People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-11-03
FROM THEO. BOTKIN.

crlSls. Yours Fraternally,
]. D. BoTKIN.
FROM THEo. BoTKIN.
AT HEADQUARTERS ID BRIG. l
I'd DIv., Ist CORP. CAMP POLAND, !
KNOXVILLE, Tenn, Oct. Is, 'eS.
Hon. j. D. Botkin, Winfield, Kan:
DEAR JERRY: l learned Yesterday Of
the charge made against yon by certain
of my Republican friends in Kansas to
the effect that you "obstructed" OF
attempted to "obstruct" the passage Of
measurers necessary to a proper and
effective prosecution of the war against
Spain. l am 10th to believe in the truth
of the report that reached me. know
of course, that you opposed the bond
issue-I would have done so myself had
|, too, been a member of the last house!
| refer, of course, to the six hundred
million proposition. There was no sort
OF sense in the attempt to increase our
interest bearing debt by that amount, or
even by half that amount at the very in
ception of Our conflict with Spain, when
1t was apparent to the most casual
observer of our national financial con-
ditions at the time that in case of a
short war" we could get along very
well without borrowing; and in case of a
long" or "protracted war" the assem-
bling of congress in December would give
ample time in which to authorize bon
ded loan! l have it on the most re-
liable authority that the six hundred
million proposition did not emenate from
President Mckinley and that it never had
his unreluctant support or assent That
great and good man is not debt
maker" but on the Contrary his whole
career teaches us that he covets the re-
nown of debt payer" The men who
pushed and attempted to force the six
hundred million proposition will vet
experience political hell so hot that in
less than five years they will be trying to
prove an alabi.
Twas a daily reader of the congressional
record during the last session. l remem-
Der nothing to have occurred that would
Justify the belief that you sought to
hamper or hinder meeting out of swift
and terrific punishment to Spain. L
know that when was in Washington ten
days before the declaration of war, your
whole being was wrought up over the
protracted delay made necessary by the
appropriations for the army
and navy by former congresses. You
voted for the fifty million proposition
me of the most singular enactments
ever passed by the legislature of any
government. There was no word of |
,avil-but without a sign of wavering or
hesitation every member of the house
voted fifty million dollars with absolute
confidence that President Mckinley
would expend every cent of it judiciously
and periodically for the best good of the
nation. That was, say, the profoundest
act of patriotic confidence ever enacted
in the worlds history. 1t made us all
orouder of our American manhood and
than we had ever been be-
lore. 1t taught the autocrats across the
sea that quarrel as we may over party
issues in this great republic, when con-
fronted by menacing danger from their
side of the water, we know how to sink
partisanship in patriotism and to get
ready for any storm that they may send
us!
heard with pride that you had taken
Ralph in person to the President and
sought for and obtained an executive
order requiring the military authorities
to enlist the boy Notwithstanding his too
tender years and the defect which ren-
dered him ineligible TO enlistment under
the army regulations. l remembered
your own experience in the Sixties"
when on three different occasions your
own offers to enlist were peremptorily