The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-19
SLINGS A "NASTY" Pen.
New York Journals Most Malignant
VitrioI Thrower, ga. II. L."
INSTRUCTED TO "DO UP" PETER.

Hate Can Produce.
The following is from the New York
| Journal, which is about to be consolida-
ted with the New York Times, the paper
that called Senator Tillman "a filthy
baboon." Both papers are generally re-
| garded as Wall street organs. 1t is a
specimen of what is considered fine po-
litical writing in New York:
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 14-Peffer crept to
the senate. At his advent his fellow
elder statesmen felt much distaste. He
| was gaunt and long and humble. His
beard was thin. sparse; starved and va
| grant thing. At that time PETER could
| have posed-and made a success-as a
| model for Want, or Famine, or any other
| specimen of wan and hunger bitten art.
| He was silent; retiring to the point of
! shrinking. He replied with soft slow
! ness when addressed His hand was given
to you reluctantly, and when you took
hold you found it damp and cold like
tree troad, PETERS whole effect with his
small. acorn head was that of some mild,
reserved condor. When he addressed
the senate he became even more the con-
dor, and would soar and sail and sail and
soar in a dreary efortless fashion for
hours.
Yet men mislead themselves with PEI
fer's looks. He's sort of Senate Uriah
Heep. In his way he's dangerous; all
the more dangerous because one is dis
armed by his mien-humble to the point
of AFFECTION.
One day, as the shrewd Jerry Simpson
and were in converse l craved Jerry
for his opinion of PETER. A keen CLINT
twinkled in Jerry gray eye.
"You needn't print it now" he said,
Shut between you and me he's what l
call sea green wolf. He's here for one
term and he knows it. And he's going
to take as much much money as he can,
as they call it, honestly. ."
Simpson was two-thirds right. When
PETER came, as has been suggested, he
was in the eyes of the others a poor, de-
spised thing. But something came to
pass which offered advantage, and PETER
was prompt. The Republicans had the
reins of senate control. This was four
years ago The elections threw senate
mastery into doubt. The two big parties
were about even. Each needed PETER to
win. Then the meek and lowly Populist
burst into notice. Both sides began to
make love to him.
There was stilI almost year during
which the Republicans would retain their
organization. If they could enlist the
lean Moses of the third party they would
continue in the saddle after that. Then
it was that they began to yearn over and
coddle PETER and give him things.
His room in the Maltby building,
where the senators are each given
apartment, was a grim and barren waste.
PETER sat in its midst, bleak and blue
and frozen; for all the world like some
exile to some senate Siberia. Valen-
tine, the Republican sergeant at arms,
changed all this. Where before was
want and restitution, rugs and velvets
and russell leather now made Il picture
of luxury, if not of vice. PETERS room
hat hoo
of oriental magnificence." 1t is yet.
Then they gave his son a $1,000 posi-
ton and his nephew $500 position; his
daughter already had one-his secretary
at $1,000 PETER took them all. It
was spelling the Egyptians, he thought,
no doubt, and never hesitated. PETER
squeezed the Republicans dry like a
lemon.
When the pinch came, PETER still
meek, still humble, but retaining every
trinksr of place the Republicans had
lavished upon him. voted with the Dem
ocrats and aided them to recover senate
domination from their foe. The Repub-
licans CRASHED their teeth; the lean,
silent PopuIist had "bilked' them. they
said. Perhaps; bat the Democrats con-
firmed PETER in the title to all he had
and gave him more.
In the mere matter of place and put
ting his family on the senate roll, no one
has had more 'luck" than PETER. The
salaries and perquisites which have
yearly fallen to that receptive house
hold have not been less than $4,000,
And this does not refer to the fat posi-
ton which PETER was able two years
ago to find for one of his sons with the
Havemeyer sugar trust.
PETER coup was executed while the
Worlds fair was simmering at Chi
cago. 1t may have had no connection
with that bristling exposition. but when
the show was at its showiest, by an ex-
cellent coincidence wheat went to 90
cents a bushel and PETER at once
offered a resolution to have a special
committee to look into all this wheat
sadness and report.
By that style of gift gaff which obtains
in the senate as senatorial courtesy"
Peffer-the parent of the resolution-was
named as the committee to go all through
the decline of wheat with a torch, and
was incidentally given $1,000 from the
senate contingent fund wherewith to
prosecute his explorations. The humble
one clutched the 81, 800 in his talons and
wendell to Chicago, where he passed
NEST of that vacation.
He made a report some eighteen
months later, but neither he nor the SEN
ate paid the least heed thereto. 1t was
clean case of junket
PETER is a talker who wearies you,
but he doesn't care. When he speaks
not a quartette of senators will stay. This
does not disturb him, he saws on abso-
lutely impsrtur bable. Once Allen, the
giant Populisf. came in from the res
taurant while PETER was addressing the
empty senate chamber. There was not
a senator present-not one.
Allen was a bit shocked, and inter-
rupting PETER. suggested the mo
quorum" condition, and was on the eve
of causing the chair to set the bells
a-ringing in restaurant, cloak and COM
mittee rooms, and hustle the absentees
in Rnt Peffar firmly stonnad him