Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-25
THE BATTLE IN KANSAS
A Seeming Weakening in the Free Silver
Sentiment Observable.
Interest In the Senatorial Contest
PETER Wants to Succeed Him.
self-Ingalls' Chances.
Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
INDEPENDENCE, Kan, September %.
With the passing OF the heated term the
political battle in Kansas grows in vlgor
and interest. Increased energy Is every
where manifest. September and October
weather here, so delightful every way, is
especially pleasant for campaigning, and
we make the most of 1t. While the state
and national tickets are most discussed and
talked about, great interest is being taken
IN the election of the legislature which, IN
January, must, among other things. choose
a successor to Mr.. PETER in the United
States Senate. .
PETER very naturally wants to succeed
himself, and probably will, If his party
the popocrats-control the joint conven-
ton, though he will have two or three ac-
tive competitors among his party asso-
ciates who are already lying in ambush
hoping to seize the prize in due time
Office seeking, it is well to remark, -
frowned upon, according to the professed
principles of populism-a rule more hon.
ored in the breach than in the observance,
however.
PETERS Early Career.
By the way, PETER lived in this (Mont-
gomery) county in the seventies. Here ne
published a country paper, dabbled some
in politics. ard, as a republican, represent
ed this district in the state senate. AS
late as 1888 he supported the republican
party was a radical protectionist, published
PETERS Manual on the tariff. "a very use
full little work, much used by republican
speakers. and still quoted to his discom-
future since he espoused populism-free Sill
yer and free trade. 1t is simple 1act 10
state that the people here who know PET
fer so well. irrespective of party, regard
him thoroughly honest man, upright
and honorable in all the relations OF Ete:
Moreover, he is an Industrious student OF
thought of some of his peculiar views, or
hobbies, as most people probably regard
them, and notwithstanding the jests and
gibes and funny things perpetrated at his
expense, it Is safe to say, as we'll as just,
there are probably very few better inform
ed men in the Sci ate today than PETER and
his whfskers.
Ingalls, aud Plumb Contracted.
John ]. Ingalls, hopes to secure PETERS
place, as he regards it as his old seat from
which he was swept by the mighty populist
wave of 1890. Up to this time, this event
or catastrophe, as ingalls, himself would
call 1t, he had been in the Senate since
1873, when he succeeded Pomeroy, who was
! overthrown by the famous York exposure
| involving charges of bribery and corrup-
| tion A. NJ. York also lived in this county
| and preceded PETER as state senator. Dur
| ing Ingalls, long experience in the Senate
| he was strong and popular to the last. anC
| no man ventured to contest with him fol
| the honor. He was, as Senator, and per
| sonally also, as unlike Plumb as it was
possible to be. Plumb was a many-sideC
| man. He was able and energetic in the
performance of his public duties. and very
| attentive and industrious in looking aftel
| the wants of his constituents. At home HI
was a great mixer. a tireleSS campaigner
1f
| by their first names. and seemed equally
| at home whether talking finance, farming
| stock raising politics.
ingalls, was very different. He did bu
| little service at Washington outside hi:
! strictly official duty. Yet the people nevel
! complained much about this. He ticklet
| their state pride by the high rank accorded
J him in the Senate, and pleased them witt
| his occasional exhibitions Of spectacula
| oratory. peculiarly his own. There wa
| but one ingalls, in the Senate, and he wa
| from Kansas. That was enough to keel
| him there for eighteen years. Kansas re
| CARELESS of party, admired his ability, hi
| brightness. though democrats drew the lin
| sharply against him at election time be
| cause of the cruel things he had a habit o
| saying in public speeches against democ
| racy. AT home he lacks Plumbs popula
| habits. While he is sociable and even af
| fable in habit and manner, he does not pu
| himself out of the way to meet and cult
| vate the people.
1 w
ton. it may seem incredible though true
| that ingalls, Is not a good campaigneI
| He can make great speeches. but he doe
not like crowds. and with all his abilit
| and apparent delight in experimenting h
does not like to do 1t, and so far fror
/ seeking opportunities to speak, avoids theI
| when he can. He is fertile in excuses
and probably has broken more appoin,
ments than any other man in the state
The managers of republican campaigns i
the past have had to labor hard to kee
Ingalls, at work and get him to max
speeches. He is and always has been
drawing card attracting great crowds o
| all occasions. Yet he shrinks from tn
task, which seems so easy and simple
those who hear him and admire his wor
derful gift in the use of the English lar
guase. ingalls, does not seem to realiz
| his power in this direction. II he did an
would go about the state more, meeting tn
people as Plumb used to do, he woul
hold the rndisputed right of way in Kar
sas politics during life. AS it Is. an
strange as it may seem, his strength lie
with the rank and file rather than til
local leaders. If he will cultivate the at
vantage he now holds with but REASONABLE
industry. and the republicans carry tn
legislature. the attenuated form and trer
chant voice of ingalls, will likely be see
and heard once more in the Senate.
The One Change Observable.
As to the prospects and probabilities Q
|
after of conjecture. The more zealou
partisans on both sides are claiming tn
state. To an impartial observer. how
ever there is but one change observable
that is seeming weakening in the FIRE
silver sentiment. The strength of FIRE
silver here, as in the west generally, lie
in the idea that 1t means more money. bel
ter prices and easier times. This idea
being antagoniZed with the argument ths
free coinage of silver would contract tn
currency, give less money and probabl
harder conditions; that sound money mean
gold and silver and paper on the preser
standard, good money and more OF it
use through restored confidence and bus
ness. And the tariff question is bein
; more discussed and considered than
, month ago. when the money issue SCENE
to dominate everything else. That is. r.
publican speakers are arguing that
proper settlement of the tariff on the lin
( of protection. with more revenue. will RI
. store former conditions. credit, confidenc
B and prosperity and also settle the none
. question. And they are evidently maxim
. Roadway along that line as against the OF
position speakers, who still preach mo!
vigorously and voclferously that free ST
yer coinage Is the only hope, the one gres
panacea for all our Ills. Meantime IL
: voters are reading, thinking and discuss
4 L.