Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1895-01-11
GOVERNOR LEWELLING'S MESSAGE

GOVERNOR LEWELLING'S MESSAGE
Was delivered to the Kansas Legislature, We'd
nesday. 1t was our desire to publish the mes
sage this week, but did not get it in time So
next week, we expect to publish the main fea-
lures of the message. We notice that the
Governor pays particular attention to the liquor
question, and he stands by the prohibitory law
He says prohibition has come to Kansas to stay.
THE TOPEKA CAPITAL AND FARMERS
The Topeka Capital is never interesting, but
when it INDUCES in gibes and ridicule of polit-
ical opponents, it is simply idiotic. It's latest
vaporings are contained in an article that ap-
peared in the Kansas Farmer, in which the
Farmer stated, as an "obect lesson" that the
reports of the secretary of the state board OF
agriculture on "Alfalfa Growing" and "Feed-
ing Wheat" have been in greater demand than
Senator Pefers report on agricultural De-
preston" AS matter of fact, the Senator's
report is fair and comprehensive, and is con-
ceded by all fair-1ninded persons to be worthy
of committee of the United States senate; but
the Capital simply INDUCES in half-column OF
ridicule, not citing to single statement or
making the least attempt to disprove any
thought therein presented, and recommending
that the copies of reports on hand in the Farm
er's office be sent to the people of Nebraska
who are short of fuel.
Of such is the so-caled leading Republican
paper of Kansas; but it is the conclusions
reached b. both the Farmer and the Capital
that we wish to combat. Both papers seem to
agree in that the farmers of Kansas are tired of
politics, and are now giving their sole attention
to their individual affairs instead of the study
of economic questions.
We have no means of knowing, yet, if we
had we would feel safe in wagering that the
farmers who are seeking knowledge OH compar-
atively new subjects are just the men who have
studied, and are studying, economic questions.
The subject of agricultural depression is not
new, and Populist farmers knew before Pefer's
report was issued great deal of what that re-
port contains.
We also combat the covert advice of the Cap
ital that farmers should work fourteen hours
day, and employ the rest of the time i'll sleep
ing. The farmers who read the Capitalize
Republican farmers-inay or may not be SO
stupid as to see the drift of the Capitals edit
orial, but if they follow the advice of the Cap
ital, and papers of that sort, soon they will not
be very far removed from the condition of the
mule-physically or mentally.
A farmer ought to have leisure, and to employ
that leisure in the study of all subjects that af-
feet his interests or welfare, and no subject can
be of greater interest to farmers than the sci
ence of government-no study so vital as the
policies and measures of ruling political parties
Doubtless, it would please the editors of the
Capital and other papers published i'll the inter
est of grinding corporations if the farmers
would obediently conform to the wishes of the
railroad attorneys, trusts and combines, and
permit robbery and extortion i'll any and every
form ever devised in the fertile brain of human
devils. 1t would be day of thanksgiving in
Sheol when everything pertaining to politics is
turned over to the state-house ring and the
county rings-the rings in which few attor-
neys and political shysters would make all the
nominations for Office, and in which nomina-
tions the scum of creation would hold the of.
fees, and in which the corruption of Tammany
would be comparative purity.
But, the farmers of Kansas are not made O
the material of which serfs are made.