Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-08-03
II /. 1. /. /: +. /.
= =. Champ
Il Letter !.
RI ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ W
Especial Washington Letter

M IS -
Especial Washington Letter.
AFTER leaving Texas, where ey-
~ erybody worth knowing or
~ mentioning is Democrat,
my lecture business took me
through the Indian Territory, Kansas,
Arkansas and southwest Missouri, in
which states and territory lectured
at the Chautauquas for two weeks.
It may open the eyes OF denizens in
the eftete east to know that nearly
every town Of 1000 inhabitants and
up In the above mentioned states and
territory maintains Chautauqua.
OF course most Of them are held under
tents, but permanent homes will come
In time. And the people turn out to
hear the lectures. At Muskogee and
vanita, in the Indian Territory, In
each audience I addressed, something
like 1000 people. At Tusla would
have had more but for a heavy rain.
And more intelligent audiences or
more appreciative are not to be found
In America.
OF course Arkansas is as reliably
Democratic as Vermont Is Republican,
but Kansas usually goes Republican,
and, while Missouri gave Roosevelt
her electoral vote and elected nine Re
publican congressman, she is, under
normal conditions, Democratic. The
Indian Territory, and therefore the
new state Of Oklahoma, is the most
interesting Of political problems. No
man In his senses doubts that Mis-
souri, will roll up from 10000 to $4,000
Democratic majority this year and
elect fourteen or fifteen Democratic
representatives out Of sixteen to con
gress, for, as above stated, she is nor
mally Democratic, and nothing but
Judge Parker's telegram to the st.
Louis convention could have placed
her even temporarily In the Repub-
lican column. csc
Kansas is normally Republican, but
this year Kansas bids fair once more
to break away from her Republican
moorings and to elect the Democratic
ticket. The Kansas Republicans are
badly factionalized. The Cy Leland
and anti-Cy Leland crowds are whet-
ting their knives for each other. The
railroads nominated the Republican
ticket, which disgruntled many thou
sand Republican voters and many Re
publican newspapers. So that the Re
publican ticket ID inherently weak. On
the other hand, the Democrats had the
wisdom to put up an unusually strong
ticket. Their candidate for governor,
sx-United States Senator Harris, is
Thousands Of votes stronger than his
party, while his opponent. Governor
Hooh. who 10 candidate FOR re-elsc-
taon, Is thousands Of votes weaker
than his party. Harris served In both
houses Of congress with distinction and
= man Of capacity, experience and
character. Though one Of my ex-con-
s1tuents, he has bean In the sunhow-
q State 10 long that he y counted
among the old settlers. He has had a
remarkable career In Kansas. After
the civil war closed, In which he served
O. Confederate colonel. he went to
Kansas and began life a. chain car
Eisr on the Union Pacific railroad His
msrit caused his promotion till he
rose TO high position. Going into pol
itics. he served In both houses Of the
Kansas legislature, was then elected
oongressman at large and afterward
served full term In the senate Of the
United States. The old Union soldiers
are his best friends, for he is one Of
their best friends. On the ticket with
him are Mr.. Farrelly for lieutenant
governor, man Of splendid character
and talents. and David obermeyer for
attorney general, one Of the grsatest
lawyers and one Of the most brilliant
orators In America. So, on the whole,
the chances are that the Democrats
will sweep the state.
The Oklahoma part Of the new state
Of Oklahoma 10 close politically. The
race In that portion Of the state viii
be neck and neck affair. The Indian
Territory portion Of the new state is
Democratic, and largely 50. At any
rate that is the opinion Of Intelligent
men. It ought to be, for at least three
fourths Of the population are from Mis-
souri,, Texas and Arkansas. OF course,
there never having bean an election
down there. the political status IL large
u guesswork and everybody Is on the
aui vive. The general opinion IL that
Notwithstanding all the gsrrymander-
ing the Republicans pan do the new
state Of Oklahoma win be Democratic,
xylyl a1oo< . nn,,n n~va ~ $40 - xirf.oS
three Democratic representatives out of
ave and Democratic legislature which
will elect two Democratic United
States senatprs, AL Of which n greatly
| to be desired.
had the honor Of making the frst
Democratic speech In the new state OF
Oklahoma at the vanita Chautauqua.
I was followed next day by Governor
Koch Of Kansas, who, filling Senator
Delivers engagement, spoke for the
Republicans.
| Queer.
This 10 strange world, my masters
Il Is queer how things turn out In this
mundane sphere. For instance, some
what over two centuries ago one cold
snowy day, Lord Bacon, the greatest
philosopher that ever lived, was driving
alone along lonesome road In Eng
land when he fell to meditatipg upon 9
| plan for preserving desh with ice. Tha-
WAS after Bacon had been disgracet
II and driven from the lord chancsllorshiI
| tfor taking brides; but nothing could
| prevent his active and philosophic mint
| from pondering constantly on new