The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-30
GETTING IN KANSAS.
NOVEL FEATURES or the CANVASS
on THE PRATRIES,
Refined Cruelty OF Populist Audisnces-Fusion
street fakirs-Itepublican Moving Pictures
The Downtrodden Banker go Kansas
Patriotism Awakened by n Slur.

Patriotism Awakened by n slur.
TOPEKA. Kan, Sept. 27.-Thc campaign on
the Western plains Is an interesting study.
Nowhere else in the nation has the process OF
vote-getting such novel features ~ In Kansas.
The cruelty Of the prairie audiences OF Popu-
lists Is very annoying at times. A Republican
railroad attorney was sent into southwest
Kansas and was pleased to see the first school
house In which he spoke well filed. They
were all Populists and they allowed him to
start on his speech without annoyance. lie
had talked fifteen minutes when a man on the
back seat greeted one of his statements Of fact
with a loud fla hal hat" The others Joined
in the forced merriment. The speaker was
astounded and repeated his statistics. This
was the signal. As one man the entire audience
arose and marched out. leaving empty benches
for the orator 20 address.
The Fusionists have in tho field some speak
er5 who work on u new plan, They are to all
Appearances street fakirs and have gayly dec
Grated wagons, four-horse teams and song
and dance artists ~ assist ants in drawing
crowds. They have little To- sell usually soap
or cough drops or some simple article Of every
day use. When the crowd has gathered the
faktr starts In with Il few personal remarks.
attacking the editor Of the local Republican
paper, and usually win applause. Then he
delivers in the imprisoned manner OF the
street speaker an Grafton on free silver and
imperialism. BY the next night the paper has
rcplicd TO him and he attacks the editor again.
with the result that his crowds grow larger
with every succeeding meeting. In the smaller
towns practically the whole population sur
rounds his wagon nightly. something no or
binary speaker could by any advertising secure.
The Festival Of Prosperity" Is "A plan that
- 49,. a 0Lt....
It is based on a feature novel in such uses in
the West. the stcreopticon and moving picture
machine Tho festival is held at some railroad
or mining centre and takes up an afternoon
and evening. The afternoon is Given tospeechcs
music. &c. and the evening has the attractive
part Of the performance Among the topics
Illustrated are land and naval battles and mining
and farming development. There Is also
exhibited q vast array of statistics furnished
by the National Committee showing increase
in prices in four years. trade statistics, farm
scenes and farmers Improvement. The fire.
works TO follow include forty set pieces. one a
mammoth representation of the American flag,
fine portraits Of State and national candidates,
cmblrmatiC device, such a. The Tree of Pros
perity 1.-The Dignity Of Labor, the Democratic
donkey in various poses, SC These always
bring cheers In a reduced form this enter
tainment is being given In the small towns Of
western Kansas. where moving pictures were
never seen before. and where the whole popula-
ton turns out to watch the sight. This is man
aged by two mon, one at the machine and one
TO stand on a box and in a foghorn voice repeat
n piece written for him by the committee This
combination has a argenumber Of comic scenes.
from which 1t switches suddenly 20 a cartoon
showing Bryan trying to stop the prosperity
railroad train. and the crowd wells all the time.
There are some striking figures showing the
Kansas farmers condition For instance. be-
meath two horses, one downCaSt and poor. the
other alert and handsome. appears this;
'...''''''''.'''
. Horses In 1890 .........'. ...,,.,.'"'-.S27
: HUrseNin lOuO...,.' ,.....,.,".....' So
Then two cows in varying attitudes and this
legend:
; Cow In 1900 ..........