Evening star., 1905-10-23

Jerry Simpson.
nois Infantry. He came to Kansas In
1878. Originally he was a republican, but
later became a greenbacker and populist.
He was member of Congress from 1891
to 1895 and from 1897 TO 1899, being nomi-
mated the last time by both the democrats
and populists. After he left Congress he
moved to Roswell, n. M, where he engaged
up to the time of his death in stock farm
ing. He returned to Kansas a month ago
and entered a hospital for treatment
HIS condition became hopeless ten days
ago, and since then the patient was kept
alive principally by sheer force of will.
His wife and son were at his bedside at
the time of his death. Death was caused
by aneursm of the aoreta. Mr.. Simpson
had been in i'll health for nearly a year.
Six months ago he consulted a specialist at
Chicago, who pronounced his case hopeless.
Burial will take place at Wichita. The
Masonic order will have charge of the
funeral
Representative Jerry Simpson was at
all times in the public eye and while in this
city the cause of many picturesque scenes
in the House of Representatives, where
he was frequently on the floor. Jerry
Simpson as he wAs called by every one
was regarded a radical of radicals
when he came to this city, but it was al
ways said of him that after he had
basked in the softening influences of the
capital several years he experienced
great change of character.
When Mr. Simpson came here he was
convinced that Legislation was responsible
for the unfortunate condition of a large
part of the farming interests. At that
time the Kansas farmers had undergone
many trials and tribulations They had
gone through Il period of borrowing
money both in the purchase of farms and
in improving their land. They had be-
come, it was understood a the time more
deeply in debt than the farmers of any
other section of the country.
Troubles in Kansas.
Following this period of borrowing
money, the Kansas farmers, through their
legislature, placed one restriction after
another about the collection of debts
When money was loaned in Kansas it be-
came question how the mortgage could
be foreclosed This difficulty frightened
the lenders of money and it became a
hard matter for the farmers to renew
their loans or to make new ones. People
wanted to withdraw their money from
Kansas farm mortgages.
These conditions brought about troubles
Tor Kansas that made life very uncomfort-
able there for every man who was not on
Easy street or Easy highway 1t was
during that very time of trial and tribula-
ton that Simpson came to the front as a
prominent figure in the discussion of po-
htfcal issues. He was laughed at by some
and was feared by others. 1t was felt that
he was spreading the seed Of socialism ac-
cording to his opponents. Others believed
he was a young Moses come to lead the
beWtldered kansanS into a land of prom
ise. But whatever the opinion that va
rious people had of him he was at ali times
worth listening to. Above all he was gen.
orally regarded as honest and while being
Il It,
those who came to know him intimately
believed in his sincerity.
In Kansas there no question as to
the esteem with which the picturesque
Simpson was held. He was on the side that
appealed to the Kansans for time at
least, and although he was to meet a luke
warm support yet for many years he was
firmly entrenched in the good will Of his
constituents. 1t was the movement which
Simpson typeied that led to the retire
ment Of ingalls, from public life because
he could or would not conform to the tide
Of populism that swept over the state.
True to Populistic Ideas.
In this city Mr.. Simpson was true to his
populistici ideas. He, was the picture OF
simplicity in all he did. but he knew how
to do striking things and the House of
Representatives was the place in which his
acts were frequently the subject of much
interest.
Jerry Simpson believed that the protec-
tive tariff was the cause of much of the
trouble that the farmers Of his state suf-
fered He believed that II the tariff were
lowered the competition from foreign coun-.
tries would not only lower the prices of nec-
essaries Of life but would also result in the
production of better goods by American
manufacturers. On one occasion when the
tariff was up for consideration, Mr.. Simp-
son appeared on the floor of the house with
q bundle under his arm. 1t was carefully
wrapped go that it's contents were not
known to any one. Any ordinary visitor to
the Capitol would have been stopped with
such bundle, which might have suggested
possible danger to the watchman. But Mr.,
Simpson carried 1t himself and was not
questioned. When he reached his desk he
make Sspeech on the tariff that day and
the bundle lay there when he began his
remarks.
The representative from Kansas had be-
come thoroughly warmed up In his denun-
citation of the protective tariff policy. He
had quoted republican speakers on the
beneficent effects of the tariff. and then
reaching for his bundle, declared:
And what do the American manufac-
men and the farmers of the country? Trash!
Shoddy! Worthless garments!'
An Old Overcast
He opened the bundle and held up before
the astonished House an old overcoat that
showed the signs of long wear. 1t was
cheap garment OF shoddy He told how
he had gone to the Center market and pur-
chased It from farmer thers who had