Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-01-22
Kansas POpulistS in Power Again.

Kansas POpuliStS in Power Again.
The New York Sun of the nth inst. COLI
tains the following 1t is about as fair as any
thing that could appear in this gold-bug sheet:
This is week of JOY for that peculiar and in
teresting race, the Populists of Kansas. At
Topeka to-day, John w. Leedy will be nduc-
ed into the Office of governor. lnaugurated
might be too warm word, as Mr.. Leedy is
a statesman of true geoponc simplicity, and II
he is true to his principles he will walk into
the capitol barefoot, weather permitting. To-
dav. also, the Hon. Frank Doser will take the
oath of office as chief justice. Tomorrow the
legislature, in both branches of which the Pop
uists have large majority, will assemble
Mr.. Leedy is the man who said during the CAM
paign that he would like to "blow blood in the
ears of the capitalists" Mr.. Doster Is the
Judge who has expressed the opinion that the
rights of the user of property are paramountto to
those of the owner. Such g governor and such
a chief Justice coming into office, with legis-
lature of their own style to furnish them with
laws, what have the people who have invest
ments in Kansas to expect What is to betall
the railroads and insurance companies and
mortgage companies which have been doing
business in the state ?
Well, in our opinion, nothing will befall
them and all the people who have investments
in Kansas will have little reason to complain as
far as the Populist administration is concerned.
There will be many ncandescent cranks in the
legislature who will howl for the downfall OF
loathsome mortgages and capitalists, but wind
has wide sweep in Kansas. 1t is not likely
to do much harm there this year. In the hrst
place. the Populists are so thoroughly angry Oh
account of what they conceive to be the con-
tenptuous attitude of much of the outside
world toward them that they are bound to show,
if they can, that they benefit, and not inure,
the credit of the state and the prosperity OF its
farming and commercial business. In the sec
ond place they have full control now, tor the
first time. sense of responsibility is awaken
ed by the mere fact that they are in power
ANY hot-headed voice was allowed to shrek
during canvass or in Legislature of which
only one branch was Populist, but now the SOL
id men of the party will exert conservatlve1n-
Auence and there are plenty of them among
the Kansas Popuists. And now the real lead
ers, those who are anything more than wheels
and lungs, will put brakes on the furious mere
ranters
Mr.. Leady, for all expressed desire for san
culinary exhalation, will probably be found to
be quiet, well-meaning chap, little surprls-
ed because he is actually governor, and anxious
to do credit to himself and his family. Full OF
queer language still, perhaps, but language
,u,,st be taken at treble discount i'll Kansas.
It is a windy state, and native to crotchets
Governor Leedy may scarcely remember Mr..
Leedy's bloody sentiments.
In the third place, but perhaps most impor-
tant of all the considerations which seem to
promise no great disturbance i'll Kansas, the
Hon. Frank Doster, chief justice that will be
in few hours the man who will interpret the
popuist laws, may be described, if his admir-
ers are not mistaken, as lawyer first and an
extreme socialistic speculator, or philosopher, a
long way afterward. If we are correctly IN
formed, he does not seek to inject his private
theories into his decisions. Whether this be SC
or not it is certain that he has tried to explain
away his famous dictum about the respective
RIGHTS of the owner and user of property. The
hest explanation would be that as a Judge ne
proposes to follow with precedents, although as
speculative thinker he has his private no
tions about what the law of real property ought
to he in Kansas and elsewhere.
ANY way, wait in peace and see what the
Kansas Populists will do.
MCKINLEY endorses Ceveland's attitude to
ward Cuba, and says he will pursue the SAM