The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-12
GUNS FIRED.
Political Warfare in Kansas
Formally Inaugurated.
Governor Leedy and Webb Nc
Nall Open POpulist Campaign.
ISSUES MADE CLEAR.
Leedy Criticises Sec. Alger's
Handling of Kansas Troops.
Webb McNaI Sends a Few Vol
leys Into Insurance Camps.

valley Fails, Aug. 12.-ThiS CITY, IN
the county named for the i1lustrious ad-
vocate of popular government, Thomas
Jefferson, was yesterday the scene of
the opening of the Kansas campaign by
the POpulist leaders. Governor Leedy
and Webb McNan spoke during the
afternoon. w. w. Price, the candidate
for congress in the First district and J.
D. Botkin, congressman at large, enter
tanned the crowds in the evening. The
meeting was held in the park adjoining
che city. The attendance was not large.
P. J. Handle presided. Governor
Leedy, who was the first speaker, said:
I have been severely criticised by
my Republican friends for the part
took IN affairs relating to the war. AS
a patriotic citizen, would bear them in
silence so long as the war lasted and
while we had foreign enemies to fight,
but now the war is practically over and
the day of reckoning has come.
The first criticisms came from the
militia organization Of the state. I was
a camp follower in 1864, being too young
to be accepted as soldier, and know
the troubles and discussions that exist
ed in militia organizations. I made up
my mind, after war was declared, and
for good reasons, that the militia must
volunteer as other soldiers would, be-
fore being accepted. 1 ordered that in
every case militiaman desiring to en-
list and capable of passing the required
examination should be given the prefer
They wanted to be accepted as orga-
nized. The average number of men in
a militia company was forty. Twenty
of them would fall out by reason Of dis
ability or lack of desire to leave their
business. This would mean that the re-
naming twenty would have all the Of
fees, and the eighty-SeVen recruits that
must fill up the company to make it
complete would have no chance of pro-
motion, and hence there would be no
inducement for desirable young men of
ambition and talent to enlist. My idea
was to send an army from Kansas that
would be the pride of the state and
draw forth the admiration of the ma
ton, but unless I made it possible for
every man to get a chance to become an
officer or nOn-commissioned officer
could not carry out my idea.
IF tie people do not care to indOrse
that idea I viii have no fault to find;
I will still have a conscientious feeling
that my idea and my course were right.
1.-The next criticism is that 1 defied
the war department. That is not true.
I disagreed with the war department
about certain matters and it was not
very long until the war department took
| my view of the matter on which we diff
| fered.
L am not contentious about my per-
sonal dignity, but when the secretary of
war interfered with the prerogatives
| of the governor of Kansas I thought it
| about time to call his attention to the
| location of the state line"
| shouted:
That's right; stand up for Kansas"
''I usually make reply to charges"
said the governor, reading clipping from
| a Republican paper holding him response
/ BILE for the poor equipment and rotten
/ clothing of the soldiers, but must say
/ that the parties responsible for this condi-
/ ton are those connected with the govern
ment at Washington. 1t was my duty,
/ when Mr.. Mckinley issued his call for
/ volunteers, to furnish him good men, and
4 I did it. A finer body of men never left
! any state in this Union to defend 1t. 1t
I the uniforms and equipment, and If they
were not good it was no fault of mine.
/ It is repetition of the days when simon
/ Cameron was secretary for war, when
/ Contractors fiOurished and the flower of
/ our army faded. About him contra ctors
i and jObberS WaXed rich, while the brave
/ men who stopped bullets were ragged and
! ssAt that time there was a brave man in
I the White House, and when ne found out
! the rascality that was being practiced he
was the last of Simon Cameron as secre-
tary of war. Alger is another man like
/ him He started his fortune by stealing
| government timber. ] do not believe for
| a moment that President Mckinley is a
bad man. but he is weak He is handi-
| capped by the men who paid off his debts
| of that fact. That's all have to say
/ about the war. It was my duty to patri-
/ Otically support it and the men who man.
| aged it. Bad as some of them are, think
/ more of them than of any Spaniard that
| ever lived
| Replying to the charge that he had in
| dulged in unconstitutional official action,
4 the governor said:
/ I have felt that what I did was right;
l and If right, / presumed that such &C
1 lions were constitutional"
| The governor commended the opera ton