The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-09-15
JESSE HARPER
The NeStOr of All the Re
formers" in Town.
The Colonel Insists He Won't
Be interviewed,
BUT LED TO YIELD
To a journal Reporter Who
Knows His Business.
Says Some Interesting Things
About Abraham Lincoln.

Col Jesse Harper, of Danville, Ill,
came to town today, firmly determined
that he would not be interviewed by any
newspaper reporter. Col Harper is op-
posed to newspapers, particularly those
that carry on large enough business to
be called plutocratIc-
A JOURNAL reporter saw Col Harper
at the Populist headquarters on Eighth
street today. and asked him to give his
views on political questions for publica-
ton.
mo, l never permit anything Of the
kind, :" said he. .sWhen l returned from
Maine 1 stopped at Boston, and walked
up to the Bunker Hill monument. where
my grandfather is buried; that monu-
ment can never 20 to pieces while he Is
there. Well, l gazed at that monument
with a sort of veneration. and then
started back to the hotel, and Globe
man met me and asked if my
name was Col. Harper. l told him that
that was my name. but that l wasn't the
man he wanted TO see. Haven't you
been in Maine?' re asked. why, have
been in Maine,' l replied.
"lIe then took a newspaper picture of
me from his pocket and handed it to me
and asked if it was not picture of me.
sWhv, no. / never saw that man. said
You are surely mistaken in the man.
Then the Herald man came up and said
why, how do you do Col. Harper I
said, That is my name. but you must be
mistaken in the man. l am not the Col.
Harper you want to see. bluffed them
out on the spot"
The STATE JOURNAL man laughed ju-
diciously.
''Do you think the Populists will cut
much figure in Illinois this year?" asked
the reporter.
We'll you can't tell much about it.
There is a fight in Chicago, and one of
the strongest Republicans, General Mann,
is off and has organized a new party,
which is really the A p. A., and no one
but admits that thev will secure at least
10000 votes. You can't tell what effect
this will have on the result Chicago has
sixty-six representatives and Peoria, the
next big town, has seventeen. and they
have always stood together when il came
TO voting whether they were Republicans
or Democrats, and it generally was for
the most money, but in my opinion this
year their plans viii be upset somewhat.
l believe that the POpulists will succeed
in electing three congressman in Chicago.
As far as the country is concerned there
will probably be but little change, but
10000 votes would put an entirely new
face on things ia Illinois.
Colonel Harper, what DO think of the
free silver agitation"
''Why, do you know" he said, "that
very few Democrats or Repu blicans
know that silver was the standard until
1873. when ii was knocked out entirely.
and 25.S grains of gold was made the
standard dOllarr No one ever heard of
the word parity until restrictions were
put on the purchase of silver. That word
Is used now at the least provocation and
it is decidedly new in Its application"
eYou were intimate friend Of Lin
coin What would be his politics, do
you suppse. if he were alive nowG" asked
the reporter.
sNo, do not say that was his friend
1t is true we used to tear around tOgeth-
er and all that, and / knew a great deal
about him If he were alive now lie
would be Populist Don't you remem-
Der when all those bishops and preach
ers went to him and asked him not to
issue the emancipation proclamation.
He listened to them res pectfully. and
then told them he was glad that they had
come. He said, i intend to do right as
God gives me the light. 1 will issue the
procla nation because hate slavery, but
see iii the future threatening tnis peo-
pie d slavery with which this would sink
into insignificance.' That Is what he
said then, but the Democrats and Re-
publicans don't talk about that now"
Colonel Harper was warming up. He
the deplorable condition Of the
country, but when asked for his
opinion of the probable result of the IN
dustriaI unrest he said; Il don't want
to say what l think, the Republican
newspapers would all come out and say
/ favor war. When my old daddy pre-
dicted bloodshed as the result of slavery.
he was classed with Garrison and the
cranks fAvoring war, and he did not
/ dare deny it'
"They wouldn't keep the Republican
and Democratic platforms in hell, ''he con-
tinued. "HeI abhors vacuum. They
won't have an empty place there, and as
those platforms are nothing, they can't
] stay there. But the first thing I know
will be giving away my speech. Good
bye"
Col. Harper is a politician of the old
school 1t was he who brought out Lin
/ coin as a candidate for the presidency
and he likes to talk about Lincoln. He
has just returned from the campaign in
Maine where he spoke for the Populists
He speaks at a PoPulist meeting at
Usage City tonight and viii remain in
the state twenty days, during which he
viii make thirty speeches. He will
/ speak in Topeka, September 29th.
Tom l.. johnson Renom5nated-
CLEVELAND, Sept 10. - Congressman
4 Tom l. johnson was renominated for
congress today by the 21st district
! (Cleveland) Democratic convention
The STATE JOURNALS Want and Mis-
cellaneous columns reach each working