People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-10-20
Bribing CoIored Soldiers.

There Is a chapter IN the history OF
the sending OF the Kansas c0lOred
troops to Santiago that has never
been told. II IS a story Of political
intrigue in which Governor Leedy's
In the regiment dellber-
ately sold themselves out for the
privilege Of being sent to Santiago
and being allowed to draw salaries for
some time to come.
Politicians who were not let into
the secret do not understand the easy
confidence of the Republican COM
mittee with reference to the situation
among the cOlOred troops. There are
500 votes there and 500 votes are no
small item in close contest as care
full politicians say this will be.
Both the Republican state central
committee and the Republican county
committee have been deluged with
applications from colored men who
want to be sent to Santiago to counter
act the effect Governor Lesdy's COM
missioner, Rev. G. D. Olden, may
have on the situation. The cbairmen
of both committees have simply
laughed at the applicants and they
told them that no one would be sent
To Santiago because it is not necessary
TO send anyone.
G. d. Olden is acknowledged to be
one of The most Intelligent colored
men in the state and the fact that he
has not been prominent in politics
will not weaken his influence. An
ordinary person would consider Oldeu
a dangerous man to be sent 10 Santl'
ago as Governor Leedy's epissary.
But the Republican leaders are rOl
frightened. They say that the vote
Of the Twenty third regiment will bt
practically unanimous for the Re
publican ticket and that statement
seems like a fairy tail toeveryone wh'
has witnessed the public avowal OF
friendship OF the cO'ored soldiers FOL
Governor Leedy and does not under
stand the inside history.
According to prominent Repu0ll-
can this is the story of the trade witt
the colored officers Of the Twenty,
third regiment.
ut was plain to be seen that with
out strong Republican influence the
colOred troops would not be sent IRON
Topeka and in order to secure tina
end the Republicans received a pledg'
from the prominent officers that tn
vote of the regiment would b.
given to the Republicans. With tina
understanding the trade was mad
and the troops were sent TO Santiago
"Ths officers of the regiment are IN
telligent and they know that tn
power that sent them to Santiago Cal
bring them back and they know wei
enough that unless their part is faith
fully performed they will be brought
back at once.
"We have nothing to fear frem an.
man or men Governor Leedy may sem
to Santiago. With the cOmmandlnI
officers on our side and the knOwledg
that unless they do the right thin
they will be brought back home ant
their salaries stopped befo e them
there is no danger. The Republican
have nothing to fear from the loss o
the vote OF the colOred soldiers ant
neither Rev CD. Oden nor any othe
colOred man will have any effect upO
the vote. 1t will be Republican jus
as surely as the sun rises on electio
day.
81 know what l am talking abou
when 1 say that this is the situatio
and IL the Pops are counting on TIL
vote their calculations will be jus
about 500 votes of. There Is not a
officer in the regiment who cart
, about giving up his salary and the
also know by what means they ca
kept
at is obvious why it is not necs'
sary to send any one down to cOunte
act Olden's influence. 1t would
+. done if necessary, but it is NJ
, necessary"
II was currently reported that CO..
, gresham Curtis ia the man who wi
E responsible for the sudden order sen,
Ing the colored troops to Santiag
hut IL is now believed that the ma
I who made the deal and executed 1t
no one else but Cy Leland. who knew
more about how 10 work polite
!. deals than any man in Kansas.
Mr.. Leland made the deal IL Il. ea'
to understand why the Republic
leaders are 50 confident that &
a goods will be delivered according