The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-25
Cast and West
THE KANSAS IDEA OF NEW YORK.
Neither FIattering nor Kindly to the
Eastern Metropolis.

Correspondence Harper's Weekly.
In order to learn prevalent ideas in Kan
sas, Nebraska, and other Western States
as 10 New York and its people, / made it
point to ask merchants, farmers editors,
travellers, in those States what they thought
New York was like, and how they looked
upon its people Almost invariably I found
that the campaign of 1896 had left some
curious notions among the masses, and al
feeling of enmity had existed was gradually
passing away. Although the feeling is be-
coming kinder, nevertheless many queer
ideas as to the place still prevail among
the masses. / asked Governor Leedy what
he thought was the general opinion among
the masses of Kansas of New York. He
said:
Our people think it is essentially a for
eisn city; that it is filled with men lacking
in patriotism; that they are mercenary, and
thousands OF them. as soon as they have
made sufficient money! go back to Europe
to live on their fortunes 1T is not the gen
eral pellel mat there IS great mass of
plain people in New York, healthy middle
class that we know is most desirable in any
commonwealth.
Here is what Mr. Breidenthal says of the
popular impression regarding New York:
People out here have a rather vague idea
about New York and its people. Many think
there is q big moneyed machine out there
a machine or a system that is not conducive
to ideas of liberty or Of freedom. l do not
think you can say truthfElly that our peo-
pie hate New York. Rather they feel sorry
for the masses there.
Here is what one of the candidates on the
Republican state ticket at the last election
said on the subject Ct am not at liberty to
give his name):
out here we have the idea that New
York is not q truly American city. We do
not regard it as representative of our coun-
try. We look at 1t as place where men
clutch at their bonds and papers and set
up a cry that they will lose a dollar il we
should assert the Monroe doctrine or
threaten to go TO war TO stop the terrible
that the masses in New York love our coun-
try as we do or as we think true American
citizens should love the country Still. it
is true that there is to be seen on every
nand a friendlier feeling toward the East"
Another representative man stood by this
speaker and he became aroused. He
It'll tell you" he said, what people out
here think about New York. They think it
is q great big sponge-sl sponge that III the
greed for money absorbs all the life, man
hood and patriotism OF its citizens"
Here is what one OF the proprietors of one
of the largest retail stores in Kansas said
in answer to my question::
Il find that many people in Kansas look
upon New York as the home and business
place of a rich set of Yankee-like men with
Il great lot of invention and peculiar ways
of getting hold of other peoples money.
They read exaggerated stories about the
poor there and the starving, and. being of
Il sympathetic, whole-souled nature, believe
these stories and think there are hundreds
dying of starvation while the Goulds and
Nanderbilts and other millionaires by the
score and hundred roll about the streets i'm
gorgeous turnouts, lavishly displaying Jew
els as the poor stand on the streets with
outstretched arms asking for bread. Now
it would seem strange that such an alb
surd idea should be prevalent II is not
general among our educated people. but /
find that the ideas I have indicated are
more widespread than one would think"
Here is what one of the foremost candi-
dates for Governor at the coming Repub-
lican convention had to say the matter:
1T is mistake to say that our people
hate New York. Many of them have had a
wrong impression about the place and its
people. They have idea that there are
a great many more millonaires than really
exist there, and they have thought that the
rich people of the East were hard-hearted.
They are beginning to realize however
that we are one people, that the people Of
Kansas would probably do as the people
OF New YORK 90 II pldcSs were changed
part OF this country against another in po-
litical hostility"