The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-05
POLITICS IN KANSAS.
Sam HaIe's Old Straw Hat Con-
tanned a Legend
Pasted Where All Might Read
Who Ran or Sat Still.
Joke on an Old Time Political Leader
at La Crosse, Kansas.

Sam Hale of La Crosse, Rush coun-
ty, one of the members of the school
text book commission, found it difficult
to explain a little transaction which
occurred out there a few days since.
The story is q, good one, but in order
that the reader may properly appreci-
ate II, 1t is necessary to relate a little
of Hale's political history.
For years Hale worshiped at the po-
Ht1cal shrine of such Republicans as
Preston B. Plumb. His education along
these lines lead him to believe that the
free and unlimited coinage of silver at
16 to l was one of the tenets of the
Republican faith Republican state and
congressional conventions biennially
put themselves on record in favor of
this financial policy. and Hale really be-
feved the party meant what it said.
He was present at the great Jim Hal
lowell Republican congressional con-
vention at Dodge City in 1890,
when H. B. Kelley, as chair
man of the committee on resoiu-
lions capped the climax by simply out
Heroding old Herod himself in the mat
ter of free silver declarations. And,
after Prince Hal had got started in his
grand sweep of the Seventh district,
Sam Hale was whooping 'er up Liza
Jane for the grand old party, bearing
aloft the platform which he regarded
as a deadener on any Alliance man
who would dare intimate that the Re
publican party was unfriendly to silver.
Sam fought the good fight right along
for he had confidence in the fellows who
made platforms. In the campaigns of
1884 he was enthusiastic for Repub-
hcanisrn and free silver. He would de-
clare in his speeches that 1T is all
right, boys, the Republican party will
solve the free silver problem Wen
stand by the old ship After the St.
Louis convention the jig was up with
him He stood before his people a
confessed falsifier. He had promised
that if the boys would remain stead
fast the grand old party would take
e-T1r-
was more than he could stand, so he
took the bull by the horns and joined
with Webb McNan and others in or
ganizing a rebellion. This brief his
for the purpose OF leading up to the
story.
Recently during a Populist judicial
convention at La Crosse Hale was in
vited to address a few remarks to the
convention on the question of free sill
yer. He was an onlooker with a bevy
OF Republicans and occupied a seatne
the rear The day was hot, and as
Hale was about TO start to the con-
vention he asked his wife if she would
hunt up his old straw hat that he might
use it as a fan to keep himself cool
Mrs Hale went to the garnet and fshed
out the hat and Hale put it on and
started for the court house.
When he advanced to the front to
talk on silver he left his old straw hat
which had served him in 1885, on a
seat When he was in the midst Of
his peroratiOn, pounding away at the
money power. making a word picture
of the gold standard wave of prosperity
which was not in sight, he discovered
that his Republican friends in the rear
were cheering him heartily. He was
encouraged, and redOubled his efforts
hitting Mark Hanna a few ticks below
the belt which caused the entire audi
ence TO join in the applause.
When Hale had concluded and the
convention adjourned, the Republican
chair-warmers rushed about the plat
form to congratulate him on his effort
One of them handed him his old straw
hat and called his attention to an in
scription pasted within which read:
The Republican party stands for an
honest dollar and a chance to earn it
William Mckinley Hale denied that
he owned the hat, but there was his
own name in gold letters. While he
was talking about the money power and
pleading for free silver his Republican
friends in the rear Of the hall were pass
ing his hat around that all might read
the little poster so familiar to every
body during the last camDaien