The sun., 1896-09-20
KANSAS THINKING HARD.
NOR so SURE ABOUr FREE SILVER
as IT WAS ONCE.


DDS that have been tho mode up In tho buffalo
grass country arc those of the whole State
of Kansas, and tho politicians are coming to
tho issues thai the people themselves have
laii down. when tho campaign opened there
was disposition 10 dissuss tho money ques-
tion on tho basis of bimot,llism, but It is all
gone. Said Senator Wilcoxen, one OF tho
most prominent politicians and Republican
speakers Of tho Sixth district:
II havo acout come 20 the opinion that the
way to eight this fiat money craze is TO como
out for solid gold standard. The people are
20 determined that the way TO talk ls for one
aide or the other chat It is useless TO say any
thing unless you 90 tho full limit"
This is tho FIRST time the people of tho plains
have had tho money question discussed. Tho
Republican orators have been afraid 10 stand
up to the rack before, but they arc by no
means afraid now. The Alliance intimidnted
the Republicans of the State. At the begin
ming the. Republican papers of tho State used
to, run ALLIANCE columns" that containcd.all
tho heresios which were afterward tho bane
OF the State, and they thought that thereby
they could win the Alliance into tho party.
Anna DiEGs. tho Populist orator, was the edi.
tor of q column In the Lawrence Journal. Soon
the editor found that he had educated his
readers to think the Alliance good thing
When the papers tried to stop. the Alliance
boyootted shem and frightened the editors into
favoring the craze. This was one of tho bull
doing taotios Of tho beginning of Populism.
Tho next was the parade of the Alliances
through town with banners flying to intimi-
date the people Of the city, who were declared
to be the enemies of the farmers. In the morn
Ing tho procession would appear, long lines
Of farmers wagons. loaded down with the en-
tire families Of the members. Bands and ban
-
would DO watching tho display from the store
tops Tho papers would try to make the re-
port as favorable as possible by saying that
the greater portion of the line consisted of wo-
men and children. but the fact remained that
there were enough voters to carry tho county.
This was bulldozinG No. 2. Tho third varie-
tv waa.marching of the voters to the polls in
line. but the Australian ballot stopped that.
The teeth Of the Populist dragon arc drawn,
and 1t hns no more the power TO terrify. Not
having this power. 1t can be vanquished. This
campaign is educating tho people in princi-
plef that mean tho overthrow of the Peoples
party. They arc learning that there are an
swers TO tho problems which the Populists
nave propounded, not.found In tho Seven FL
nancial Conspiracies." "..either. Metropolitan
speakers have learned not to be afraid. and IL
means much to tho State. It means that
there will be healthier legislation In our
State Legislature next winter. for there will
be elected Republican majority of both
Houses. Tho sound-monoy campaign Is tho
best thing Kansas ever had.
The one great question that the farmers
want to hear about from the speakers is IL
taey can by FREQ coinage get larger prices for
their crops. II they can pay their debts they
will be glad to vote for 1t. but they are not
ready to take up with It unless 1t is to be OF
ta
for their anxiety. They are feeling tho re-
suits of the drought years, and want to see q
way out OF the dilemma In which they find
themselves. Up In the Sixth district the
other day traveller came on q family that
had the appearance of having been In better
circumstances. So It proved. The parents
came TO Kansas with $4,000, having sold their
farm in OHIO and paid the debt hanging over
It.. For six years they had tried TO make q
living Off the land they had bought, but wilh-
out avail. Now the farm is mortgaged. and
the family is about to load its belongings into
wagon and go elsew.er They feel that
there 10 something wrong. 1t is the lack of
moisture. but they lay it to the Government.
The fAther is a leading Populist advocate. and
has be,n defeated for q county Office. He
needed to be taught that the free coinage of
silver would not make his grain grow and when
about ready TO vote for sound money, II he is
In In, The state on election day. That district
,bs % be II line This fs the 't tine since
ways been Populist. even when the remain
der OF the State went back to sanity In the
Is the same cheering outlook. Cons ressman
Calderhead mado fight on sound-money
he scared the Republicans in The fight AS
he made ound;money talks they crowded
around him and begged him TO be careful lest
he might injure the party and the cause OF
local candidates. They tn ought the course he
took was suicidal. But it proved that tho
has nothinR TO take hack.
ropnl,m h,na has 81 no 1qgh FSSniaRsion Ss i once
death, es they have assessed, the Alliance
stores out out Sf existence; ten They have made the
but few how small wa. tho representation.
allowed in the room of the delegates. the pub
lic could not see the real attendance. Tho
II said simply that the roll was made up, and
the delegates named on II could vote. All
understood ~ and no questions were asked.
gates present, while tho roll showed 600, The
othsrs did not come. In one IN nstance one man
ent ont Of q delegation. This made tho show.
the party has no such hold on Its members as
it once hal. Wien II could send ont and
have & e. complete f Stnte poll made II week. as
the opposition afraid. but now the Populsts
arc in the dark as much MS the others as to the
result in detail. The polle that have been at
tempted have bsen unsatisfactory thus far.
IL Is surprising to 500 what large number
OF people are unwilling to express any opinion
az 10 the final result or as u personal intent.
One township in this county shows that out OF
forty Populists there are sixteen who will not
tell how they will vote. This is a favorable
sign. 1t indicates that the people are thinking
10 purpose, and do not intend to take any
chances. Tho Democratic voters are stil' more
norcommittal and the outcome OF their delib-
erations Is watched for with much interest.
Tho terms OF tho fusion plan giye the electors
the State. They Will not vote for Watson
under anv conditions. This determination is
hhsyT,E heyn,E Its effect, and the state organ of tho
Populist daily paper in the State. is loud in its
demands for Q PopulisJ elec toi al ticket. 1t
accuses the Chairman of having sold out ard
shreate1's that it will make the election Of the
made. These things mako the Peoples Party
campaign very unpleasant one for the :eaders
60 commando obeyed Without questioning. Said
writer's OF the Peoples Party last week:
II th. INK that sentiment on tho free coinage
question is changing In the direction of sound