The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-11-25
JERRY SIMPSONS TELLING TALK
Made impressive by Bundle of
Shoddy Garments.

The death of eX-CongresSman Jerry
Simpson at Wichita. Kan, on Ger. 70
| removes one who for some years was
picturesque and significant figure III the
politics OF the country. He was born
in New Brunswick IL 1912. Simpson was
at different times 4 Republican and
Democrat, aud after his removal TO
Kansas he became Il Greenbacker ana
Populist. He Was a member Of con
gress from S9l to iS95-and from 1897 10
1895. The Washington Star, in giving
an account of his career, brings ~
these incidents OF his official life III
Washington:
I'm this city Mr.. Simpson was true
TO his Popuiistic ideas. he was the
picture of simplicity in all ne did, but
he knew how to do striking things. aud
the house of representatives was tie
place in which his acts We're frequent
iy the subject OF much interest.
Jerry Simpson believed that the pro-
tective tariff was the cause OF much
of the trouble that the farmers of his
state suffered. He believed that If the
tariff were lowered the competition
from foreign countries would not only
lower the prices of necesSarieS Of life
but would also result IN the production
of better goods by American nlanufac-
turers. On one occasion when the tariff
was up for consideration, Mr.. Simpson
bundle under his arm. 1t was care
fully wrapped so that its contents were
not known to any one Any ordinary
visitor TO the Capitol would have been
stopped with such q bundle, which
might have suggested possible danger
to the watch1nan But Mr.. Simpson
carried it himself and was not ques-
toned. When he reached his desk he
laid the bundle there carefully. He
was to make a speech on the tariff that
day, and the bundle lay there when he
began his remarks.
The representative from Kansas had
become thoroughly warmed uD in his
denunciation OF the protective tariff
policy. He had quoted Republican
speakers on the beneficent effects of
the tariff, and then, reachinng for his
bundle, declared:
And what do the American manu-
facturers furnish for the American
NYorl0ngmen and the farmers of. the
country? Trash! Shoddy. Worthless
gaTInents!'
'He opened the bundle and held up
before the astonished house an old
overcoat that showed the signs Of long
wear. It was a cheap garment of shod-
dy. He told how he had gone to the
Center market and purchased it from
farmer there who had come to town
with his wagon load Of truck from Ma
ryland.
iSee:' he exclaimed, as he rent the
garment from one end TO the other.
Shoddy. Flinlsy shoddy. Worth
less! That is what these protected
American manufacturers are providing
Tor our farmers in exchange for the
protection they are receiving from the
government of the United States.
1T might have all been political clap
trap. but it was effective. That was a
speech that appealed to the people to
whom Simpson was addressing himself.
1t made a column in thousands of
newspapers the next morning. The at
tention the speech received was due
almost entirely to that picturesque
scene that Simpson worked up.
w lille in this city Mr. Simpson was
simplicity itself. He lived in house
ot SIX rooms on Capitol iIih and walked
TO and from the Capitol daily. He did
not mix much in the society that at
tracts many new representatives. He
read his newspapers and studied
craftsmanship as he saw it. He was
q constant attendant on the sessions
OF the house. and whenever there was
TO oe an interesting debate lie was not
only there. but he was quite sure to
take part in it. lie listened and he
learned
One Of the rude awakenines that
gressional life was that legislation
could not do everything for the ame-
Iteration Of the troubles of the coun-
try that he had hoped for when he
came to congress. He became from
year to year more and more conserya-
tive. Men who talked 10 him in hig
latter days in congress declared that q
great change had taken place in aim
50 faT as his radiealisln was concerned
Many Of them said Simpson was no
longer radical. They said ]1n had
become conservative At anv rate he
was q constant student of public af-
1alrs both in committees and on. tt,e
moor OF the house When he left CON
gress he was probably one of the broad
est men among the group in which he
was prominent.
While Mr.. Simpson had constantly
held up the farmers Of the country as
badly used class Of men. and an
peaTed TO regard the ownershio Hf
farms as the poorest Of investments
When he left congress he proceeded 10
invest his savings in Kansas farms
Practically all OF his money was in
Vested III farm land. While never ricl,
ne was able to get together a fair. com
ptetehcT FOR man Of modest habits,