The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-25
HOCE|NG IO FLYNN
Hon. D. C. Lewis Is One of
the Latest ACCeSSiOnS,
OUT IN AN OPEN LETTER
Confe88ing How He Missed 1t
Two Years Ago.
OUT IN AN OPEN LETTER

Guthrie. O. T, Sept. -CSpecial)-Hon.
D. c. Lewis a lifelong Democrat, Of Ok
lahoma City, is the latest TO declare his
intention to vote for Flynn and renounc-
ing Keaton. and he makes his position clear
! a letter addressed to Hon. c. J. Wrights-
man. a Democratic politician Of Pawnee,
who had written Lewis far a statement to
De us,d in contradicting a Republican
statement that he (Lew4s) intended to sup
port and vote for Mr.. Flynn. Such
statement as Mr. Wrightsman requested
Mr.. Lewis was unable 10 furnished, for he
IS quite certain that the man told the
truth" Mr. Lewis letter explanatory of
MS position contains a lengthy resume Of
political conditions in Oklahoma as they
have txisted the past two years, and in
part he says:
Two years ago we all felt, that is those
OF Us who believe in the free coinage Of
gold and silver. that Hon. w. J. Bryan
would be elected president, and that he
would have behind him and supporting
5lm congress ready, willing and anxious
to cooperate with him concerning financial
Tor his election. prayed for It and worked
10 that end, and buoyed up with the feel
ing that our leader, instead Of Mr.. Nc
Kinley, would be our president and have
the support Of a friendly congress, felt,
under these conditions, tina tHon. J. Y.
Callahan could be of more benefit TO the
people of Oklahoma Territory than any Re-
publican. and therefore threw myself, heart
md soul into the canvass for him; though
J did not believe in some Of his political
vagaries. which fact 1 gave the people
wherever l went to fully understand.
Mr. Bryan was not successful. Mr..
Flynn was defeated. and Oklahoma, as
things went. has been the loser. The facts
Justify men in saying The quiet toads were
more numerous in the nation than the
noisy ones. and the results Of the election
demonstrated that while Mr. Bryans sup
porters were enthusiastic, his opponents
were largely in the majority. 1t was large
" through this feeling Of the certainly Of
Mr.. Bryan's election, and the success of
the free silver issue, that the Democrats
Of Oklahoma and many Populists were IN
duced to support Mr. Callahan. and it was
this feeling that greatly influenced the
voters in favor Of Mr. Callahan and against
Mr.. Flynn.
You know that the certainty Of Mr..
Bryan's election was our slogan. We as
eerted it on every corner and at every
crossroads. and implored the voters ito
ct into the band wagon" You kniw-foT
you We're one of the participants-that the
democratic orators pounded the Demo-
cratic voters daily for month to get them
into line, and our Populist brethren were
encouraged to be loyal.
What were the results? Mr.. Callahan
was elected, and Populistic advice not be-
ing worth much in Washington, Mr.. Gala
han could scarcely get a hearing before
any of the committees, and oklahoma
delegate was without influence in the halls
Of congress. This, to some extent may
have been due to the lack of experience in
rational legislative matters. No new terri
tory was opened TO settlement in Oklahoma
and no bills were reported for extending
our boundaries. Who were the losers? Was
not Oklahoma Territory and were not her
people the sufferers? I assisted in doing
our people this wrong. and now propose
righting the wrong, as far as it is in my
power TO do so. 1 am now firmly con-
WINGED that had Mr.. Flynn been tho victor
and Mr.. Callahan the vanquished the
homestead settlers of Oklahoma would now
he enjoying free homes. And l also firmly
believe that if Mr.. Flynn is elected this
fall a free home measure viii pass con-
Ergss. with little or no opposition and re-
oeive the approval Of the president The
Argument cannot be successfully made that
our nation is too poor to grant this boon.
Tor il has. strange 10 relate, emerged from
the Spanish war richer than when the war
commenced. Your eyes and my eyes have
been opened to the greatness Of our nation
and now. while in the noontide Of victory,
with the national treasury fun to over
flowing and our revenues on the increase,
with proper representation, free homes can
be an accomplished fact While Mr.. Kea-
tons election will be, in my Judgment, in
terpreted the same as Mr.. Galatians was
as virtual abandonment of our efforts
1'r free homes.
Feeling this way. and knowing that