
of a record"
Mrs. Lease is then said to have re-
mark ed:
You let about $4,000 go by you when
you were Police Judge of Wichita. Now,
you take care of yourself. Don't be fool
ish. They are all doing it. from the
Governor down; no worse for you than
Others"
The affidavit states that the funds to
f1SlI VIC " Olsu II dlE were TdiS6u Dy
having the steward "make up voucher
for maintenance and repairs" which the
board allowed, then drew the money
and went 10 the fair with it." Superin-
tendent Dixon says these matters were
reported to the Governor, who paid no at
tentiOn to the statement. If the charges
contained in this affidavit are of any
value, the claim for superior honesty in
Populist Office holders is wofully mis-
leading.
The affairs Of the State of Kansas have,
in fact, been so dreadfuliy mismanaged
under a Populist administration that it
has suffered in its credit, and capital now
shuns IL as an inviting field for invest
ment.
The same is the case in Colorado, which
has suffered more financially than Kan
sas because Of the irrational conduct of its
POpullSt Governor and the umidity of
capital to continue in the development of
its chief nduStry-mining. The Denver
Business Mems League bears testimony
to the fact that the rule of the Populist
Governor, Waite, has reduced the values
of property in Colorado $3.50, 200, 600 This
league is composed OF 100 business men,
Republicans, Democrats and men who
were until recently Populists.
The league compares the influence of
PopuIism i'll the State to devastating
forest fire, which, by destroying the
cIeulL Ol Ine SIate, mas caused values to
shrink One-thlrd." 1t has caused such a
blight that it is impossible to borrow on
a gold mine one dollar on five dollars
worth of ore in sight, and as to invest
ment i'll agriculture or manufacturing,
Colorado is avoided as ''if it were a pest
house." This is the effect in a State
which before enjoyed the borrowing
power on Its property of the State of New
York.
The lesson which the practical iIlustra-
tons Of the influence OF PopuIism teaches
when in active operation is intensely
instructive, and ought not TO be lost on
the voters Of California.