The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-20

zeal finally forced congress- upon the ev
Of a presidential election, to grant FIRE
homes to the settlers upon public lands.
The Republican press, for selfish polit
ical reasons. are attempting 10 work u
a hero worship for Flynn. With the aver
| age Republicans 1t is ali right. The.
| understand that ii Is lot Of tommyro
to boost their little tin diety, and catcl
Democratic and Populist votes. They for
| get all the settlers have done in the mat
I ter. They refuse to recognize the fac
that great many men in Oklahoma have
| put in more hard hours of work for fre'
| homes than Dennis Flynn ever dreamed
| Of. They seem to forget that these mel
worked without pay, while Dennis FlynI
| has been drawing his 5000 year as sal
| airy. to say nothing of the perquisites.
''Give credit where 1t is due. For tbs
| work Senator Pettigrew, Congressman
Eddy and Dennis have done for free
homes, give them all the credit due them
At the same time, however, remember
that there is a great deal of credit due
to every man or woman who through per-
sonal appeals TO the various congressman
and senator's, really won the battle for
free homes. True we are living in an
age of hero worshipers, where whoop
and a yell and a little newspaper motor
iety can manufacture a new hero every
day, but the real heroes of the battle for
free homes will live and die unsung and
unknown. They alone realize what they
have done in the matter. They are to
share none of the pomp and glory All
the tinsil. brass and trappings are to be
used in decorating Saint Dennis, in order
that the Republican press of Oklahoma
can have something with which to offset
cheap wheat, the trusts, the Porto Rican
tariff, Imperialism and the thievery of
carpetLbaggers in Cuba"
There are other papers of fusion lines
which have taken the tack that free
homes was pushed through out Of the
Republican party's fear; that President
Mckinley signed the bill in apprehension
that If he did not, it would defeat him.
Oklahoma has no vote in presidential
elections.
Each man has a different way of get
ting at the matter. All men in all parties
concede F1ynn's reelection. The concern
felt among the fusionist leaders is over
the proper method of preventing his
popularity from disrupting their party
lines in the matter of legislature and
county candidates. Every man in the
territory is glad free homes has passed,
but that renders the crisis in the fusion
ranks, no less acute.
The Alva Review, Populist paper
published in Woods county, which alone
is beneficiary to 100000 by the passage
of the measure. says: Our people have
never been divided on this question The
platforms of the Populists, Democratic
and Republican, territorially and nation
ally, have demanded 1t, and in both
houses have now redeemed their pledges
Delegate Flynn has been elected several
times, mainly on that ISSUE and his
activity has done much to attract the at
tention and investigation of eastern con-
gressmen. EX-Delegate Callahan worked
as honestly and as faithfully during his
term in congress as Mr.. Flynn, and we
say all honor to them both and to all
again given back the homestead law to
the American people
The way the Medford Star, Populist,
handles the matter Is as follows. its
article having been written before the
presidents signature was affixed while
the Hon. D. T. Flynn in his ten minutes
talk in the house of representatives when
the bill was UP for passage on May g.
impressed the house that this was not
and should not be considered a political
question as all parties had declared for
1t in their national platforms of 1896,
It is fitting at this time that a Republic
can congress have now made restitution
Of the homes that a Republican congress, |
aided by Republican president, under |
Harrisons administration, sought to take |
from the people by mortgage. And let it |
be hoped that the Republican president, |
Mckinley. will right the wrong Of the Re- |
publican president. Harrison, so far as the |
same can be righted by signing the free |
homes bill now passed by both houses and |
thereby giving it the sanction of aw. To- |
lay We all rejoice with Flynn"