The Indianapolis journal., 1898-09-26
JERRY SIMPSON.
Analysis of a Surviving POpulfst by 9
Man Who Knows Him.
w p s in ST. Louis Globe-Democrat.

w. B. S.. in st. Louis Globe-Democrat
OF the men who marshaled the cohorts
of reform eight years ago ana trans
formed Kansas from the State oA banner
Republican ma joritieS into the playthlng
of fusion and the byword of campaigns
Jerry Simpson, alone is alive to-day, politi-
cally. His is perhaps a case OF the sur
vival of the ittest exponent of Populism
In the secret of his success may be found
light on the philosophy of Popuism, not
the theoretical philosophy, but the practical
Tom McNeaI. one of the editors of the
Topeka Mail, who writes verse and prose
in which the Eastern exchange scissors
find 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 hnest
point, when he writes OF Populists and
II confess to a liking for him. 1t is his
unlimited gall which commands my admira-
ton. Jerry Simpson / consider one of the
brightest men and the worst demagogues
ever knew"
Mr.. McNeal was mayor of Medicine Lodge
and appointed Jerry Simpson town mar
Jerry" said the ex-mayor, came down
to our part of the State bringing S6,OOo or
of land. He did well on cattle at first and
took a notion that was the business for
which he was fitted. He sold his land and
loaded up with arkansas cattle. A hard
winter and a slump of prices. came to-
gether. In the spring Jerry's herd was near
ly wiped out About all he had left were
the hides. and Mrs. Simpson had nearly
ruined her health going out in the winter
to help skin the dead cattle. / appointed
him town marshal. He a courageous
man. and had nerve enough to maintain
order if there had been anything of that
kind to do. But his principal duties were
to look after the ditch and kill dogs. Medi-
cine Lodge at the time and a great sor-
ghum sugar-making plant, and some other
enterprises. The ditch had been dug at the
expense of the city to conduct water to us.
To maintain it required that some one look
after the banks. and that was the chief
business of the marshal The reason ap-
pointed Jerry was that he mad been one Of
the contractors to build the ditch, and
knew all about it. The story of that ditch
illustrates what a demagogue Jerry was in
that day. The ditch was dug in 1889. The
Jerry, and old man Cole. who had the con-
tract with him, hired the labor to dig that
ditch at so cents a day, and made the men
work twelve hours. Yet right. on the heels
OF such a record, Jerry snorted all over the
district about tremendous interest he
had in the laboring man.
Jerry hrst appeared in politics as an
and benefactor. the ex-nayor of Medicine
Lodge. He ran in 1886 for the Legislature
and was beaten. He ran again in 1888, and
was beaten again. Immediately after that
he was generally regarded as politically
dead In 1890 be had hard work to get on
tion of the Farmers Alliance, and came
home with the nomination. Two years be-
fore the Republican candidate had carried
the district by 14.000 Jerry beat the Re
publican who ran against him 5000 He
talked calamity and took up a collection
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 ex-
penses out of the collections. and had a
good deal 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 a Republican paper as a Joke,
But Jerry was smart enough to take il un
and make the most of it. He had cards
printed in this form: