People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-08-17


The hOrny-handed toilcrsO of Sumner
county laid aside the physical harness
for the day and allowed their minds
to stretch themselves:
There was nc beating of drums and
blare Of trumpetS-but there were
crowds Of earnest, intelligent men
and women in Wellington that day
to hear the words of wisdom and good
cheer.
Gods own time has come, and the
new party has risen to be used for His
grand purpose Of wiping out beggary
and oppression, and setting up a gov
eminent of brOtherly love.
Wagon loads Of people began to
roll into the city shortly after day
break-and until noon the streets
were filled with teams and the side
walks with people.
Many drove directly to McMahon's
grove, and by II o'clock there was a
large congregation in the grove
Goods first temple"
Short addresses were made by
Chairman Lambe, of the county GEN.
trial committee, Ivan D. Rogers, can
dldate for county attorney, and Mrs.
E. R. Clayton, candidate for county
superintendent Of schools; some ex-
Cellent music was rendered by an i'm
prOmptu glee club. and adjournment
was taken for dinner.
ADDRESS OF IVAN D. ROGERS
1t is not Of my own choice that |
appear on this platform to speak to
you for few moments. Many peO-
pie believe that 'mln is creature of
circumstances. That he is what his
surroundings and environments make
him." | always believed that man
made the circumstances instead of
the circumstances making the man.
But the occurrences Of the past few
days have about convinced me that
circumstances do have something to
do with mans conduct, 1t was my
preference to quietly pursue my chO-
sen profession and let others assume
the burdens Of an active political life,
but when the Peoples party cOnven-
tiOn, consisting Of 400 Of Sumner
county's best citizens, against my ex-
pressed desire, requested ME to be
their candidate for county attorney,
| could not, as a patriotic citizen,
ignore them.
l accepted the nomination, BELIEVING
and feeling that was in sympathy
with the principles Of the party and
since the convention l have studied
the Omaha and Topeka platforms
more carefully and l am convinced
that l am as good POpulist as there
is in Sumner county. l believe that
the time has come when the
government must own and control
the railways or the railways will own
and control the people; that the mon.
eyed circulation be increased suffi.
GENTLY to do the business Of the coun.
try and to put it beyond the control
OF Wall street. The volume Of money
should be so increased that its inter.
est-bearing value will not exceed its
profit bearing value invested in tho
business OF the country. The first
step toward increasing the volume of
the currency should be the free COIN
age of gold and silver at the ratio of
l6 to l followed by the issue of gov.
eminent notes in payment of the ma.
tiOnal Indebtedness and public i'm
prOvementS. Wise and Just laws
must be passed curtailing the power
of corporations and securing to the
labOrer just treatment and remuner.
alton. A board Of arbitration should
be established to settle difficulties he.
tween the employer and employee. In
making settlement of differences be-
tween capital and labor the actual
value Of the investment should be the
basis of the settlement and not its
watered and inflated value. A Just
division Of profits should be secured
to the laborer and the actual capital
invested.
1t was not my intention nor the in.
tentiOn Of the committee that II
should enter into a discussion of
these questions at this time. There
are able speakers here for that pur.
pose. But In justice to the many
friends and strangers WIN stood @