The Topeka state journal., 1897-09-07
MISSOURI INVADED.
Governor Leedy, Congressman
Simpson and j. IA. Cubbison
Speak at Labor Day Picnic at
Washington Park.
Leedy Tells Why He Became a Poll
tician-Simpson Prods Courts and
Trusts-Cubbison Dissatisfied
With Present Tariff

Kansas City, Sept. Probably go. 1000
people visited Washington park yester-
day for the labor picnic.
Among the distinguished guests on
the speakers stand We're Governor J.
W. Leedy of Kansas. Mayor r. L.
Marshman of Kansas City, Kan; Con-
gresham NJ. S. Peters, Rev. Father
William J. Dalton, Congressman w. s.
Cowherd, Daniel w. Brown, James A
Reed and the officers of labor organiza-
tions.
VIM. G. Bird, ex-commissioner of
labor of Kansas, called the formal
meeting to order
Chairman McGrath, in introducing
Gov Leedy, said KANSAS had the ugli-
est men and the prettiest women in the
world.
The Kansas governor was loudly ap-
plauded when he arose. He said he
came here to identify himself with and
declare his approval of organized labor
and expressed pleasure in the union of
of Labor day.
There was a time" he said, when
a Missouri man never looked across the
line except through the sight of a gun
and when no Kansas man ever came to
Missouri except on evil bent"
He advised the formation of one
grand union of all laboring men. Il
would not advise you to try and agree
upon multiplicity of things, but there
is certainly one thing on which you can
get together, and demand, and you will
get it every time-9'
The governor said he came from a
clan of people who never entered into
pont1cS- L am the black sheep of the
1amlly' the first of my name, and there
are thousands of them, who ever ran
for office" he said. My father and
mother and all my kinsmen told me to
work and would get along. 1 took
their advice and worked. Some times l
got along and times 7
looked about me and 1 saw the preach
er, who worked one day in the week
and gave me good advice the other six,
seemed to get along better than I did,
and after considering these things, l
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.''
a large crowd gathered at night. One
OF the first speakers was J. K. Cubbi-
son. He made an eloquent address
dwelling on the great strides organized
labor has made in the past few years.
He was the only Republican on the pro-
gramnle. He said that he noticed when
ne was asked to speak that the rest OF
the programme was filed with Demo-
Gratis and Populists, but good naturedly
remarked that the voters had been
elecUng Democrats and POpuliStS as
their state officials. He closed by crit
1cising the Republican party, which for
80 years had brought good times to the
people by putting a tariff on the goods
made by men working for cheap wages
IN Europe and keeping them from COM
ing into competition with the products
OF labor in this country, in not also put
ting a tariff on the paupers that came
TO this country from Europe.
When Congressman Jerry Simpson
was announced he was greeted with
rounds of applause. He spent the intro
duction to his address by returning the
bouquets that had been thrown at him
by Congressman Cowherd, with inter
est.
Il agree with Mr.. Cowherd when he
says We people in Kansas raise lots of
hell" said Mr.. Simpson. by raising
hell, we have started nearly every re-
form that has benefited the laboring
man, The Kansas politicians are the |
barometer of the United States In
raising hell we started the movement
TO establish the postal savings bank and |
1t is now the popular movement and |
will soon be established.
You laboring men are compelled to
organize. Every wOrkingman who is |
not a member of some union should be |
ashamed of himself. Without organiza-
tion you viii soon fall a. prey to greedy |
capital What is the story of the fight |
labor is having with the coal barons of
the east?
THE courts have decided that they
can use the injunction to keep the Ia |
boring man from using his own high |
ways and the right to free speech. / |
tell you there has not been a more dan
gerouS blow struck since Jeff Davis or
ganized his rebellion than this act of |
the courts 1t is a direct thrust at free |
government
"All great reforms that ever came to |
this country or Europe came through |
agitation. We are entitled to free speech |
and We will have tive call those cOun-
tries in Europe that denied the right of |
the people to free speech despotic. We |
are fast coming to that point where we |