Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1906-08-11

David Overmyer, the democratic
nominee for attorney general of Kan
sas, has started out on what his
friends say will be "whirlwind cam
paign" of the state. Overmyer be-
gan his @whirlwind campaign" at
Mound City. His most interesting
statement in two hours speech was
a characterization of Gov Hoch as
an t'irresolute angleworm" This from
David Oyermyer known to notoriety
in Kansas as a republican, anti-pro-
hibitionist, prohibitionist, stalware
democrat, fusion democrat, gold
standard democrat, free silver demo-
crat, friend of the railroads, foe Of
the railroads and all round political
lightning change artist. 1t has been
well said of David Overmyer that he
has at some time been right on every
political question that has ever been
before the people Of Kansas He has
been on all sides of all questions and
now occupies a position on the pro-
hibition question that is exactly the
opposite to the course he has pursued
throughout all his previous public life
Overmyer Is this year one of the.
chief spirits of the democratic cam
paign to elect Col. w. A. Harris, of
Chicago, governor of Kansas Over
myer is also making his campaign
on platform pledging both he and
Harris to rigid enforcement of the
prohtbitory law. In 1894 Overmyer
was a candidate for governor on a
straight democratic ticket, running on
a resubmission platform. L. D.
Lewelling, two years before elected
governor by the democrats and pop
ulists combined, was a candidate for
reelection on the populist ticket. w.
A. Harris was a candidate on the
same ticket with Lewel1ing for con-
gresham at-large. Overmyer opposed
both. On the straight ticket with
Overmyer was ]. G. Lowe as a demo-
cratic candidate for congressman at
large. Overmyer and Lowe po1led
sufficient democratic votes to bring the
defeat of Lewelling and Harris and
elect E. N Morrill, and r. w. Blue.
1t was openly charged throughout
the campaign that Overmyer was not
honest in his candidacy, that he hoped
only to bring about the defeat of the
populists. Immediately after the
election at which Lewelling was de-
feated the Topeka edition of the Otta-
wa Journal, edited by E. H. Snow,
and the official organ of Kansas pop
ulism, contained the following COM
ment regarding a statement made by
Overmyer that he was satisfied with
the result of the election:
while Dave Overmyer did not get
elected governor of Kansas there
seems to be a pretty general under
standing that he pulled the leg OF
the republicans for about as much as
the salary would amount to. No WON
der he is satisfied with the result
The populist party never recovered
from the defeat administered to it in
1894. In 1897 the finishing touches to
the pops were put ON through the
reachery of w. A. Harris, II. P. Far
reilly, w. H. Ryan and Bale Wagon
er, who caused the defeat of the max
imum freight legislation the pops had
promised the people. The destruction
of the populist organization in Kan
sas can largely be attributed to Har-
ris, Overmyer, Farrelly, Ryan and
Waggener, the very men who are now
running the democratic party in Kan
sas and asking the assistance of the
very populists they SO shamelessly
betrayed and deceived in 1894 and
1897.
Harris, Overmyer, Farrelly and
Ryan are now bound together by
common hope that they may gain con-
troll of public business In Kansas and
distribute political pie to the famish-
ing democrats who co-operated with
them in the destruction of populism.
There is no probability that they will
again be placed in positions where
they may betray the people of Kan
sas Overmyer, who for years has
blown hot and cold on all political
propositions, who has attempted to be
all things to all men. can not deceive
the voters by speaking of Gov. Hoch
as an "irresolute angleworm-"