Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-11-28


travagant u>e of words to emphasize
the eulogy due to my friends for every
commendabIe effort to my election |
shall not refer to those things which
have been said aud written against
me except as it becomes necessary to
place myself IN position before the
public to be judged by fair and reason
able minds.
When | entered the campaign l did
not hold the slightest i'll will toward
Mr.. Peacock. and did not know that
there existed the slightest cause for
enmity between us. but regarded him
as man who had performed his
duties with dignity and honor, and
congratulated myself therefore that l
had not been ''unequally yoked-'' l
must confess also that the thought of
being the political running mate of
such man filled my nature with the
daintiest morsels of vanity to which |
sat down and INDUCED myself in a
temporary feast. When | started out
to perform the unpleasant duties of
placing my counterlance and my name
before the public in a private way.
did so with the fixed purpose of say
ing nothing that in its nature, would
be calculated to lessen the chances of
my opponents election, and that pur-
pose L kept. not even repeating what
others said to me which was of 4 dis
paraging nature.
/ have not been instrumental in,
neither have l authorized the publica-
tion of simple word in retaliation or
contradiction to anything that has
been said against me.
1 wish now to call attention to
general rule, which l lay down as the
result of observation: y mans neigh
bors, with whom he is most intimate
ly connected in business, are the first
to detect his gross faults and vile rob-
berries.
Another rule: Neighbors do not
come frankly to the support of the
man who has dealt with them dishon-
estly, either in financial or moral
transactions. When neighbors agree
generally as to the moral status of
man, their claims are well founded.
Now, / live within an irregular
boundary whose distances from differ
ent points to the center vary from
three-fourthS of a mile to three miles
[ have lived here more than six years;
within this boundary live sixteen men
with whom my business AND, social re-
Iations have been closely connected:
these are the men who have had the
best opportunities to become ac-
quainted with me. / will give you
the facts now from which | invite you
to reach just and Intelligent conclu-
sions. Every man within this bound
AIRY voted on November Snow, let
their votes speak. OF the sixteen
votes cast Ireceived fourteen. l think
this showing reflects d degree of credit
upon which one might be permitted
to look with a pardonable pride.
1t has also been suggested by some
that the ACCESSIBILITY of allowing me
to take the Office to which l have been
elected (they, of course, holding the
powers of destiny is questionable, be-
cause, as they assert, the management
will be dictated.
This is an insolent reflection upon
my integrity, and carries with it the
inference of questionable motives on
the part of those who supported me.
l blush to reveal my weakness in
referring to this, and would not do SO.
except to take advantage of the eX-
cuse it offers of placing myself fairly
before the people upon the matter
which this reflection suggests. No, l
would not mention it. | do not cen
sure them Let them alone. The
man who would prematurely stop the
mouths of his bleeding and mangled
foes to stop the last gurgling sounds
of respiration. would be more cruel
than Herod. He would ruthlessly
snatch away the proverbial ''straw"
from the drowning. / wish to say, in
justice to my friends and, for the con-
sideration of the public. that nothing
has ever been said to me that could
with intelligence be so construed as
to mean a bid for unjust favors. /
would not for moment entertain the
thought that those who supported me
would also put letters on me to lessen
the chances for the highest good. No,
L cannot regard the favors shown me
in this light, / shall rather regard
them as an emphasis placed upon re-
sponsibility, profound remonstrance
against every form of injustice. To
me they shall be living incentives to
the highest and purest efforts.
7 Sball coDc,lt INV own irdrp,apt II,