The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-23
SWEENY'S
Makes a Speech to Old Soldiers
i'm the House.
Told Them They Were Taking
Away His Franchise.
EARS THAT WERE DEAF.
They Heard Not His Pathetic
Story of the War.
Anti Fusion Election Bill Was
the Inspiration.
Recommended For Passage in
Committee Of Whole.
THAT WERE DEAF.

The prize speech of the session in the
house was heard Friday afternoon.
Michael Sweeny, of Pawnee. was the
orator. and his theme was the anti
fusion election law, railroaded through
by the Republicans The band wagon
was running furiously with creased
wheels.
Lew Belts. of Butler. and c. E. Rough
ton, of Hodgenan, had raised cries as it
was trundled over them, bnt their elo-
quence dwindled into insignifcance be-
side Sweeny's master effort. Belts told
the Republicans that they themselves
were fusionists and were corrupt. if the
statement of J. R. Burton that fusion
is corrupting was correct.
Half of you hated ]. r. Burton like
the devil hates holy water. and you
called him all manner of hard names
for years. said he. but when the word
went out you all fused and voted for
him.
Roughton merely told them that they
should go ahead with their law, which
would cement the fusion forces firmly
and accomplish for them what they
themselves had been struggling to do
for five years without success.
Then came SWeeny-Afichae1 Sweeny,
of Pawnee Rock, Pawnee county, Kan
sas, formerly Of Pennsylvania and prior
to that of County Glare, Ireland. He
stepped out from the first aisle, north
side. 1t was the first time he has taken
the floor and raised his voice. His ma
tivity makes him eloquent against any
deprivation of liberty. and he felt that
he was protesting against a tyranny
Stirred by these emotions he began:
Mister Spheaker: 1 am tn only man
in this house that's injured by this BILL
an it hits me hard. In 1861 with six
hundred thousand other byes should
cred a musket back at Washington to
crat befoor the war, / wint into tn war
a Dimmycrat, 1 wint thro' tn war a
Dimmycrat, an 1 came out O tn war
a Dimmycrat-"
hand-clapping. Mr. Sweeny paused for
a moment while the members came to
attention in earnest to get the full ben
eft OF his remarks, cleared his throat
and proceeded:
For t'irty-fower years I have voted
the Dimmycrathic ticket in this state
and R1izzoury. An phat will do now
when you would deprive me of me
party? / am only one on this side.
There are t'irty-fower or t'irty-five av
yez over there, an this is the way ye
go back an me-
He paused again. It was amusing,
but there was terrible earnestness
about the tall. heavy man in a blue suit,
whose gray hairs commanded respect
and whose words came in a pleasant
accent and with homely eloQuence. His
effort to touch a responsive chord in the
hearts of his old comrades was pathetic,
the more that it was hopeless
I'll warrant tn man that made this
bill was not at Antietam, South Noun
tain, or Fredericksburg. No man who
was would draft that bill He is a
thraitor to his Cod, his country and his
fellow man. Yes an he is thraitor to
that ould flag tnat haunts its stars and
sthripes above your head. Mr.. Spheaker.
An if he had not the years in 81, he had
thin in '9S for the Spanish-American
war. Was he IN Cuba? Not a bit av
iti''
Then the old soldier addressed another
and final appeal to his old comrades.
I'VE stood together once for four years
for our flag an our country. We stood
showlder to showlder. We drank out of
tn same canteen- I am a Dimmycrat,
an for that would you take away my
franchise? All ask is that you sthand
by me again an not dhrive me out of
Kansas, for if I want to vote you'll
dhrive me back to Missouri
Mr.. Lawrence. whose name was at
tached to the house bill, replied that the
bill had been drawn by the Kansas
congressional delegation in Washington
The bill was then recommended to pass.
A few technical amendments were all
the changes made. and they were in
serted nv Mr. T,aWrence