The Topeka state journal., 1900-09-24
SENATOR KELLY,s TALK.
Explains His Political Change From
Four Years Ago

Ex-senator II. B. Kelly addressed the
Mckinley. Roosevelt Old Soldier Repub-
lican club on Saturday afternoon at the
clubs meeting place in the old court
house. He said in part:
mot a single question that engaged
public attention four years ago was this
year at issue So rapid and so stupend-
Gus have been the changes from the
conditions OF four years ago that 1t
amounts practically to the magnitude
of revolution. Notwithstanding the de-
claratiOn of the Kansas City platform
and the reiteration OF Mr. Bryan in MS
western speeches for free silver at 10 TO
1, the question has no place in the pub
lie mind. The strength of the PROPOSE
ton in the past consisted in the cloud OF
mortgage Indebtedness that Over-shad-
owed agricultural districts, and at that
time threatened confiscation OF all mort
gage property with payment, or a very
material reduction of this indebtedness,
together with the vast increase in the
worlds standard money supply from
new discoveries of gold. extending from
the Arctic circle to the Transvaal, free
coinage of silver at any ratio had ceased
to interest the public.
Neither is the tariff at issue. as the
effect and results from the last Demo-
cratic tariff, shown in a want of reve-
nue. and idle labor, has proven such an
object lesson to the country, that the
Dingley tariff with whatever objections
criticism, as not a single Democratic
state convention OF the present year in
A states. nor the Democratic national
convention has dared point with pride
to the Wilson tariff bill a Democratic
measure, and by comparison with the
Dingley bill attack the present tariff
law.
Not question now absorbing public
attention was conceived in the campaign
four years ago. The president has but
followed the well established precedent
of hundred years, in dealing with our
island possessions. which had fallen to
US the result of war which came in
dependently Of party 1t was the lack
of a real issue that has led Democracy,
or the fusion forces to invent the scare
crow of imperialism and InilitarisTn- In
a republic where the ruler is chosen by
the ballots of freemen. Imperialism Is
to be found nowhere except in the ma
jority-
1.-The specter of militarism, conjured
up by Mr.. Bryan and his associates, is
most ridiculous when based upon the
organization OF a hundred thousand
United States soldiers, well clothed and
well fed and distributed over one-half
the distance around the globe, maintain
ing the nag and the honor of the coun-
try~in the West India islands, keeping a
few posts in the United States, main
tanning the laws in the Sandwich ISL
ands, maintaining the honor and digni-
ty OF the government in the Philippines.
and occupying the imperial palace in
Pekin. demanding protection to Amer
lean citizens and American interests in
the capital of that ancient empire
This army of a hundred thousand
soldiers is far less menace to human
freedom, free institutions and republi-
can government, than was the army OF
the unemployed numbering a million
and half, of hungry and desperate men
upon our own soil, as was witnessed un-
der the last Democratic administration.
This army of the unemployed Is the
army that is always recruited In the ef-
ff1< Of
mocracy TO modern government.
Under the present administration,
with attendant prosperity. the creation
and maintenance of great army and a
magnificent navy are far less burdensome
than was the maintenance of the little
army OF twenty-five thousand four years
ago
while four years ago the universal
expression was, Something Is wrong
We must have relief today there is |
general prosperity and contentment; no |
person proclaiming the necessity for re- |
lief and change There are no charges |
of mal-administratfon, and while new
and complex questions of great magni- |
tude and Importance have followed in /
handled, that the administration. even /
in the midst of campaign is not SUBJ |
jected to criticism ;the opposition simply /
being a protest against expansion. which /
alarm of imperialism and militarism, /
that creates in fact no fear in the mind L
of our citizen
''The whole thing may be summed up Il
in this: Bryan theories. confusion and I
chaos Mckinley policy, prosperity and 4
Under other conditions OF purely /
local and economic character, / acted Il
with the Fusion forces, and supported 1
Mr.. Bryan If 50 doing was a mistake, |
it was the mistake of judgment. just as
now my support Of the administration /
and the Republican party. if a mistake |
is likewise a mistake of judgment Be
ing satisfied with present conditions, as /
was the country, shall cast my ballot /
in that way likely to give least dis
turbance to existing conditions
The speakers remarks met with fire.
quent applause and at the close Of the
address. upon a. motion to thank the
speaker by a rising vote, every person
in the audience stood up.
Hutchinson and Return @4.e5 via the