Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-11-16
WHY.

Numerous reasons have been gwen for the
Republican landslide on the Oh inst. but the
best solution of the problem mat we have seen
is given by Hon. H. W. Young, editor of the
Kansas Popuist. Here are his reasons why:
Why were we defeated? Principally because
the money power of this nation was afraid of
Bryan. They knew INN as a thoroughly hon
est man whom they could not control, coerce
nor caoe. Another cause was he successful
appeals to patriotic sentiment on behalf of a
policy OF criminal aggression IN The Philippines
which struck deadly blow at the foundation
principles of our government. Still another
was the idea that good crops and the prosperity
which followed them and was heightened by
famine conditions in other countries, were due
to the administration of William Mckinley.
The trusts and moneyed corporations, with
the bread and butter of their employees at their
mercy, simply prevented them from voting
their honest sentiments. The man who does
rot possess economic freedom no longer enjoys
political freedom. Not to vote as the corpora
ton dictates is to invite the loss of your job,
and hunger and prlvaton for your wife and
babies. Oh, yes, this is free country, with
vengeance! You are free to vote as you please
if you will vote the trust party's ticket; if not
you are taken care of by your self constituted
guardians and compelled to vote as they wish
on pain of loss of the means of livelihood.
How many voters were controlled or infenced
last Tuesday by threats OF this kind will never
be known, but have no doubt there were tens
of thousands of them.
1t is still more difficult to estimate the effect
of the appeal to stand by the administration in
keeping the flag flying in the Philippines
against the will of the people there, but it was
doubtless considerable. The sentiment that
stands for the country and the flag, right or
wrong, is one that must always be reckoned
with; aud there is no doubt that thousands of
men who opposed trust domination and had no
use for the gold standard still voted for McKin-
ley because th,y knew Bryan would haul down
the flag where he thought it ought not to float
But in the agricultural states of the west
northwest and central west, the farmers seem to
have been made the subjects of suggestion on
a vast scale A constant repetalion of the
same idea impresses every mind; and there are
few people living who cannot be hypnotized
and made to believe that sugar is sour or wafer
is Intoxicating if the thought is impressed upon
them in the right way. Playing upon this pecul
lar ilnpressibility of the human mind tine Re-
publican Svengais have been for years insisting
that good crops and remunative prices for them
60 along with Republican administrations and
are due to the "wise policies" and bene6cient
legislation of that party. That the idea is
senseless and absurd, and can be refuted at
every point by facts and statistics, makes no
difference. 1t has been dinued into the ears of
the people until thousands upon thousands have
come to believe it, and have voted for Mckinley
to continue an era of good crops and prices.
For the sake of this partially hypnotized
class of voters, am glad that Mckinley has
been reelected. An era of panic and hard
time is inevitable and crop failures are more
than probable within the coming four year; and
if Mckinley fails to live up to his reputation as
a maker of crops and controller of prices, he
will come to be heartily detested and execrated
by the very men who now fall down and wor-
ship him and 6guratively pray to him every
for The rain and sunshine that will
make their daily bread.
How do you like to pay 81. so for your coal,
chr That's prosperity for you, but its hard for