The San Francisco call., 1896-07-20

perienced from the Populists in that mat
ter. He declined to say what his own
opinions were.
1.-The Southern Populists and the Demo-
Gratis do not agree very WE'LL" said the
Senator. "The great majority of the
Populists of the South were formerly
Democrats and they were so badly treated,
being abused and having their votes
stolen, that they feel very bitter toward
their old-time brothers of the Democracy.
We are trying to patch up these differ
ences by fusion on Presidential electors"
The Senator has done good service for
his country, not only with tongue and
pen, but with q rifle during the Civil War.
He was born in Cumberland County,
Pennsylvania, in 1881. of Dutch stock, and
has a constitution so vigorous, notwith-
standing his spare appearance, that he
does not seem to be any more than 40. de
was reared on farm and at the age OF 10
began to teach school, and it was probably
the taking up of this profession at an age
so early that has impaired to him the air
of gravity which he now wears. Then he
went prospecting for mining lands during
several months ana returned with % cents
in his pocket. In 1852 he married and in
1853 he and his wife went to st. Joseph
County, Ind, where he followed the busi-
ness of farming. In 1859 they left Indiana
and took up their residence in South
western Missouri.
At the breaking out of the Civil War,
Senator Peffer, imbued with patriotism,
went through Illinois and Joined the
Army OF the Cumberland as a private,
and after having been out about eight
months was promoted to the position of
second lieutenant. He also filled the po-
sitions of quartermaster and judge advo-
cate. and 1t was while acting as judge
advocate that he began the study of the
law.
He engaged in several battles, the,most
notable of which we're the attack on Fort
Donelson in February, 1852, and the Battle
of Nashville in Dece mber, 1864. He re-
mained in the army until The close of the
war and in 1870 removed to Kansas, where
he practiced law for while, and finding
that it was not money-making business
abandoned it for the humble occupation
of farming land and editing newspaper.
He is at present editor of the Kansas
Farmer, and that is ali the work he does
outside of his duties as a United States
Senator. The Senator was formerly
Republican, but for the past ten years he
has been practically Populist. He, how
ever. did not leave the Republican party
until 1889.
The Senator told a story of mistake
made by Senator ingalls,. Ingalls, term
was to expire in December, 1891. Just
prior to that time the Farmers Alliance
had been started in Kansas and had made
considerable headway.
''We Of that body were anxious to have
Senator Ingalls, take up the Farmers Al
lance and carry it through the cam
paign," said he. IF he had done so he
could have got whatever he wanted po-
liticalIy, for his talents were very much
admired by members of that organization.
But ingalls, laughed at u.s. and thought
that it would not amount to anything at
ALL At that time the Senatorial term was
six years and his colleague was Senator
Plumb, and we did not feel like taking
any chances, so after waiting three months
for ingalls, we came to the conclusion that
we would have TO select some other per-
son. l stumped the State for eight weeks
that year, not having any set programme
and jumping from one part of the State to
another.
1.-The result of the election was a great
surprise. Forty-ive thousand Republl-
cans and $4,000 Democrats went out of
their party, and $1,000 OF the Union Labor
party affiliated with the Peoples party of
Kansas, and the victory was won."
Senator Peffer is quite student. In
the midst of his onerous duties as Senator
and editor he finds time to stray away
into the shady paths of art and literature.
His favorite poets are Shelley, Burns,
Byron, Whittier and Longfellow. The
man with whom he was talking, and who
looked so like Santa Claus, with bright,