The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-13

These political economists of the soft
soap school would stand proudly on a
legal tender, endorsing astrology, de-
claring for blue grass and the bare foot
cure, pledging the party to vegetarian
ism, and whooping it up for the free and
unlimited coinage of fapdoodle. Think
of what Kansas escaped with these
ghost-dancers leading the conservative
party for half dozen years. The won
der is not that the state went for Bryan.
but rather that it did not go for the
Rev ri Hicks, and George Francis
Train.
When the national Republican party
last fall demanded honor and. courage
from its men, this smooth thing gang
in Kansas organized itself into a pha-
lanx that came tumbling head over
heels into the Populist party. They left
Kansas to vote as she pleased. And
when the people were sure that these
f1im-flam game fellows were gone, they
cast the largest Republican vote ever.
polled since the days when Kansas was
the banner Republican state in the I'm
ion. That Kansas increased her Repub-
lican vote, after the six years course in
Mysteries indicate courage, an intel
1igence, and an integrity among the
people, that should command your re-
Spectful admiration. From horse play
to a few thousand votes short of horse
sense, is long jump, but Kansas made
it.
The people We're so glad to get a
chance to vote as they pleased, to face
an honest issue squarely, to see the
Slimey old barnacleS Scraped off the Re
publican ship. they were SO glad to find
a party above its politicians, that they
piled up Republican vote which was
defeated by narrow margin, only by
the triple Alliance of greed, anarchy and
collie. They can't beat US again, for
money, marbles or chalk.
THAT is why l came so far to tell
you that Kansas is all right. Don't
worry about the Kansas man. If he
happens to be PopuIst he is no worse
than the Ohio Populist When you
wake up in the silent watches of the
night and begin to fret over the moral
decay of the 10000 Kansas men who
lined up with Mr.. Bryan, turn over and
go to sleep resting in the sweet assur-
ance that there were Ala, 900 men in
Ohio who did the same awful thing.
When your children tremble at the
tales of the terrible atrocities of Jerry
Simpson of Kansas, sooth their child
iSh fears with the hOneyed words of
wisdom that drip from the inspired lips
of J. S. COxey of Ohio. Remember
that a Pop in any state is just as sweet.
POpuliSm is not Kansas complaint.
1t is in the blood of men. Sometimes
it becomes epidemic. Then too often
it brings out all the envy in man,
all the covetouSnesS, all the malice.
Then it is not a conviction-it is a tenn
permanent. 1t affects it's victims nearly
all alike. The Kansas Fopulist is not
one whit worse than the men of all
ages who have let their envy get the
better of their honor, and who have
desired to make men equal by divid-
ing some other mans property. Cain
was the first Populfst. When he saw
that his brothers gift was acceptable
to God and that his own gift was not
acceptable, Cain did what every Kan
sas Populist would do, what every
Ohio POpulist would do, and what the
Nebraska Populist would justify in
glowing rhetoric. Instead of getting
out and hustling for a better offering,
Cain got a club and went after his more
diligent and successful hrOther-juSt
what the -Populist today is doing. Cen
tlemen, from the tree that grew the
club of Cain has come every plank in
the Chicago platform.
I'm this great fight before the Amer
lean people for the preservation of
American institutions, gentlemen, you
may depend on Kansas. She is flesh
of your flesh, bone of your bone The
Republican party in our state has been
greater work. The last year has
taught the Kansas Republicans the
greatest lesson of life-the lesson of
courage. We have the iron in our
blood-iron that makes men strong,
who shall make Kansas great. For
(. States are not great
Except as men may make them;
Men are not great except they do and
dare
''And in that great battle whose line
is forming, between patriotism and an
archy, Kansas may dedicate to her
cOuntry'S service men worthy to fight
beside the patriots of Ohio-Americans
as fearless as John Sherman, as daunt-
less as Foraker, as powerful as Mark
Hanna And one day Kansas may
give the world a knight, without fear
and without reproach-worthy to stand
in the nations history beside William
Mckinley