The advocate., 1894-02-14
Address of. F. Willitts on Behalf Of the
Kansas AlliannA.

Kansas Alliance,
BROTHERS, SISTERS AND FRIENDS 1T is with
feelings OF the profoundest pleasure that
hereby extend to you, on behalf OF the mem.
bership OF our state, most hearty and cordial
welcome to our capital city, TO our entire
you that we feel justly proud OF the distin-
gnished honor OF your coming.
AS the representatives OF the great industry
on agriculture, coming to US as you do fresh
from the fields of every state and territory OF
our Federal Union, we gladly extend to you
the right hand OF fellowship and greet you
with that fraternal greeting that has ever
characte rized the membership of our grand
and noble order, ever hoping that your stay.
however long or short, may prov9 to be most
pleasant and profitable one. Let me assure
you that l but voice the sentiments and ex-
press the feelings OF every brother and sister
OF the order In our state when | say thrice
welcome to all. We welcome you to our state
because 1t ia the geographical center Of
mighty governments because IL Is the storm
center OF o mighty political social, and ma
terial revolution; state born In the throes Of
n terrible struggle for human liberty; state
fFsE In war and first In peace state that
sent more soldiers to the war for the preserVa-
ton of the Union than she had voters when
the call was made; o state the first TO hold out
the olive branch OF peace after the war; the
first to bury sectional hate, the first to forget
and forgive.
Now, my brethren when we say welcome we
mean every word OK IL, and you will find the
latchstring hanging out at the front door Of
every home OF ours in the land and, as fur
ther evidence Of the fact OF your welcome, our
friends, the anarchists Of the sta o, have, with
sledge hammer In hand, battered the doors OF
this hall of their hinges, and thus bid you q
free and unobstructive welcome to our public
buildings.
You have again assembled here In the gray
dawn OF q coming century In your annual
gathering for solemn dellberation, and upon
the results OF your deliberation here, and fur
ther action as citizens hereafter, depend the
veal or woe OF the mightiest republic OF earth.
We meet in the most God favored land ever
blessed with the sunlight OF heaven; In posses
sion OK the most bOundless resources that are
yet undeVeloped; surrounded with the great
est natural advantages ever given TO mankind;
with an intelligence resulting from ages OF re-
search and investigation: with an Inventive
genius that IL the wonder OF the world and
the admiration OF the age.
Surrounded by these conditions, and with
millions OF acres OF rich, fertile land untamed
by the hand Of the agriculturalist, we hnd by
official figures that 2,0O0O00 OF our fellow be-.
lngs In this LAD d are without home on Gods
fo0tstOol. And while industry in agriculture
and application TO business have filed the
bursting graneries with food and provisions
that vainly seek market at cost OF produc-
ton, from 100000 to 6O00,O00 Of our people are
tramping the highways OF city and country
begging for work and staryi ng for bread. One
third OF the wealth bearing all the burdens OF
taxation with the great producing classes en-.
gagged in agriculture owning less than one
hfth Of the wealth. and paying so per cent OF
the taxes, struggling, unaided and alone,
against great corporations and powerful com
binatlons Of capital guarded aud protected by
the strong arm OF government; with farm val.
ues shrunken more than one-hAlf in o quarter
OF o century; with more tenant farmers than
any government on earth, and the number in
creasing with frightfnl Tapidlty; with more
evlctions OF pleading mothers and pale sIarv-
ing babies than In any monarch cursed ma
tion under the sun; with crowded peniten.
tiRries and overfowlng asylums with the
mingled prayers and bitter walls OF sorrow as-
cending TO heaven from every city and village
the entire country over; with red-handed an
archy threatening life in the great commercial
cities; with partisan courts with q subsidized
press; with q bitter prejudiced pulpit; with
all the power OF church and state afrayed
against the industrial classes, what wonder Is
IL that the goddess OF liberty has yelled her
face In very shame, and the goddess OF Justice
abdlcated the throne?
The thoughtful citizen stands appalled, at
the conditions that confront US as republic,
and to-day we have but two great political
parties which we can appeaL-the Peoples
party and Grover Cleveland. Choose We this
day whom you will serve. And now IN co n
clusion, brothers and sisters, the prayers OF an
outraged and ruined people will ever folio "
you; and let me again assure you that you are
welcome thrice welcome to all, and may the
happy associations and sacred memories OF
this national gathering prove 10 he the most
pleasant and lasting that feetlng time 9hall
ever hang on memoirs wall