People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-11-19
PLOT.
TO Destroy Kansas Seems to Have Devel-
oped-Citizens of Kansas, Stand
by Your State.


eastern newspapers to destroy Kansas,
to crush her into the earth and
trample one of the bravoSt, most
highly educated and cultured Chris
tian peoples in the dust, it could not
have been set about with more malev-
oleuce, more cruelty, more heartless-
ness, mOrecunning, more devilishness,
than has been displayed by the eastern
press from Chicago to New York il
the past week.
1t does not matter TO the misguided
II not malignant editors Of these
papers that Kansas has rendered up
to her creditors every debt she owed
unto the utmost farthing when it
came due, even though it has ruined
thousands on thousands of our best
citizens right here in Topeka and all
over the state. 1t is regarded of no
consequence that the payment of the
mortgages held by eastern creditors
has beggared tens Of thousands of our
farmers and sent them in a vast ex-
odus from western counties into
Oklahoma and other new territories,
there to begin over again the battle
Of life; it matters not that her young
men who dwelt for years in dugOuts
on the frontier vainly trying to subdue
the desert, have been driven into the
mines of Colorado, to Alaska and
Mexico to earn a livelihood; it
matters not the least that Kansas / as
honestly and honOrably given up
everything that her debts might be
paid, Even ali this has not delivered
her from the contumely of these
vicious editors and writers who, not
content with the surrender of all that
could be taken. are now lackening
the character of our state and our
people. They have it all; our build
ingS, our farms, our vast stretches of
unimprOved territory in some 10.
stances amounting to whole counties;
why should they now pursue us with
envenOmed tongue and make it more
difficult if not possible to recover our
vanished fortunes. The heart cries
out against such injustice. Kansas is
one of the great SisterhOod of states,
beloved by the friends of liberty and
progress throughout the world.
Bleeding Kansas she was, and bleed.
ing, that her sister states might live
In the glorious union they now enjoy.
Kansas was desolated by fire and
sword for the sake Of her companions
In the union who now through their
editors and newspapers turn on her
to rend her. In Kansas began the
struggle that saved the other states
of this nation from destruction. To
those old days We stood the onset Of
the bloody struggle and none found
US wanting. If we differ in our views
on some public questions it i'll be-
comes The states that proated AID
prospered through our suffering to
turn their poisoned barbs against us,
To the stars through difficulties We
have indeed struggled upward. The
Joan of Arc Of progress, Kansas ha:
always led the vanguard of human
freedom; who knows what spirit it i:
In our heroic people that is leading Us
now? Who knows that twenty years
from now history may not vindicatt
Kansas again, as Kansas has been vim
Dictated In the past.
Who has given il into the hands o.
eastern newspaper writers to destroy
US; by what moral right do they nov
seek to strangle hope in our peopl,
and blight them with the terror O
pauperism? Kansas lifts up her voic,
in protest. We will not meekly en-.
dure these whips and scourges.
Kansas people may not understand
In all its dastardly fullness the on
slaught that has been made on ou
state and our people by the metropoli
tan press, until they read the follow.
ing extracts:
Under the caption, "Crack- BraineG
Kansas" the New York World editor
tally asSails the STATE as follows:
"With population declining and
wealth decreasing, Kansas chases
more furiously than ever the decisions
that are running her. To fix the eyes
OF the whole patton upon her folly,
she has cast her electoral vote for re-
pudiation. To stampede her prosper
Gus citizens. she has given her chief
judicial position to a man who pro-
claims that the right of the user of
property takes precedence over the
right of the owner" To warn away
any sane persons who might be think
ing of coming to live within her
borders, she is sending to the United
States senate, PETER, or some other