The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-20

relief of Dewey and thousands more
ready to start for Cuba and drive the
Spanish from the island. The Repub-
lican house voted for the measure to
provide money to carry on the war, but
the opposition voted against it. The
measure went to the senate, the Re-
pubicans were ready for action, but the
opposition who control that body
amended the measure in committee so
as to destroy the credit of the country
and if they had been successful in the
senate would have inflicted injuries on
the government which would have been
more costly than the war itself.
"They may talk of their patriotism
but the truth is, they opposed bond is
sue in the time of war to force finan-
cial policy upon the country which had
been repudiated at the polls. To deny
the administration money with which to
carry on the war, to ruin the credit of
the nation, to reduce its financial stand
ing and to bring on a panic is far from
patriotism.
"To issue $50, oOO, 900 of greenbacks
without adding to the gold reserve so
as to provide ample means for redemp-
ton as is now provided for other green
backs would be to place more power in
the hands of the spectators to raid the
gold reserve and cause an issue of
bonds under the act of 1875.
They cry out against bankers and
spectators and yet would legiSlate in
their interest. They are against an in
tereSt- bearing DEBT, yet they would leg
islate in a way that would increase that
debt and call for a higher rate of in
terest than the measure they oppose
authorized. The truth is they wanted
war; they want an expensive war, and
yet they opposed the measure which
would furnish the money to carry on the
war.
''The Republicans of the house de-
serve great credit for the promptness
with which they presented and passed
measures to provide soldiers, to supply
funds and to carry on the war with
Spain. The opposition deserve praise
for voting for the $50 900, 900 for
preparation, for voting for the declara,-
ton of war, but they deserve the con-
demnatiOn of the people of the country
for refusing to vote for the measure to
supply the government with the means
with which to carry on that war.
But, ladies and gentlemen, I have
not mentioned the worst. You all know
that it was to the interest of the coun-
try to have the senate and house sus-+
tain the administration, the members
of congress by every speech, and eve
ry act should have shown the world
that the people of this country were
ready and willing to defend the policy
of the administration, but what do we
find POpuliSt members of congress do
ing and saying? E. R. Ridgely, the
member from the Third Kansas district,
wrote a letter to the Pittsburg Tribune,
March II, 1898, in which he says:
ITO our shame, as a nation, we are
DelnS uSeQ through cOnIrOl OF the pres
1dent, as a mere tool to help this ring
of spectators, While hundreds of thou
sands of human lives are being crush
ed in Cuba that Shylock may get his
pound of flesh.
How long, oh, how long will the
liberty loving people of this republic
permit these gamblers to control every
administration, and thus use our gov
eminent to turn human blood into dol
lars, both at home and in Cuba?
Our president is but clay, being
manipulated by Hanna and his crowd.
These capitalists rule our administra-
ton, and the people mourn. May their
cries reach the presidents ears, and
may he turn his back to Shylock and
his face to humanity, is the prayer of
e. R. R1DGELY."
THE people know how unfair Mr..
Ridgely's statement is. You know our
war was not a commercial war. You
know that while the president consult
ed the Republican leaders, as he had
right to, he was not controlled by any
one, and his management of the war
with Spain shows that with the single
exception of the martyred Lincoln he
is the greatest president this country
has ever had.
IF you will turn to the Congressional
Record of April 18th, 1898, page 4149,
you will find a speech of Hon. ]. D. Bot
kin of Kansas. I want you to listen to
what he had to say:
=" From the beginning of the period of
Spanish atrocities in Cuba the Ameri-
can people have been wrought up to
high tension of feeling and indignation.
During this same period the authorities
of this government have been so dilatory
as to exhaust the public patience, to sat-
isfy the most conservative noncombat-
ant, as well as the most craven devOtee
of a cold blooded commercialism to be
found in this country or in Europe, and
in the judgment of thousands, to hui
initiate this great republic in the eyes
of ChriStendOm. It remains to be seen
whether or not this government like
those of Europe, is to continue under
the domination of the Rothschilds and
their agents. Saul of Tarsus stood by
and held the garments of the murderers
who stoned St. Stephen to death, there
by consenting to the awful crime. This
government is the modern Saul of Tar
sus. From the highest official of this
nation, and therefore of the world, has
come no word of encouragement and as
surance to those patriots in their I'M
equal struggle for liberty. On the con-
trary, while admitting in message and
otherwise the inhumanities of the Span
ish people, and the unparalleled mise
ries of the Cubans, this same high ofn-
cial has on different occasions spoken
soft and honeyed words to and OF the
government of Spain, expressive Of high
regard and confidential relations.
Just to show you how unfair this
gentleman was and is, want you to
remember his speech was made April