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

NSAASAhNbApho Vi lulS udENs
"Your forefathers and mine tramp
ed in their bare feet On the snow.
The same spirit actuates the brave
advocates Of this new movement.
Wherever | have been the cause is
growing-frOm ocean to ocean, the
hosts are arising to shake of the
shackleS Of Industrial slavery.
you may wish to learn how |
came to know the conditions of the
labOrers Of this country. Thrown
upon the world to earn a living l
chose newspaper work, which threw
me among all classes Of people; being
student, an observer, | have studied
these people in their homes. in the
factories, mines, on the streets and
alIeys-aye in the very slums.
had seen that this country was
passing into the hands OF trusts cor
pOrations and syndicates. | had
heard Senator ingalls, say that the
rich are growing richer and the poor
growing poorer, and that the great
middle class would soon be swept out
OF existence.
saw the laborers trusting year
after year their welfare in the hands
OF idle speculatOrs-the ballot coming
to be looked upon by some as a mere
substance for barter. The workman
felt helpless. begun to believe this
country was destined to 60 down
when | came back from my work in
Washington, and found this new
organization Of farmers, the Alliance
beginning. Then | said Thank God.
if the farmers OF this country will
only wake up there is hope They
have still a foOthOld.
| went to one Of the papers at
Lawrence and asked the privilege of
editing an Alliance column. The
editor laughed at me, and said |
didn't know a head OF wheat from Il
cuckle-burr-and | didn't. But the
/ farmers did knOw-and | knew some
things they didn't.
| knew how their government was
conducted at Washington. knew
You farmers thought yourselves the
gOyernment-and if you met the
ghost Of old King George in the road
you would tell him to go west and
grow up with the young men. But
my farmer friends you have no more
to do with your acts Of legislation
than minors, lunatics and women.
Your government don't loaf around
in Sumner county.
1t lives in a grand building at
|
Washington, with a big dome and
the Goddess Of Liberty on top-and a
saloon underneath.
| never abuse democratic and
republican voters in my speeches
why God bless them, they have moth
ing to do with it.
How many OF you sovereign
voters" sent word to your servants"
in Washington to demOnetize silver
put up your hand-what, not one OF
you-why l thought you were the
government.
"They say women are too eIcitable
to 60 into politics.
"Oh, yes,-and oh, what quiet I'M
emotional animals the men are"
She graphically described the
scenes in the great republican con
vention at Minneapolis-"hero-wor
ship-the divine right Of kings warm
ed over. What Is politics? Has it
rightly anything to do but the public
business? At that great convention
when they brought in their declara-
tiOn Of principles there was no en-
thusiasm-nothing but wrangling.
The committee had sat up all night
discussing what to leave out to
catch che voter on the Pacific coast
and what to put In to catch the
voter in the east.
"Yes; and attended the great
national convention that nominated
Grover Cleyeland-oh how they
yelled and screamed and threw up
their hats and cheered when his
name was mentioned-they wouldn't
do it now however. Everything was
glory and enthusiasm until the plat
form came in-then there was war.
Henry WattersOn the gifted demo.
cratic orator and oracle Of Kentucky
arose and wanted to know il Blaine
wrote the tariff plank in the platform
oh it was grand to watch those
earnest Unconditional men.
''Then later, attended another
great convention at Omaha-no wild
hurrahing there. II was prayerful
earnest business-the new declaration
of independence Of the common
people.
After the platform was adopted
these men went quietly to supper,
and afterward re-convened and