The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-10-01
GOV. LEEDY's ADVICE.
Read 1t and the Comment on It and Then
Decide Whether You Want to Give
the Governor a Second Term.

Burlington Republican:
Gov. Leedy made a labor day
speech at Kansas City, Kansas, Mon
day of last week, and it is reported as
follows by the papers:
The governor said he came from clan OF
people who never entered into politics Il am
the black sheep Of the family, the first of my
/ name, and there are thousands of them, who
ever ran for Office" he said. MY father aud
mother and all my kinsmen told me TO work
and l would get along. 1 took their advice and
worked. Sometimes get along and sometimes
1 didn't 1 looked about me and saw the
preacher, who worked one day in the week and
gave me good advice the other six, seemed to
get along better ihan:I did, and the politician,
who was said not to work al all, got along bet
ter than 1 did. And after considering these
things, concluded to take a shy into politics
myself and I thank you. 1 have not done so
bad; and If you will try it you may do as well
yourselves"
The principal feature of such talk
is the shallow cOnceit and egotism
shown by all smsll-minded men
when elevated to high office by politi-
cal accidents. Since the days of the
POpulist uprising in 1890 such exhibit
tiOns have been very common in the
public prints. There was no appar-
ent reason Why he should talk about
himself on such an occasion, but the
vulgar, cheap vanity that possesses
such men impelled him to exploit his
own history and personal traits.
Besides this, however, there is a
little attempt to give advice. 1t is to
disregard the wholesome, old-fash-
Toned counsel of parents to be indus
trious, frugal and economical, and be-
come lOafer or politician and live by
your wits. Don't work for wages
and save your money, for if you do
you will be ground down by remorse-
less capitalists and will occupy a
mental position all your life, regard
less of merit. Don't try to make a
living farming. You can't do it.
Leedy tried it and failed, although he
had gOOdly sum given him to start
on, and Labor Commissioner Todd
printed a whole book to prove that
farming ia Kansas won't pay. Be-
sides we have the testimony of a
whole lot of other lOafers and politi-
clans to the same effect. That ought
to settle it. So don't try to farm. In
fact, don't try to do anything. Don't
work. Don't be industrious. Don't
try to earn anything or to save any
thing. 1t won't pay. Be a loafer
and drOne. Study political economy
from such text books as Caesars |
Column and the "Seven Financial
COnspiracies" and stand around Joints !
aud on the street corners and explain
the mistakes of the government and
how man who is industrious and
tries to get ahead in the world by |
hard work and economy is a ehump
because he makes himself the victim
Of the money power and the tool of
corporations.
That is the philosophy of Leedy's |
advice. 1t is the philosophy of the
gambler, the con man, the criminal,
the professional buns and tramps
who infest freight cars and hay stacks
and beg from house to house: the
of all the worthless char
acters who are a burden to society,
who toll net, neither do they spin,
and vet who manage to be clothed
and eat "three squares day" And
hat is what Leedy thinks is good
advice to give labOring men in labor
lay speech!