The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-15
An Extraordinary Speech by n KAN
sas Congressman.

The Hon. WILLIAM A. ~CALDERHEAD, q Re-
publican, represents the Fifth Kansas dis
trict in the present Congress. 1t is a district
very full OF Populists, and used to have a
high old Populist crank Of the name Of JOHN
DAVIS as its Congressman. The frequency
OF Populists seems to have produced an un-
fortunate impression upon Mr.. CALDER
HEAD. A bill for the incorporation Of the
American international Bank, with n CAPT.
tai Of IS, 1000. 900, was before the House
Committee on Banking and Currency the
other day. Among the ~incorporators named
in the bill and authorized to establish
branch banks in various countries, IL they
choose to do so, are the Hon. Cor
NELIUs n. BLISS of this town, the Hon.
ANDREW CARNEGIE OF Pittsburgh, the Hon.
PHILIP d. ARMOUR Of Chicago, and some
other gentlemen guilty Of being tolerably
f~orehanded. The Washington dispatches
contain a partial report Of an extraordinary
speech made by Mr.. C~ALDERHEAp in the
House Committee on Banking and Cur
rency, a subcommittee of which had report
ed the bill with n favorable recommends
ton. Mr.. CALDERHEAD thought 1t would
be a dangerous business reporting such a
bill. In fact, he scented instruction and
riot IL this bank should be Incorporated.
His words are too instructive to students Of
political alienism not to be given in full:
Tho whole country. and particularly the Western
portion OF Il. Is In a condition OF unrest. The debt
ors. the unemployed, and the people OF small means be-
lieve they are injured in some way by tho power OF az.
gregated wealth, or. tho money power as they de-
scribe 1t. So widespread Is the belief that the people
In . large area OF this country need only q desperate
and courageous leader to give US an insurrsotion.
speak nothing but the truth when I say that a politi.
cal storm is likely to result II Congress Incorporates
this private bank with 4 capital of IS. 900. 900. The
plea that It Is done for the benent OF interna.
tionai commerce will not satisfy that mob, for Il isa
mob which needs only . recommending General to lead
It. II the leader should happen to have tho military
instinct it would mean civil war. know the temper
OF these people. and attribute their alleged grievances
partly to their own distress and partly to their envy
OF the rich. do not share their feelings. but I know
the conditions which exist. They believe that laws
arc made only to bsnent the wealthy. OF course they
are mistaken In this opinion. but we should do moth.
ing to encourage such n belief. Ihave seen and felt
tho unrest which prevails, and I think I am only doing
my duty In giving warning OF It now and here"
There has been a prolonged revolt against
common sense and political sobriety In GER
tain parts Of the West. especially in Kansas,
and 1t is not over yet, although It has sub
sided somewhat. The notion that actual
physical violence is liable to break out IL
Congress consents to incorporate such n
wicked agent Of the money power as a
large bank, Is worthy Of ~craziest Kansas.
Mr.. ~CALDERHEAD may be no Populist, but
he is full Of Populist germs. In spite Of the
Mutations Of many d~emagogues, from Mr..
CLEVELAND to Mr.. CoxEY, we must decline
to believe that any considerable number of
persons in the United States pine for insur-
rection. There may be a few utterly hare
Drained Bedlamites who are too lunatical to
know hat their leaders have been humbug-
ginR them, and Kansas is capable of har-
boring any amount of strong talk; but
strong talk and heated doesn't make civil
war. In fact, the constant discharge OF
rhetorical smoke and heat is one OF the
best guarantees Of permanent peace. As
for 1.-The people Of small means" whom
Mr.. CALDERHEAD catalogues among the
dissatisfied and dangerous, they themselves
hold a very large part Of the aggregated
wealth" OF the country, and ann be sus-
pected Of wanting to destroy their own
homes. The great mass of American people
consists OF these. They are conservative
and thrifty. They do not talk much. They
are too busy to heed the shrieking OF the
cheap little demagogues who rave and gibber
about the sufferlngs of the poor and the
evils done by the rich" The great mass
OF the American people is engaged in mind
ing its own business; is trying to add to its
own wealth and not worrying about that of
other folks II anybody would like to take
a hand, however, as "a desperate and cour-
ageous leader to give us an Instruction.
he has only to arise and let himself be seen
In a sufficiently infiammable state OF insur-
rection. He can be sure of being taken in
by the constables or other legally appointed
quellers Of disorder.
1t is recorded in the biography OF the Hon.
WILLIAM A. CALDERHEAD in the Congress
ional Directory hat he was educated in
the public schools and by his father, n min
lister of the United Presbyterian Church,
and in the Preparatory Department of
Franklin College, New Athens, O.. that he
afterward taught school and read law, and
that he became a county attorney and clerk
OF a Board Of Education. His remarks on
the Incorporation of the International Bank