The advocate., 1895-09-25
An Old Soldier Speaks Ont.
MORE ANON

An Old Soldier Speaks Out.
Editor Advocate: A year or so ago,
some of your Topeka papers were ad-
vertising q kicking machine. Now If
those machines are still in the market,
please ship me one immediately, Il
will pass it on If 1 ever get through
with it), / know others who need it as
badly as 7. I have been kicking my
self so long and continue to find so
many new reasons for continuing the
work that must despair unless / can
get assistance of some sort, more es-
pecially since we have been re-d-d
(spell it as you like). All this because
1 was once fool enough to allow myself
to be hoodooed by the g. o. p. frauds
just as many Of my old comrades Of 81
to '65 are being hoodooed still.
The facts are that while believe O.
great majority did believe, and some
are still gulled into the belief that the
G. A. r. was organized for a strictly
non-partisan, non-political organlza-
tion, yet the actions of the leaders
fully demonstrates that 1t Is nothing
more nor less than secret political
machine run by and in the interests Of
the self imposed leaders of the party,
who never fail on any and all occasions
where few of the cd soldiers can be
gathered together (even including
sacred memorial services) to harangue
them with the most bitter partisan hog
wash, until many or all honest-thlnk-
ing veterans have become so disgusted
that they make their absence conspicu-
Gus on most or all occasions.
But even the lessons given by the
present state administration in filing
the various appointments will not suffice
to open the eyes of many; for like the
cur they love to lick the hand that
smites them. Twenty-six vets with
the populists in the state house-four-
teen under the present administration.
How do you like it, comrades? Just
keep voting 'er straight. That's all
that's wanted of you.
These things have been forcibly re-
called by the recent visit to our county
of Charles Curtis, the man who Is now
representing the republican party and
the corporations. The man who, when
here, showed plainly that he had not
lost or forgotten any of the witty,
scheming, treacherous instincts Of his
iEustrious forefathers. It is claimed
that he was here for the purpose Of
learning what the old soldiers most de-
sired of him and Of congress. However,
he took especial pains to see that none
but the faithful were present at his
meetings. In hunting up the faithful
he ignored and even snubbed honor
able, prominent old soldiers whom he
met on the streets, who happened to
differ with him politically. OF course
he does not represent them and they
have no right to kick or find fault.
But why these secret meetings? Is
the work Of such a nature that 1t should
not be known by the constituency? Can
it be that there Is any truth in the re-
port that steps are being taken for the
purpose of getting adverse legislation
for all old soldiers who will persist in
voting for home and country? If so
want to caution those in the secret to
beware: A change may come; aye, a
change will come and that In the near
future; then there may be heard from
these same persons cries Of anguish;
cries made in vain. Then 1t will be
woe unto those misrepresentation who
have given us trickery for statesman
ship. AN OLD VET.
Usage City, Kas.