The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-13
MARY LEASE AS A SEER.
She Gazes Into the Future and
BehOlds the Millennium.
She Sees America Under the
Glorious American Flag,
Extending From the North Pole to
Central America Mrs. Lease
Thinks the Free Silver Issue
is Superseded by Socialism

Breathing conviction with every word,
emphatically and in an earnest manner,
Mrs. Mary E. Lease reclined in a cush-
toned arm chair at the home OF MRS.
Henry Hull in this city today and told
a reporter for the Journal that the
world was growing better
Brother she said and repeated me
word in her patronizing way Broth
er, have been watching the change Tor
years and 1 can see the movement to-
day. Gradually this world OF ours Is
growing better gradually intellectual
ity is increasing, gradually right is
banishing wrong, gradually the human
race is advancing upward and on L
see it and glory in the sight and hope
to live to see the promise before us full
filled"
Mrs. Lease had sketched the outlines
and rose from a reclining to a sitting
posture to perfect the picture. She was
gowned in black, and the only bright
ness in her attire was furnished by
red poppy dangling at her waist. Her
eyes sought a patch of b1ue sky visible
through the shattered window, and her
chin rested upon her hand. In this po-
sition she continued:
They tell us that crime is on the in
crease day by day, but II say that
this is not so. Our facilities for COM
munication have been so perfected in
recent years that we hear more of
crime as we hear more of everything
else, and for this reason, and for no
other they tell us that it is increasing.
I say that crime is diminishing daily,
that right is triumphing over wrong,
that the evil is vanishing before the
good 1 say that the time is coming
when crime will be a rarity, and that
the world will be one long expression of
brotherly love.
And when that day comes what do
see?" Mrs. Lease leaned forward and
her eyes frightened as though search
ing the future in the bit of blue sky
I see for our own country a federated
America, a continent free from foreign
oppression and ancient superstition, a
land where the greatest principles of
true democracy, government of the
people, by the people and for the peo-
pie, are daily example. No longer the
trusts grind down the weak and the
corporations profit by the toll of the
masses. I see the government in pos
session of all utilities, and mankind
cooperating like one great brotherhood
for the public good
Mrs. Lease dropped back to a re-
Ginning position. and closed her eyes.
The reporter refrained from breaking
into her visions for the space of five
minutes, but at the end of that time
remarked:
rs the proposed annexation of Ha-
wall a step in the direction of a fedora
ted American"
Not on your life" Mrs. Lease re-
piled in fin de steele phrase, rousing
herself from the contemplation of the
misty future. 1.-The annexation pro-
posed at the present time means moth
ing more or less than several million
dollars for Claus Spreckels, the sugar
king 1t means that he would then get
his sugar into this country free and he
is the man who is manipulating the
deal It's all a piece of manipulation,
for President MCKINLEY can be naninI1-
lated and handled for the reason that
he hasn't any backbone. Personally he
is a nice man, but he hasn't the strength
of character necessary for his position
ana ne comes long way of being
president of the United States. Mark
Hanna comes nearer being president
than Mckinley.
But speaking of the annexation of
Hawaii, 1 think that some day all of
the Pacific islands will be made a part
OF the United States Cuba will be an
nexed and Mexico ard Central America
Canada will come into the fold, and in
the north British government will he
banished and Spanish oppression
stamped out of the south. That will be
the federated America and it's only
question of time until these changes
will be brought about.
me big miners strike in the east is
terrible demonstration of the unrest
or the masses in this country" contin-
ued Mrs Lease branching off to anoth-
er theme. Day by day the masses real
lze that conditions must be changed,
and day by day the change is nearer at
hand- L look for the change to be
gradual without force or bloodshed
Socialism is making rapid strides. and
the great change in the conditions of
this country will be based on socia1istic
principles. The trusts are fighting each
other, and will eventually kill each 9th
er, the work we want them to perform
then the utilities of the country will
pass into the hands of the government
and new era will dawn
AND here l want to say that William
Jennings Bryan must widen his plat
form If he expects to be the idol of the
people in the campaign of 1900 Free
coinage of silver is no longer the issue
1t is one Of the issues. but IN the next
campaign it must be combined with
the government ownership of all public
utilities for the common good. If Bry-
an accepts such a platform, he will
sweep the country. If he persists in the
platform of free silver alone-oh, well,
it's not my place to predict his de-
feat.
Free coinage defeated Bryan in the
campaign last fall. II was the gun
which the enemy captured and turned
upon us. II was the ammunition we
furnished for our own destruction. The
people are too well educated in the
needs of the times to believe that the
free coinage of silver is all that is need
ed. I for one don't propose to furnish
the enemy with ammunition in the next
campaign
Mrs. Lease paused and toyed with the