The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-11

for the team. The rather. before
his death, secured a pledge from the
son that this debt would be paid,
and it was paid-without interest
the letter containing a draft for $17S
reaching Mr.. Leland on Christmas
morning of 1906. The young man
wanted Leland to compute the inter-
est on this note of thirty years stand
ing, but he refused to do it, saying in
a letter to the boy that he was glad
to have helped worthy man like
Pat Conway.
Scores of formerly of Doniphan
county men now scattered through
central and western Kansas will bear
testimony to Cy Leland-s friendship
and kindly deeds in the early days.
/ could not recount all of them in
a page. I recall another interesting
case. James H. Reinhart struggled
hard to get start in Doniphan.
Misfortune overlook him. He owed
something like a thousand dollars to
his old neighbors. his account with
Leland being $3.50. So. about twenty
five years ago he decided to go to
Osborne county and make a new
home. Leland knew Reinhart was
honest He is a judge of men, and
he believes in the inherent honesty of
all men who work and try to get
along in the world. Mr.. Leland did
not see Reinhart again for more than
ten years when he met him at Con-
COToid rNSLllidTl llcQ IIldOc
he was honest and Leland knew it
when he left Doniphan county. He
wanted to pay interest on his long
standing account. but Mr.. Leland
would not take it. AS a further mark
of Leland's friendship he saw all of
and persuaded them to accept the
principal on their accounts and knock
off the interest.
AS 1 walked about the streets of
this quaint old town and talked with
the people, l heard but one story of
the man who / hope will be our next
governor Old men bowed with age
who have known Cy Leland from. boy
hood talked to me about his useful
life, his love of home and his family.
his business integrity, his help and aid
to hundreds of men struggling to get
a start, and of how he had helped
them in times past when misfortune
had overtaken them. A tear in the
eye or falter in the voice conveyed
to me more eloquently than words can
emphasize, the gratitude, love and
friendship that abides in the hearts
of these men for their old neighbor.
Cyrus Leland. What a tribute to
mans character is. this statement
from Mr.. J.. w. Mcclellan: II have
known Mr.. Leland for more than
thirty years. In all the relations of
life, a better man never lived. Mis-
fortune has ONeIldken tnc pdSe,
and when it did 1 went to my next
door neighbor-Cy Leland, for help
and 1 got it,. When fire swept me out
of business 1 was heavily involved to
Mr.. Leland. He knocked off all in
terest and reduced the principal and
told me to take my time for paying
it, That's the kind of man Cyrus
Leland is. He will make an ideal
governor 70 whom the most humble
citizen can go for justice and square
deal"
The Anti-Jug Law.
While here I hunted up my old
friend, Bill Young. the town dray-
man. Uncle Bill is a Democrat. but
he is a mighty good man. L talked
with Bill about "Uncle Cy," the dray
business and other things. well, III
tell you he said, speaking of his dray
business. Il used to haul lot of Jugs
that would come off'n trains from -.
Joe. but since Mr.. Leland introduced
and passed the anti-jus law Two years
ago, the dray business has fallen off
more than so per cent. This is pretty
hard on me, but 1 am getting along
tolerable well. Now. the feuers who
used to get their liquor in jugs have
to hike over to Missouri for their
grog." After listening to this path
etic story from this good old Demo-
crat I went down the street to
quiet spot for silent meditation. There
l unused over the difference between
those who set their mouths going
about prohibition and go off and leave
them, and Cyrus Leland who effectu
ally put a quietus on the jug bust
ness from border Missouri towns by
legislative enactment.
I wish / knew how many men Mr..
Leland has helped in times of finan-
cial stress. Hundreds have borrowed
money. other hundreds nave gone to
his store for provisions when in need.
and still others have run accounts
with him for twenty years without
settlement in full. What story his
wagon load of old account books
eral years was a farm laborer by the
month around Troy. in 1874 bought
farm on time near Leona in Doniphan
county In 1875 the grasshoppers
came and ate everything, and when
Larson paid his interest he had moth
ing to live on, and had no credit in
his neighborhood. He came to Troy
and told Mr.. Leland his condition.
Leland knew that Ole Larson belong
ed to a nationality that regarded hon.
esty as a priceless virtue. He had
faith in the man. and he said to him:
"Ole, there is my store, get what you
want for the needs of your family
Larson bought at different times un-
til he owed Leland $3.50. In 1876
he hauled his hogs 10 the value of
$50 to Leland's packing mouse and
told him to give him credit on his
account. Leland asked him IL he did
not need this money to pay his
farm. Ole said he did, but he woulA
try and get along. Mr.. Leland paid
Larson the cash for the hogs and that
money enabled him to save his home.
Ole Larson now owns three fine farms
and lives at Leona. Like all other
Republicans have encountered here,
Ole is for "Cy' for governor.
Friendship for Brown Family.
When the war closed one of the
sturdy pioneers of Doniphan county
was Billy Brown, a colored man who