Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1895-11-16
POPUlIIST SENATORS.
Personally They Are an Extreme.
ly Popular Set.
Senator Pefrcr, of Kansas, Is n Man of
Many Parts, and Not to BE
Ridicuicd-Alien's Speech
Against Time.
speclal Washington Letter.

It would be difficult for the republic
ans to effect reorganization of the
senate in December, but for the fact
that majority of the populist senators
are primarily republicans in their pro-
clivities. Now that season of great
political activity approaches, and be-
cause the senate will be the center of
that forensic arena upon which all of
our people will gaze from afar, have
deemed it advisable to give you several
letters concerning that great body OF
statesmen. During the winter you
must have descriptions of the great
debates which will occur, and if you
will save these letters by putting them
in your scrap-book you will have
better idea of how the men move in
the political contests for personal and
party supremacy.
The first populist elected to the SEN
ate was William Alfred PETER, of Kan
sas, who surprised the whole world by
defeating the brilliant partisan orator
John j. Ingalls,. He Immediately be-
came the target for the ridicule of the
political writers of both the older part
les. Because he wears a long, flowing
beard, the photographers and picture
makers make fun of his beard. AS
matter of fact, nobody could say any
thing against Senator PETER himself.
He is one of the most correct, honor
able and upright members of the United
States senate. He is Ga years of age,
although he looks much younger. In
deed, he might easily pass for man
twenty years younger. He has not
gray hair, his skin is healthy, his step
elastic, and no traces of the lapse of
time appear in this quiet, dignified and
modest senior senator from Kansas. He
was born on a farm, taught country
schools, educated himself, became Il
farmer, opened farm in the frontier of
Indiana, sold it and then purchased
farm in Missouri. He was there when
the war began, but, being a union man,
he removed to Illinois, and there en-
listed as private soldier in the Eighty.
| third Illinois infantry.
That sort of man, self made, honest,
a frontiersman, making home for him
self, should not be an object of ridicule
by any class of American citizens. Few
men, indeeG, have marked out for them
selves a more commendable course of
| life. He remained in the army until
the close of the war, and was several
times promoted for efficient services.
He studied law when the army
was not moving, instead of smok-
ing, drinking and gambling his
time away. He removed to Kan
sas in 1870, practiced law, and es-
tablished two newspapers. He was u
member OF the Kansas state senate, and
republican presidential elector in
1880, on the Garfield ticket. He became
editor of the Kansas Farmer in 1881 and
continued to edit that excellent paper
until 1890, when he was elected to the
senate by the peoples party which then
sprang into being. On all great nation
al questions he has been a republican,
and when he came to the senate he took
Il seat on the republican side of the
chamber, where he still remains. He
was warm personal friend of the late
Senator Plumb, who was one of the
greatest men the state of Kansas ever
! produced. There is no more honorable
Inan in public life to-day than Senator
PETER, of Kansas.
William Vincent Allen, senior senator
from Nebraska, is populist. He is