Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-08-25
KANSAS---N EBR ASKA
ARE NO LONGER THE HOT BED
OF WILD EYED THEORISTS.
Gradually Settling Down to tho Con-
ditions Ordained by the Laws OF
Naturs-Ths States viii Right the
Deiu,ions and Vote Republican Ticket.


ers will be aroused to it's utmost ten
sion from now until election day. So
far as Bryan's followers are able to
make it so, the campaign will be SEN
sational. Bryan himself being the very
embodiment of sensation, in his atti-
tudes and in his oratorical effects, and
the doctrines which he breaches being
such as to appeal to the hysterical and
nervous mind force of the community,
the campaign will undoubtedly be one
OF the most exciting ever witnessed in
the country: and Nebraska will be one
OF the centers of this excitement.
Not only is Bryan himself breeder
OF political hysteria on general prin-
ciples, in his attitudes and in the eff
fects which his oratory produces, and
not only is the attitude Of the demo-
cratic party in espOusing so suddenly
the free silver cause, heavily charged
with sensationalism, but populism,
which is the very essence of sensation
alism. being now merged with Bryan
ism and this new democracy, the whole
at once becomes complete aggregation
o: all the sensational fads that have
characterized the last decade in Ameri-
can politics.
Until recent years the mind force
in farming communities has been sup
posed to be phlegmatic in its character,
slow in action, and more than any other
class OF people, farmers have been
Judged as conservative and deliberate.
For the last few years. farmers in
Nebraska and Kansas have exhibited
the very reverse Of conservatism to a
degree almost alarming. People in the
east have been unable to account for
the universal activity of the mind force
in these western farm communities,
and especially their tendency toward
sensational doctrines.
In the old world the cities are the
resting places Of sensation. The unus-
ual mental activity of the farmers OF
Kansas and Nebraska is undoubtedly
due to the physical conditions; the
clear, bracing atmosphere. the healthy
and the electrical conditions which
arouse the mental force to the utmost
tension. all combine to make them the
most active and bright minded people
on the face of the earth. 1t is as impos-
sible for the mind force of Kansas and
Nebraska people to be dull and phieg-
matte as tits for the mind force Of the
people of the south to be bright.
Whoever comes from an eastern state
and spends a week in Nebraska will
feel upon his own person and in his
mental faculties this same exhilarating
force. There is no brighter minded boy
in the world than the Nebraska boy. 1t
Is said, by those who understand that a
man in both mind and body is the
product OF the physical conditions
which surround him, that the future
will show in the western prairie states
of high altitude, the brightest minded
men and women in the world. This
unusual mental activity. peculiar to
Kansas and Nebraska. makes the peo-
pie quick to grasp at new idea and
bold to espouse new cause. This
quickness to act in new cause. while
k indicates the bright mental facul-
ties OF the people, also indicates reck-
lessness which would be alarming. were
it not understood that the community
is new, that there is gathered ON these
western prairies 4 heterogeneous mass
Of mau from all Socf;nnc nf th., ooup
try blending all the isms of dozen
different types and civilization not yet
fully settled down into conditions OF
order and harmony susceptible OF the
best leadership. Any declaimer who
had piece to speak could get an au-
dience in Nebraska: any orator who had
sensational speech to deliver could
get applause: and any theorist who had
plausible scheme could find ready and
eager followers. In the last six years,
however, Nebraska aud Kansas have
had much experience. The farmers
have listened TO many orators and
many isms have been expounded and
exploded. The two per cent per annum
government loan proposition which
caught the farmers of Kansas like wild
fire six years ago has run its race and
is a dead cause. The doctrine OF the
government ownership OF railroads no
longer arouses the enthusiasm that ii
did few years ago. and only plays
perfunctOry part in giving body to
the populist platform.
The bitter and relentless attack of a
few years ago on railroads, telephones,
tclegraphs. banks. and all manner of
corporations for which these western
states were famous, has subsidized, and
now the populist United States sena-
tor. congressman. member of the leg
islature and the populist official of
whatever rank. rides on a railroad pass
whenever he can get one with as much
nonchalance as the most confirmed
wire-puller OF the old parties.
In the earlier history OF the populist
party, each county and state platform
denounced the politician and office
seeker, and each orator acclaimed with
sanctimonious junction. on the evil eff
focts of personal ambition and Office
seeking.
All this is at an end in Kansas and
Nebraska. Now the populist orator bold