The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-11

&rOpSe~rs~Sr~r~NSeseN~rspN seSNs@<~NS~~~NrNSS~<N<
ulist leaders is found in the fortunes of
men elected to Congress. John Otis was
a dairyman, driving his own milk wagon
and building up a snug trade in Topeka
when he became inspired with the ambi-
ton 10 do something for the toiling serfs
of the Kansas praries, He organized and
promoted the alliance among the farmers
of the Topeka district He was elected to
Congress. When he came home after two
years at Washington he was unsettled and
restless. Somewhere out Ia Colorado was a
colony attempting to do what so many
predecessors had failed to accomplish-to
apply in everyday existence the beautiful
principles of co-opera ton. x-Congress-
man Otis drifted out to Colorado and join
ed the colony. Some months afterward
he came back with a dscouragipg story
of mismanagement and human weakness.
Men who know almost everybody in To-
peka confess to uncertainty about John
Otis present location. Mrs. Otis, a prac-
teal woman, is managing the dairy
One of the show places, 1900 acres fine
~ improved, in Cowley county, belonged
TO B. II. Glover, when he enjoyed for che
usual brief period the confidence and es-
TEEN of the Peoples party in its palmy
days Mr.. Glover was of more than state
fame with the reformers of the country
when ne went to Congress References to
tho woman with red slippers" came back
from Washington. In time the Cowley
county estate was divided The children
remained with Mrs. Glover The ex-con-
gresham came to Topeka and got job
lie drove -the wa g0n. of the State Reform
school, which attended to errands in the
city, and received $2s a month and board
The personal friend of Abraham Lin
coin was the way in which John Davis
was heralded when he arrived in Wash
1nPtOn 10 take hiq a.
Populist in Congress. MIR. Davis is So
cialistic theorist. He dreamed away twos
years at the national capital and returned
10 Junction Cly. A few months ago he
appeared in Topeka as a candidate for the
Office of state librarian. The men who are
running Popuiist politics in Kansas nova
days have no use for back numbers. They
ignored Mr. Llncoln's Old friend. John
Davis is back in Junction City with his
boys, who are running a printing Office.
Of these accidental beneficiaries of Pop
ulist favor, Farmer Baker showed the
most striking appreciation of the position
He came home from Washington, bring
ing almost entire the salary, and even the
stationery allowance. He retired from
politics before the party could retire
him. Every dollar saved was put into
land and cattle Farmer Baker had moth
ing unless it was a mortgage when the
reform wave lifted him. He landed on his
lSSt, ana tO-ddy ne Is one OF the pest 0XeO
farmers of his district. He passes for
something of a plutocrat.. The Pops rather
resent that he refused TO become a play
thing of fortune.
OF the men who marshaled the cohorts
of reform" eight years ago and trans
formed Kansas from the state of banner
Republican majorities into the plaything
Of fusion and The byword of campaigns,
jerry Simpson alone is alive to-day po-
litically. Ee is perhaps a case of survival
of the fittest exponent of Populism In
the secret Of his success may be found
light on the philosophy of Popuiism, not
that theoretical philosophy, but the prac-
teal operation of It in politics.
Tom McNeal, one of the editors of the
Topeka NAH, who writes verse and prose
In which the eastern exchange scissors
fnd the breezes of Kansas, was the dis
coverer of Jerry Simpsons usefulness. He
gave him his first office. Although to-day
McNeal sharpens his pencil to the finest
point when he writes of Populists and
Populism, he says of Jerry:
II confess TO q fixing for him II IS his
unlimited gall which commands my ad-
miration. Jerry Simpson consider one of
the brightest men and the worst dema-
cog j ever knew
Jerry first appeared in politics as an
original greenbacker," continued his friend
and benefactor, the ex-Mayor of Medi-
cine Lodge HE ran in 1885 for the legis-
iature and was beaten. He ran again in |
1881 and was beaten again. Immediately |
after that he was generally regarded as |
politically dead. In 1880 ne had hard work !
to get on the delegation 10 the congress |
sional convention of the farmers alliance |
and came home with the nomination. Two
years before the Republican candidate had |
carried the district by 1900 Jerry beat
the Republican who ran against him 5000 |
He talked calamity and took up a collec-
ton from the horny handed sons of toll |
for the cause at the close Of his meetings |
When the campaign was over he had paid
his expenses out Of the collections. and !
had good deaf more money than when
he was nominated. 1t isn't true that he |
started the socks story by pulling Up his |
trousers and showing that he had no
stockings. That originated in Republican
paper as joke. But Jerry was smart
CROUCH TO take 1t up and make the most
of IL"
Mr. McNeal hesitated to say that Jerry
Simpson is not a good Populist because
he has some doubts as to just what a good
Popuist Is. But he does say this for him |
at makes no difference TO him what he |
said in the last campaign or what he prom |
ised 10 do. He ignores consistency. He |
comes up every time and makes his CON
stituents believe he has been doing lust |
went square back on the doctrine Of gov |
eminent ownership OF railroads, to which |
his party had been committeed he amc |
home and told his Populist supporters a |
man who wouldn't learn anything was a |