Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-04-06
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THE JACK,
He is Still Booming Mckinley and
the Land of Perpetual
Sunshine.

Has come like a laughing school girl,
With song birds in the trees.
For three years the people Of Nebras-
ka have suffered from drouth and crop
failure. To-day the sun burst forth,
warm n bright, after plenty of snow
aud bounteous rains, and people are
happy. One thing good for Nebraska
has been accomplished, however; large
irrigation canals have been built, or
started, from every water source in the
state, and what was undoubtedly a
calamity and temporarily distressing,
was a blessing, for now that the bitches
are built there need be 70 fear of crop
failures, and if there should be suffi-
cient rains for years, so that the water
would not be needed, so much the bet
ter. However, there are seldom sea-
sons in which, at some time during the
summer, a drink from the irriga-
ton ditch would not be beneficial.
When / was driven out to the head of
the big canal near Cozad, this state,
a few days ago, The gentlemen could
not understand my enthusiasm as |
danced on the bulkhead behind the
big gates, but when / told them OF the
sunshine state, sthat is TO be-" and
that land, every inch Of which under
irrigation, would flow with milk and
honey, combining with the elixir Of
life that permeates our %salubrlous at
mosphere, then they began to realize
why | would fiin have that great roll
ing, surging Platte river and its great
canal arms, reaching out into our foot
hills, so that our fair land of perpetual
sunshine might blossom like the
posies.
McKinleyism everywhere and at all
times! Whenever one runs onto re-
publicans that word Mckinley arouses
enthusiasm, and men unaccustomed to
talk become eloquent, and yet, in
every state that has a ~favorite son,
Mckinley seems to be not in
good standing. His work for
protection and the G.. 0. P. are belit-
tied by the very men who at the last
republican convention were loudest in
his praise; however, in spite of
all this and the numerous dark horses
that are coming to be scratched, the
many Mckinley booms now in a heal
thy state Of vigorous enthusiasm will
amalgamate when the convention
meets on the Al ballot. 1t is a good
thing for New Mexico that her favorite
SON is not yet in the union, which
means, no doubt, that the solid dele
CATION will be for Mckinley. During
the last two presidential campaigns
the writer made yer 100 alleged cam
paign speeches, and was often on the
same assignment to speak with Senator
John Nj. Thurston. Night before last
John M. was. speaking at the Fnnke
opera house while we held a big audi
ence at the Y. M. G. A. hall, and as
my audience consisted mostly of good
people, hence McKinleyites, l could
not resist the temptation to fling in
some impromptu verses at the tail end
of the new version OF "Marcbing |
through Georgia. Here is the notice
from the Lincoln State Journal Of
March 31st, containing verses, "Since
we were marching thro' Georgia."
Use some Of il or none, just as you
wish:
THE POET SCOUT.
Capt. Jack Crawford, the picturesque
poet, gave his third entertainment in as
many months at the Y. M. G.. A.. hall last
night. As at previous readings, the hall
was filled and the greatest interest shown. |
His programs are different each evening,
unless he has a number of requests for q
repetition Of number given before:
Captain Crawford is a man distinctly
different from those who pose as plains
men, but who generally turn out to be
mountebanks of the worst kind. He has
nothing of the bravo about him. He is
gentlemanly in every respect. He Is not
an orator, but recites with o pathos and a
rough accent that make his selections
pleasing and attractive. He has a most
expressive index finger. No wonder he
was always a good shot when on the
plains. A man with a finger as straight
as bis could not be otherwise, He uses his
finger to emphasize the most important
lines in a poem or the most startling re-
marks in a prose selection. One has only
to see that finger rise to kno that some
thing good is coming.
His program last night was composed
largely of bis own selections. His poem
entitled "Sunshiner was given Ia a de-
lightful way that brought out its beauty
and rendered it doubly attractive. His
narration or the trials of a western justice
Of the peace was fine. In the course of
his entertainment he took occasion to pay
Secretary Daugherty OF the Y. M. O. "A
handsome compliment. and to bespeak for
him the hearty support Of all Christian
people In the city.
The speaker did not deal entirely with
occurrences Of the past. lie seemed will
ing to come down to the present and to
take a hand in the candidacy Of William
Mckinley for the presidency BY giving the !