The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-30
THE ROUTE OF THE BAND WAGON


The band-wagon of prosperity is pass
ing in parade Is Kansas going to get
aboard this fall, or not?
In all countries there is a procession
battalion Of progressive men and
measures. At the head Of it is the band
wagon. There is lots of blow and snort
and hip-hurrah about the band-wa gon.
1t is covered with gilt, and the horses
prance and the wheels richly rumble
and a great deal OF unnecessary noise
and racket accompanies it, But the
band-wagOn is going somewhere. 1t is
progressing. 1t is advancing. 1t IL
following given pre-arranged course.
The man with the reins in his hands is
bot believing: he is not yelling: he is
not cutting up didOes. He knows the
route of the procession and he is driv-
ing the prancing steeds that way. lie
doesn't care whether the fellows on the
wagon make noise or not. He rather
likes it, And why not? Because he
knows there are a lot of fellows on the
sidewalks guying the wagon, and that
somebody must guy them back. That
is what all the noise on the band wagon
is about. Now the fellows on the stress
who guy the procession are portion of
humanity in every country, also. They
belong TO the never in it, tribe. They
believe the government is going to the
dogs and 1t initiates them to have any
body think otherwise. Any manner Of
success on the part of their brothers an
gers them. Any token Of prosperity
racks their peace Of mind. They don't
like the procession. They don't like
the men in the band-wagOn. They do
not like the government. They have
been standing on the street there ever
since the procession started, away back
in The first part of the present century.
They pelted the band-wagon with their
oatbs back in the days of the Missouri
compromise. They snarled at it in try
ing 10 make Kansas a slave state. And
in 1860 they resolved that the band
wagon ought to be wiped out. They
tried il 1t ran over them. II crushed
Them down and out for good many
years They finally put a spoke into the
wheel and stopped it. Cleveland mount
ed the seat and drove the horses over
an embankment The old band-wason
fellows got it again, fixed it up and
drove it on. Cleveland put another
spoke in the wheel and took the reins
again. lie went over another embank-
ment. Again the old paraders have it.
They are driving it on again. The same
old gang is standing on the sidewalk
guying the band-wagon. They are AN
gered yea maddened because the driver
now in charge is not as poor a driver
as Grover Cleveland. They are irrita- !
ted with the world. Good government
is a veXation TO them. Happiness on
the part Of others, their misery. But |
the band-wagOn goes right on despite |
their threats and caterwaulings
The first question with us is: Is Kan |
sas going to get onto the band-wagou |
and go with the procession or is it going |
TO remain on the street with the fellows |
who have tried once to divide the gov
ernment and snarl and howl and snort /
and screen itself hoarse out of very
envy and malice Ii is the same old |
question over again: Is Kansas going
10 train with sleepy Alabama. lazy Mis-
sissippi, torpid Louisiana and l;stless
Tennessee, or is it going to get onto the
band-wag0n with New England, Penn
sylvania. Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and all
those northern, energetic states, which
have the wealth. the people and the
money Of the nation?