The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-11-05
NJ NALL MIKES THINGS
He Came to This City to
Explain.
BEAT AROUND THE BUSH
When He Got Through Talk
ing He Had Said Nothing.

| NcoD odC4NdAi, 6ccuy pct anu uioSl
ardent supporter, spoke last night in
Garfield hall. The hall was well filed
and at times he was cheered. He spoke
principally on state issues but incident
ally went into national issues. His speech
throughout was me and Leedy."
The local fusion push early yesterday
morning were disturbed about the inter
views in the Eagle from local insurance
men that rates Of insurance had not been
reduced. McNall was TO speak at night.
and the lowering Of rates was to be the
| trump card. Right here in Wichita it
was to be claimed that McNall had saved
hundreds Of dollars on reduced rates.
The interviews published in the Eagle
disturbed the whole program The mat
ter was discussed in the committee rooms
and the local push, Aguinaldo Green, To-
Ter, Butterfeld and Shields decided to
play Pat Healy on the proposition that
McNaH had reduced local rates of insur-
ance. The case was serious. If McNaH
had reduced the rates in Topeka why had
not the same been done in Wichita? Ali
day long the effort to get evidence of
reduced cost of insurance was in vain.
When Webb McNall reached the city
from Wellington a copy of the Eagle
was referred TO him to know what he
could do to help them out. McNaH
foanled and threatened to revoke the IL
cense of every insurance company doing
business here. But threats to revoke in
surance licenses did not furnish evidence
Of nad 81 Of IRWIN Inc,
Pat Healy could give the push no com
fort
The speech at the Garfield was one of
McNalrs characteristic egotistic struts.
The insurance law passed by Republi-
can legislature, according to him, was
never enforced until Webb McNall was
chosen insurance commissioner. He gave
little account of the last legislature
but entirely failed to say anything about
railroad rates and the failure Of the Pop
ulist legislature to pass a maximum
freight rate law.
The speaker retailed yarns as to how
he had compelled insurance companies
to pay a man $500 for a barn that could
have been replaced for $50. The insur-
ance company insisted that it ought to be
the old one. mo" said McNall, ''let the
company pay UP. Maybe the man wants
money to blow in Another man lived
in the suburbs of boom town: had his
house insured for $500, and his furni-
ture for $500. A convenient fire burned
the house and furniture. The man went
to McNall; shed tears; touched McNall's
heart. He told the company to pay up
or leave the state. McNall is always the
hero. He put words in the mouths of
insurance representatives that made
them fools and rascals-himself always
the staggering wise man.
The embarrassment of the speaker was
very marked when he come to the re-
duction of rates. He referred to the
Eagle interviews as to the rates Of in
surance. He grew red in the face and
made vehement threats of an indefinite
nature. But the facts remained as the
agents had stated them in the Eagle.
No reduction has been made here except
where the hazard is less. If the insur-
ance had been reduced It would have
been known and felt here. So the CALLED
jade WINGED for his withers were wrung
The evidence of reduced rates was not
Forthcoming, for it did not exist
He attacked McKinley's administration
but the audience received this with evil
dent uneasiness, and the matter was soon
droppd. He referred with apparent an
ger TO the statement of Stanley that
George T. Anthony had covered in to the
state treasury more money than McNal
has. He seemed on the point of giving
Stanley the lie; but even a Populist audi
ence gave him the hint that this is Stan
legs home. He boosted that he had
directed his road agents to charge s25
day for examining every insurance COM
pany, with mileage and time to begin on
leaving Topeka and continue until re
turn; and any road agent daring to cut
this fee would do so on penalty OF never
being sent out again. In a word, he es-
tablshed a McNal rate book Of charges
Webb McNail is unique. He is not an
orator. He is egotistic and can make
much OF a bad cause. He will tackle any
proposition but Leedy's veto Of the Har-
ris railroad law, whether il be as deputy
sheriff crediting his mileage with "ss5
miles Travelled" on his horse Lightning
in one day; or running for congress in
the Sixth on the Republican ticket and
suffering the greatest defeat by the Pop
ulists ever known; or by his career in the
Cripple Creek gold camp promoting wild
and worthless mining schemes to absorb
the funds Of unwary investors; or return
ing 10 Kansas two years ago from Colo
RADIO 10 take part in the campaign on the
side of men whom he had helped abuse
and from whom he had received abuse.
and TO receive from his erstwhiIe enc
mics insurance commissioner. point to
NicNall as a singular and spectacular
character. His egotistic strut is anus
ing
Remember" he concluded. that what
ever great things I have done. John
Leedy should have some credit. for he