The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1906-04-27

To the civil war veterans Of the Sc
Kansas Congressional district, Greet
ings:
Comrades, This address is made &c
you on the presumption that the same
conditions in a political sense exist in
all other communities in the 3rd dis
trict that exist here: namely, good
safe republican majority, made sure
reliable by The votes and the influence
of the old soldiers, while the offices
and the emoluments IN the way of
patronage all go to gang of ''pro.
fesslonals'', who are in politics for
what there is in it for themselves. AS
an illustration this County (Neosho)
has a safe Republican majority of 500
And there is not a single ex-soldier on
the county ticket except as coroner.
There has never been but one SOL
dier post master in the county In
twenty five years who held an office
that paid more than 500 year, ex-
:ept one fourth class office. While
Chanute has had post office for
about forty years 1t has never been
held by an an old soldier. About IL e
only favor that seems available under
our city government for an old soldier
during the last few years is janitor-
ship In the city hall or ia any one OF
the school buildings, and this TOO IN
dstlnctively old soldier county.
In the recent republican county
convention manipulated by the "pro-
fessionals'' and railroad influences,
the only old soldier candidate was
side tracked and young er man nomi-
iated and to cap the climax of all
the past acts of the gang, the old
soldiers are denied the privilege Of
finally having one of their number
selected by or Congressman for our
next post master--though there IS
probably one hundred of them In this
community in every way competent
to acceptably fill the Office and we
could file petition for any one of
fifty Of them of 80 per cent of the
patrons of the office, and this TOO in
P. P. Campbell's old home county
where he always had the undivided
support of the soldier element. Now
we have it from P. p. Campbell and
other reliable sources, that out next
post master is to be youngster who
has nothing to recommend him but
the fact that he is member
of a Greek Letter college So
ciety, and was recently instrumental
in securing an honorary membership
therein for Mr.. Campbell. In this
one case all that we have asked is
that any old soldier, with an honor
able record both 10 army and civil
life, and a true republican be selected
for recommendation for post master
by our candidate for the State Legis-
lature and Mr.. Campbell; and thi:
they both decline to accord to US.
We are Informed there are but two
post Offices in this congressional dis
trct worth having that are held by d
civil war veteran, and one is at Win
field, and the professionals" arr
about to GUST him.
10 view of all that these facts in
dictate, the old sold ers of Chanut
have organized Soldier and Sailor
League not to fight for or against an
political organization, but to asser
the rights of the "old boys" to som
of the honors and emOluments in thei
declin ing years. We believe that tn
friendship that grew out OF associa
lions at Spottsylania, Cold Harbo
Antietam. Gettysburg, Shiloh, Ston
River, Chickamauga and Sherman
march to the sea are something
little stronger and more worthy tina
the ties that bind together the kids j
a Greek Letter Fraternity.
Comrades, will you organize an
stand for what you know TO be you
rights and communicate with us whS
you have done, that we may at sou
time in the near future hold a repr
r sentative meeting at some CONVEX
$ lent point in the district and perfeI
our plans for future action. We d.
mand something more substanti
than fulsome eulogies on our valor
forty or fOrty-fiYe years ago.
Comrades, a copy Of this appeal b