The Globe-republican., 1899-05-25
THE WAY BACK.
EX-SENATOR PETER BECOMES 4
REPUBLICAN,.
Says Populism Is Dead.-Question
Which Agftated the Pop
Mind Settled.

| Mind Settled.
| Ex-United States Senator William A.
PETER, who helped organize the Repub-
lican party in Kansas, announces that he
will in future affiliate with the Republic
can party. In an interview Thursday, he
said:
IL have always been Republican ex-
cept on one main question-the money
question. That seems to have settled
itself apparently now. The Populist
party has been eliminated nationally by
the Democrats, so those Of us who don't
want to flop by Ourselves will have to vote
our convictions as best we can.
"The old simon-pure Alliance man who
left the Republican party, never was
headed for the Democracy, and he is not
now. The middle Of the roAders are
having a little pow-wow down in Kansas
City just now, but nothing will come Of
it. They have nominated Wharton Bar
ker for President in 1900: but they won't
amount to anything.
ssMy first vote was cast IN 1852, two
years before there had been an oppVrtu-
nifty for the birth Of the Republican
party. All of my people were Demo-
Gratis then-the old constitutional Demo-
Gratis. We were opposed to slavery, but
we thought that the constitution stood in
the way of its abolition and we thought
it best to let well enough alone anil not
agitate the matter. Then in 1854 came
the Kansas N ebraska controversy. the
Wing party went to pieces and the Re-
publican party was organized was
Republican from that day except on one
questionable money question. 1 have
no sympathy with the Democratic party
whatever. 1t has an unsavory record be-
hind it.
"Along in the fore part Of the sos
Kansas was moving lively. We built
many railroads and the country became
rapidly settled. Many improvements OF
all sorts were made and the State was OIL
the highest notch of prosperity. Then
came the hard times. and all at once the
bottom dropped out Of everything.
Many Of us honestly thought there wai
danger ahead. 1 really dreaded what
was coming at one time. The masses
were disconnected and we were afraid
something might happen-some strike
or riot, or something of that sort-tO
cause n general breaking ont of the
smouldering discomfort. But through OH
great crops at home and the crop fail
ures abroad, and our late war, we are
apparently coming out all right. Tie
war has natiOnaliZed us. 1t has allowed
the people to work off their surplus
steam. We are all getting broa,le:
view of what Amerlcanism means. The
labor question is settling itself, aud then
you don't hear anything more about .lG
to1 L. People won't listen to '16 to L
now any more than they will to dis
custom Of the tariff. And some of those
old-time free traders Of the south are
really advocating mild tariff On some
things now.
issue in 1900 is rebulOus at present. Moth
ing is troubling our Democratic brethern
SO much as finding an issue. They are
between the devil and the deep sea.
There is no room to quarrel with the
money question nOw-the mines have
been SO prolific that there is an abundance
of gold, there is plenty of money to
carry OH the business of the country APP
parently, commerce is active and the
various forms Of commercial paper are
as gOOd as the money itself-so that there
seems to be no money question. That
must be the reason why the Democrats
want to get up an antiexpansion issue.
but don't see how they can do that for
there are many eXpansiOnists in their
own ranks.
| ''FOr instance, notice that there is
talk Of running Lieutenant Colonel Lit
tie for governor. What sort OF CAM
paign could they make Oh an anti.sxpan-
sion issue with an expansionist officer in
an expansion army as their candidate for
governor?
"The Republican party will go into the
campaign on its record Of what it has
done. and the Democrats will founder.
The POpulist party has been eliminated,
except, of course, locally, SO that those
of us who don't want to flop by ourselves
will have to do something else.
1.-The Philippine question in general
has been forced upon us. not by any con-
certed action, but in the same manner
that all great movements are brought
abont without being planned by human
agencies. BY reason of Dcwey's victory
we were substituted in law 40 we'll as In
fact in place Of the Spaniartls, and we
instantly assumed the international obi.