The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-19
ARE KANSAS PRODUCTS.
John Breidenthal Recalls Reminis-
censes of congressman Vincent
and Ridgley.

Bank Commissioner Breidenthal dis
cussing two Kansas congressman, W. d.
Vincent and E. R. Ridgley, says:
81 have watched Vincent for twenty
years, and I want to say that Kansas
never raised a young man more worthy
to represent her in congress or anywhere
else. He and Ed Ridgley and myself
have worked together for twenty years.
We all started in the reform movement
as boys and we have worked in the har-
ness ever since. Both of them are abso-
luteIy honest and sincere; they are among
the best informed men in the west; they
are students of economic questions, and
pie and understand their needs.
Neither Vincent nor Ridgley is a new
cast his first vote for Peter Cooper, and
for fifteen years he voted Tor an appar55
when he was laughed al and ridiculed by
men who are now his strongest support
ucated in the state. I don't know whether
he graduated at the state university or
at the state agricultural Gollege. 1, thl l.
the latter. At any rate, he is We'll edu-
Gated and is credit to any institution ne
claims for his alma mater. nope ana
trust that the f1attering reports l have
heard from his district will be verified at
7 would not call Congressman Vincent
an orator, but he IS Wondertullyz clear az
explanation and illustra ton, and has a
great faculty of making others see what
prejudice. He has a splendid understand
ing of economics, and his fund of infor-
nation is remarkable. his only OTdW-
back is mOdesty.
Like Ridgley, Vincent 1mpreSSeS every
body with his honesty and sincerity In
this respect Ridgley is the strongest man
1 know. He has faculty of raising MS
right arm and bringing it down upon a
ia BILE that will convince any man living
that he is intensely in earnest ms ar
gumentative powers are unequalIed-
DO you know that it was R1dgley who
converted Coin Harvey from the Repub-
hcan monetary policy? He is the man to
whom we are really indebted for Harvey 5
great work in the silver cause. His name
is frequently mentioned in Harveys Fin
ancial School as Mr.. Ridgley of Ogden,
Utah If you will read it you will see
that Mr.. Ridgley is quoted as asking some
of the most intricate questions III,
According to Mr.. BreidenthaI, MI Hldg-
ley went to Ogden in 1888, where he went
into a real estate company of which Mr..
Harvey was member. When the boom
"burst'' they did not have much to do
then a strong Republican and contested
with Mr.. Ridgley in discussions on the
financial question from Republican
standpoint. Ridgley had the argument
and the ability to present it with such
force that Mr.. Harvey was soon convert
ed and became the most prominent au-
thority on the silver question in America,
if not in the world. The lessons on the
subject which he learned in the discus
sions with Rfdgley have been published
such men Vincent and Ridgley,
continued Mr.. Breidenthal, ARE plain but
uncommon men-uncOmmon in their hon
esty and intelligence. Ever since 1 knew
them I wanted to see them go to con-
gress and it was a matter of delight to
me when I learned that both of them
went into the lower house of congress to-
gether. I would regard the defeat of
either of them calamity to the cause
of the people and the defeat of both of
them as a double calamity.