The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-04
HE WAS VERY BITTER
Denounced the POpulist Party
In Scathing Terms.
WOuId Not Have Taken Seat in
Congress If Elected.

court of Pottawatomie county, which
Is extremely interesting from the fact
that it reveals many of the characters
tics of the late Ex-Governor George T.
Anthony. The suit in itself is of little
interest, being merely an action to quiet
the title to half section of land in
Pottawatomie county.
The popularity about the case is that
nearly all of the evidence Is in the
shape of letters written by Governor
Anthony and his wife, to his sister.
Cynthia Anthony. About Is of these
letters are quoted in the answer of the
defendants, and many others are added
in the evidence itself.
The letters of all parties are family
letters and they therefore speak just
what is in the minds of the writer's. The
majority Of Ex-Governor Anthony's let
ters We're written while he was a mem
Der of the board of railroad commits
siOnerS, and they show the Characters
ties of the man to a marked degree.
They are full of affection for the sister
70 whom they written, who was older
than the governor, and who lived alone
in Michigan There is a considerable
portion of them devoted to the political
situation in Kansas as Governor Anth-
ony saw it durfng the early days of the
Populist movement.
The first letter was written immedi-
ately after the election of 1890, the first
one after the birth of the POpulist par
ty. portion of it is as follows:
Ottawa. Nov. IA, 1890
Dear Sister:-Well. the war is over.
and 1 have pulled the fragments of my
self together once more and will resume
the quiet paths of peace again, and as
a starter will take up long neglected
obligations to you.
We have had a strange political con-
test with astonishing results. Kansas
has elected an anti-Republican legisla-
ture, i've out of seven members of con-
gress. and local officers in nearly every
in he ct Of rrriFT
ognize as a complete revolution.
1t looked when the polls closed as
though our entire ticket was beaten,
but it was not, fortunately. We elect
ed a governor and all of our state off,
GERS except one, attorney general. 1t
was by no means a, Democratic victory,
as that party cast less votes than ever
before. But a new organization known
as the Farmers Alliance, or Peoples
Party 1t has in it every element of
communism, discomfort and anarchis1n
to be found, and if developed all over
the county at once as here now, no one
could guess the result, but it could
hardly be less than destruction as it is
organized ignorance, seIfshness. and
hate.
In narrow and personal view am
not harmed in my official position, Of
itself of little comparative concern
whatever, as you know my present term
does not expire until one year from
next. April, and the appointing power
- III the 6ldlE OIlCGIS WHICH nave just
been elected, and they are not only Re
publicans, but my ardent friends. So if
a second term of three years from April
!, 1892, IS desirable. 1 can undoubtedly
have it. 1t is altogether the most agree
able public position I have ever held.
the most desirable and the most valua-
Bile of any in the gift of the state.
"ARectionateIy. GEORGE"
In this same letter in telling of his
private affairs Governor Anthony also
tells of selling a quantity of Washing
ton county land, for the satisfactory
sum Of S11 $50, or about SIS an acre for
raw prairie. without water, timber or a
cultivated acre on it."
The next letter is written three
months later while the first Populist
legislature was in session. The political
portion reads:
Topeka. Kan, Feb. IS, 1891.
MY Dear Sister, feel guilty of
neglect in not writing you sooner. Since
January 1 we have been full of work
and anxiety. We have an alliance leg
isiature which would legislate US all out
of Office and ruin the credit of the state
abroad, and eventually in it, if they
could. 1t will be over in two weeks
more, and then we shall breathe cas-
Ter"
An interesting reference to the open
winter of that year is also made in the
following:
1T seems strange to read about you
having cold weather when we have not
had ice enough to bear up a chicken.
Do not know how we viii get along
when we have no ice machines in the
west Today is cooler and there seems
to be a regular old-fashioned storm
brewing.
GEORGE"
"A month later came the following:
Topeka. Kan, March II, 1891.
MY Dear Sister: Well, our legis-
lature had adjourned, and the tempest
OF it's madness is only recognized longer
by the waste and distress left in its
path The most. indeed nearly all. of
Its efforts to destroy public and private
credit in Kansas failed to become laws
by reason of the interpositiOn of a Re
publican senate and governor. over
against this we have to record a failure,
also, of nearly all important legislation.
We have a state capitol building which
has been carried we'll to completion by
annual leVies, so that not a dollar of
debt has been created The work on it
has stopped So, too, no means We're
provided for participation in the inter
national centennial at Chicago. We
could have brought to Kansas 100, 900
population and S10,0 900 wealth by as
Intelligent an exhibit as we made at
Philadelphia But no, the party of
magnified miseries sat down on that,
as on everything sensible or credita BILE.
THE railroad board was too strong
for them, and the dozen schemes to get
rid of US by reorganization or by max
ing the Office elective, all failed. They
succeeded in reducing our pay a little,
but that was all.
by the way, you ask how long the
term and when my term will expire.
The term is three years, and my pres
ent period will expire one year from
April L 1891, but my election for a sec
ond term of three years from April 1,
1892 Is a settled fact, as the appoint
rnent comes from the board of state Off
GERS. who are not only Republicans but
my steadfast friends, so as matter of
fact I have four years yet if I live and
desire it. And as it is a position to my
liking. with a very satisfactory salary,
It is pleasant to contemplate it in the
light of so long term in the future.
"Affectonately,
GEORGE"
The next letter is dated at Chicago