The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-09-29
IT WAS REMARKABLE
CampbeII's Speech and Aud
fence at Garfield Hall
UNEARTHS A CONSPIRACY
Of the Democrats to Annihi-
late PopuIist Party.

What was in some respects the mos
remarkable political meeting IN the his
tory Of Wichita and the most remarkable
speech, occurred in Garfield Hall last
| evening.
There was a good sized audience, say
400, and in it were Populists. Republicans
and Democrats. AT different times there
was applause from the Democrats when
he hit Hanna; applause from the Repub-
licans when he hit the Democrats. and
applause from the Populists when he
! landed on Grover Cleveland, Stevenson
and other Democrats.
| The trend Of the speech was that there
was a Democratic conspiracy to ami
hilate the Populist party, and he proved
| it step by step.
L P Campbell in this community has
always been known as straight-out
talker and he proved it last night. AT
times he rose to true eloquence and
brought deafening applause.
The audience was highly decorous and
made no disturbance whatever and very
few men left the hall at all until the con-
clusion, an unusual thing in Wichita.
The speech was a sharp one through
out and was a more bitter arraignment
of the Democratic party than has ever
been delivered here by any Republican.
Mr. Campbelps opening words were as
follows:
This will be political meeting with
out brass band or a chairman. 1 did
not ask a Populist to preside because 1
did not want a Populist to assume the
responsibility. did not ask a Demo
crat because 1 did not think one would
do it. And I did not ask a Republican
because 1 am not Republican. What I
shall say shall be personally responsible
for In order that there may be no mis-
understanding or misquoting 1 have writ
ten my speech and shall use the manu-
script this evening"
The speech was as follows:
"The Peoples party is sick. 1t is very
sick. You perhaps expected me to say
that it was dead. Were it not for the
fact that it is still able to kick, I should
readily conclude that it was, but so long
as animate nature possesses the power to
wiggle and protest when it is tramped
on, so long we have conclusive evidence
that there is animation life.
THE Peoples party has been stricken
with disease very similar to the deadly
malady which among cattlemen is called
Texas, or splenic, fever. For long time
stockmen thought Texas fever was the
result of climatic change; but it has been
discovered in recent years that the whole
trouble is caused by a tick, which at
tacks the animal, poisons its blood
sucks out its vitality, and leaves the
subject of it's attack lifeless-dead. Just
so is the Peoples party. 1t has been at
tackled by a political tick, commonly
known as the Democratic party. It has
settled upon the Popuist party, individ-
ually and collectively. 1t has taken a
deal. hold and has been, and is, poison
ing IS whole system, sucking out its life
blood and has left it PROSTATE and almost
lfeless< Can it be revived? Can it be
resuscitated? Can the ticks be made to
let loose. This is the problem that con-
fronts us. Like the Texas fever tick,
various applications have been used to
kill this poisonous and destructive blood
sucker. but, like the tick, the most that
we can hope for it is to make it let
loose and feed, If it must subsist, upon
some other body. 1t has been discovered
that the use Of alcphol upon the Texas
fever tick has only served to stimulate
it and make it cling the tighter. In like
manner has alcohol been used upon the
Democratic tick, but with equally futile
results. II has been discovered in Kan
sas that in some instances, to make the
Democratic tick real lively and especial
ly venomous it is necessary to soak him
in alcohol for at least twenty-four hours.
and then he only relaxes his grip tenn
porarily, with the purpose Of taking a
deeper and more stubborn hold.
This experiment was tried at the
Great Bend convention.
"All intelligent persons who take part |
in political or public affairs do so for one |
and the same reason, viz, advantage or |
gain. Some may hope for direct and i'm !
mediate gain in the way of a good Office, |
with a good salary attached others. not /
hoping for advantage through holding Of |
fee. nevertheless their interest is COM /
mensurate with the advantage, direct or /
which they hope to gain. There
When men look for a philanthropic field
in which 10 exercise their powers. they
do not seek or find it in politics. Every
man should be a politician He should
take interest in the public affairs Of his !.
ne should view the public ques-
tons nationally and intelligently. and
while he should be jealous as a public
spirited man and politician, he should
scorn to be partisan The great course
OF this age is not politics or politicians,
but partiSanism. adhesion TO party, blind |
OF party. No new political
party was ever organized that grew 10
any magnitude or Importance because
alone of the resolution Of men TO form
such party. As rule men DO not
cave their old party Affiliations and IN
1ertake to form new ones unless deeply
impressed with the conviction that they
,an better their conditions and the con
iitions II their fellow-men by doing So
in 1855 and 1859 there grew up and
spread Ike vildfre throughout the west
he movement known as the Farmers
II vas the outgrowth q CON
iition and the conviction that thai con-
sitioh could he made better By oreaniza-
ion II was distinctly and wholly a
arers' movement The farmers Of the
vest had come 70 realize that their con
iItion as 4 class was not what they BE-
ieved It should ~. OF what they oeliev-
4 It was possible FOR them. by o-ssni-
-ation and unity, 70 make It They felt /
ieeply that they did not have an even
nance. That Il was not true. as seemed
o De implied in the Dscisrs1ion % In
dependence that every man was equal
,eto-e the law. They felt 6es-iy that !
very other Industry Or occupation had
he power OF seif-proSect;on. seIf-3rese--
-a..,- ~ n-rarl-stLo- sra c-a---Ara.sn- /