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

rns popuLlsT PARTY ABLY DEFEND
epo THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE.

THE POPULISl FHh' No~' ~
ED ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE.
The Senator From Nebraska Compares
ais State with Massachusetts, to the
Lattsr's Disadvantage - How About
Those "Crusades of DishOnor?"
deny with all the strength possess
the slightest imputation against the IN
coming administration of Nebraska. No
more loyal, intelligent, capable busi-
ness men can be found in any state in
the Union than those who will com.
nose It for the next two years, and II
any eastern man or newspaper IL stiii
solicitous respecting the course that
will be pursued ! can say to them that
che time has come when in justification
Z their own intelligence they should
3. - false assertions against the state
and against those who are to discharge
its official duties. -.
The Populist party of Nebraska will
engage in overhauling the state offices
and state institutions that for 20 years
have been under unbroken Republican
rule. They will enact an election law
that will be just to all, but which can.
not be tortured by construction in the
interest of one political party and
against the interests of another; ons
that will secure to every citizen an hon.
est and free ballot. They will engage in
LEGISLATION that will affect the general
policy of the state, in amending vicious
legislation passed by their predecessors
and in affording the people protection
in many respects which has been de-
MED them for years. The name of Ne
braska will never be justly chargeabie
with reputation in any form.
From the Omaha World Herald of
Nov. 20 I read the following press dis
patch:
BosroN, Nov. "A.
The Jubilee banquet and celebration OF the
Home Market club in honor of the election OF
william Mckinley was held at Mechanics hall
this evening. Senator Hoar Of Massachusetts
was among those who addressed the meeting.
lie said in part: at is certainly a sad thing
to think that states like Kansas and Nebraska,
children Of New England, thnt have great
farming populations where We expect to find
If we find anywhere sobriety. integrity,
steadiness, conservatism, the great communi'
ties where churches abound, and where the
schools are the best in the world, should hav6
iant themselves to this crazy attempt at revo-
luton and this passionate crusade Of dis
honor"
There are some respects in which
these remarks Of the senior senator from
Massachusetts (Mr. Hoar) need correc.
tion. Nebraska il not child of New
England, however desirable that might
be. The population of Nebraska is heter-
ogeneous; our people come from every
sta and territory in the Union. Many
of them formerly resided in Bohemia.
the German states, England, Scotland
and Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Nor.
way, Italy and, in fact, many came
from different parts of the habitable
globe. Many, it is true, came from
New England, and, be it said to their
lasting honor, they are true Nebraskans.
and while they love New England as a
child loves its parents they are not
blind to her faults nor her virtues The
population of Nebraska is rapidly be-
coming homogeneous, and all, regard
less Of birthplace, are deeply attached
to the state and to its welfare and are
keenly sensible of the necessity Of her
bearing a good name. They are there
fore jealous of any impntation against
il, and the senior senator from Massa-
chusetts was somewhat ungnarded, to
say the least, in saying, as he is reported
to have said, that Nebraska engaged
in q 'crazy attempt at revolution and
passionate crusade Of dishonor.
Mr.. President, Nebraska is land Of
churches and schools. and they are
among the best in the world. The sena-
tor from Massachusetts does not find
fault with our local institutions; he
only grumbles, whines and scOlds be-
cause in the exercise of all undoubted
right Of freemen the electors of Nebras-
Ia saw fit, by a clear majority, to ele-
vate to power members Of the Popnlist
party. He speaks of it as "this crazy
attempt at revolution and passionate
crusade of dishonor. Mr.. President,
Nebraska has never engaged in IA revo-
luton that was not pacific and lofty i'll
its character and directly within the
true province Of Christian govern
ment.
Massachusetts possesses nothing in
Nebraska that should entitle her fore
most man to speak of our people as the
senior senator from that state has done.
While we accord to Massachusetts, her
rights and look upon her as an older and
therefore a more compact and better
organized community than ours, we do
not look to her for advice on apolitical,
social, scientific, religious or any other
question.
Nebraska cannot justly have laid at
her door the charge that her citizens
called or were represented in conven-
ton that had for its chief purpose @
reasonable plot to dissolve the Union.
In the only great crisis in the history
Of our country. when Nebraska WAS a
territory, she gave as large percentage
Of her population to the cause of the
Union as any other state, and her SOL
diers were as valorous and chivalric as
any that ever marched upon the field OF