The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-19
HIS MEMORY GREEN
Senatorial Tributes to the Late
James II. Kyle.
ANALYSIS BY SENATOR GAMBLE,
Political Career of the South Dakota
Statesman Almost Without
Il Parallel.

From The Journal H,crec:', Room 40, Iost
Building, Washington.
Washington April 19.-The senate to-
day took it's farewell OF former Senator
Kyle OF South Dakota Half dozen
speeches, or more, were made in his mem
DRY, and these, after while, will be
bound together in book, together with
speeches Of a similar character, when
will be delivered in the house. Senator
Foraker was appropriately on the list of
>to-day's speakers, because Mr.. Kyle was
born in Ohio; Senator Culiom was appro-
priately there, because Mr.. Kyle lived j.
! Illinois before going to South Dakota /
Both of the South Dakota senator's spoke,
Of course There will be some interest IN
South Dakota in Senator CANDLES speech,
for he reviewed Mr. Kylc's political MS
tory. On this phase he said: i
Il do not understand in the shaping OF MS
career or of his life work political ambition
ever entered. He had planned his future and
had trained himself for minister OF the
gospel. To this work be had for some years
conscentiously devoted himself. His politi-
cal career cannot in the first instance be
said to be OF his own choosing. His nominal
ton as candidate for the state senate in
1890 came unsolicited to him, and practically
as the result of an accident. He was elected
as a populst, and he den.eaned himself dur
ing q most stormy ana turbulent session OF
the legislature with dignity Through a CO.
/ operations of populists and democrats they Sc
cured control of the Legislature against the
republicans. A United States senator was to-
be elected, and long and frUitless struggle
carried on for many weeks in behalf OF
the candidates of the respective parties
The popust membership far exceeded that
OF the democratic, and the former insisted
upon making the candidate and that in the
election they should have the co operation Of
the democrats. Many different populists had
been voted for, and each had been dropped
in turn. Towards the latter part of the SEES
sion agreement was finally reached where.
, by it was arranged that Senator Kyle should
be candidate, and he was elected by the
/ combined votes of the populist and democratic
membership.
The Illinois Convention.
AT the same time a like contest was being
carried on in the legislature of Illinois. It,
required the cooperation of the populist
membership a that body with the democrats
to insure the election of General Palmer. This
for a long time they refused. !. These two
contests attracted national attention. 1t was
asserted, whether truthfully or not, that
joint agreement was arrived at, whereby the
populists in the Illinois legislature were to
condition that the democratic members in
South Dakota should cast their votes for
popullst. Upon his election he announced
himself an independent but during his
first term member of this body he large
ly aligned himself on party questions with the
democrats ,.,.:-
In 1896 Senator Kyle was a candidate to
succeed himself 1t appeared to be under
stood throughout the campaign should the
populists control the legislature he would be
selected as their candidate and elected to the
position. His party was successful, but he
met with bitter and persistent opposition
within it's membership, and he could not con-
troll the caucus. This led to a protracted
struggle. The republicans finally voted for
Senator Kyle, and with the aid of sufficient
votes from his own party he elected.
Notwithstanding his election was made
possible by republican votes he still main
tanned his position as an independent. The
position of many of the leaders of his party
towards him in this contest doubtless
estranged him from them and from his for
mer party affiliations. The questions in
volved in the Spanish American arose
and on these he aligned himself with the
administration of PRESIDENT Mckinley. Upon
the reelection of the latter in 1900 he
made public announcement that thereafter
he republican, and would cooperate
with that party. Later, he announced his
CanulQaCy as republican as MS own sue
cessor. r.
His Career Anomalous.
1t is not my purpose to speak at length
of his party associations, his attitude for
or against political organizations, or his in
dependence of them, to question i'm
pugn in any sense his political motives dur
ing his public service. His career certainly
is marked and anomalous in our political
history. To have been elected in the first
instance, as the result of a compromise be-
tween two distant party organizations; i'll
the second, to have been opposed by large
majority of his party associates, and the re-
publican organization being responsible for
his election, and finally, giving his adher-
ence to that party, anG declaring his pur-
pose to be the republican candidate as his
own successor, is situation worthy Of pass
ing reference. ..-.......-..E .-.
l believe Senator Kyle's natural convic.
tons more nearly lead him in sympathy with
the republican party. His early training
his education, his associations, his convc-
tons, aside from the question of the tariff
until very recent period before his entry
upon politics, were largely with that party
Social conditions in addition to the tariff hat
much to do, l believe, in determining him il
taking his position in the first instance witt
the populist party.
,,e.5.,s w. W. Jermane.