Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1895-09-20
GARNErT, KANSAS, SEPTEMBER 20, 1895.

sible into it. We never lost our head about ali
office, although we have lost office frequently
because Of our head, and so we were not dsap-
pointed in the outcome. We never expected to
succeed; at no time did we have any other idea
than that Morrill, would be nominated. Some
friends desired to place us in line, and we hatter
ourself that we made pretty good start. We
were offered, whether by authority or not we do
not say, support for state printer and one or
two other places, if we would withdraw our
name and permit the nomination to be made
unanimous; but we were never that sort of a
triher. At no stage Of the game did any one
ask us to keep our mouth shut, nor did we ever
idea never occurred to us, and we are sorry to
see it suggested, at this late day, that in aspr
ing to such position one forfeits all right of
expression. 1t required great deal Of nerve
to aspire against the adamantine ring formed,
and we learned much as to how the place is
reached, calculated to destroy the glamour of
honor and dignity surrounding it, and reducing
it to the level of the dog-catcher and the COLI
stable. We had as good right to aspire as
any other citizen without the forfeiture of a
single right, and any future candidacy is too i'll
definite and remote to warrant us i'll being a
trimmer, or a liar or stupid noodle, in this
day of ring rule, imbecility, deceit, treachery
and rottenness in public and party affairs.
Hence, we are not soured or belly aching be-
cause Morrill, was nominated and we were not.
Although we gathered some idea, in our trav-
els, of the conditions which have resulted, we
supported the ticket with zeal not surpassed
by anybody, but there is 10 obligation, personal
or political courtesy, or party fealty, requiring
us to Immediately pick up whitewash brush.
The amount of two-facedness and deceit in
Kansas to-day is something appalling. The
party is in the hands of a snide gang who have
10 conception of public affairs beyond getting
place. The administration of government in
the interests of the people is obscured in pea
nut politics. The party promise was to redeem
the state. We confess now that we do not
know what this means, for in six months time
we witness more botch work official and polit-
ical, than in any five years previous, and a
scramble and methods to obtain little places
fully equal to anything the Pops were ever
guilty Of.
Who is Governor Morrill,, anyway? He has
been in public life for thirty-fve years. He
served several sessions i'll the house and senate
of the state, and six years in congress. Can
anybody put their finger on a single thing he
has ever done in this time, word he has ever
uttered, line he has written, movement he
has ever led? His career is, without doubt, the
emptiest of any man this state has ever known
in public life. He was an original Prohibition
ist, and promised the preachers, during the
that he would enforce the law. AS
soon as he obtained office, it was ascertained
that he was not prohibitonst and we see the
same old sliystering. Stop and think of ten
year-o1d boy making that voucher against the
contingent fund for services rendered before he
came into office, and how you would get strap
and make that boy tired for doing such thing
We were assured that he was for silver, and yet,
his first speech was a single-standard gold
speech. After vigorous protest from David
Martin, now chief Justice, and a roar from Bill
Hackney and few others, he changed front,
and during the rest of the campaign, he talked
free silver, sixteen to one. Just recall how
they got him tangled up as liar i'll the ap-
pointment of McMasters as election commits
sioner for Topeka. In every appointment he