The San Francisco call., 1908-07-05
The San Francisco Sunday Call
CWINGIN 'poUND THE CIRCLE WITH BEN BvTLEp

"He described the holy work and
mission of the peoples party like this;
We can get nothing out OF the two
old parties, for we have tried 1t again
and again
He said at the close: The mission
Of the peoples party is to emancipate
4O,OO0,000 of people from the tyranntes
and exactiOns of monOpOlies and soul
less corporations. VIII it come peace
ably% 1 pray God that I may never
again see the scenes of camp and field.
But as sure as Gods law these ques-
tions must be settled some time. Good
men and true. make no mistake. 1t is
a solemn and important thing and will
grow more solemn every year. A sin
gle famine viii bring on an outbreak
that will be terrible.
~ am speaking for my own class
and also for the friends OF my youth,
the laboring men, who gave me their
confidence. 1 am giving the last rem
nant Of my life to a cause that. as I
can see, can be Of no personal advan-
tage TO me. but Will be in the future
General Butler brought with him
his old friend and companion, Colonel
NJ H. Albergher: his secretary. Mr.
Montague of the Boston G'oOe his
efficient manager. j. Charles Davis OF
theatrical fame. and small corps OF
IN one of the smaller towns where
the car was to remain over night
Julian Ralph and I found
butcher shop where they had the car
cass OF black bear ready to cut up in
the morning. the animal having been
killed by party of hunters on the
edge of the North woods tract. We,
will fSfa of Ia butcher
found the owner and procured a few
pounds of the freshly cut steaks. AT
the breakfast table the following
morning there was as much black bear
talk as you would expect at White
House dinner. The bear steak was
voted a novelty. but not equal to the
regulation beefsteak- "Wess." the gen
erals negro valet, overhearing the
conversation, went to the kitchen to
make sure that he had a little OF the
unusual food saved for the servants
table. But as that was before the
days of nature takers his geological
education was faulty and his earnest
request that the grinning negro in the
galley save him some Of that lions
meat" became one OF the Jokes OF the
boom.
General Butler stood high in the
favor Of ahe brotherhood OF locomotive
engineers, and if I am not mistaken
was a member Of the order. Several
times during the swing" he was in
vited to ride In the engine cab over a
pleasant road and his enjoyment OF
these trips was almost childlike.
Occasionally some ardent political op-
ponent Of the peoples party creed
would refer to General Buffers New
Orleans record, and the Oft repeated
charge of stealing the old creole silver
service would be revived, but to the
haa NJ NJ nf 4 ave
reached the old general At Elmira,
the stronghold of the once strong
greenback party, the peoples candidate
had many strong admirers, and when
our car reached that city the evidence
Of their work was everywhere visible.
National flags and bunting decorated
many buildings; an arch over the prin-
cipal street welcomed The Hero Of
New Orleans; veterans Of the civil war
In the army blue were on every hand
We were all delighted with our
chiefs reception. when. to our astoniSh-
nent. a procession headed by a band
OF musicians playing Marching
Through Georgia" fled into the square
opposite the railway station. Just in
the rear OF the band were two stalwart
standard bearers. each carrying huge
silver spoon at least ten feet above
the heads Of the crowd. We were all
aghast and expected the general to be
very indignant, when he burst into the
heartiest laugh We had heard from him
during the campaign. Good" said he
Capital"
No candidate for the presidency or
any other Office was ever greeted with
such proof of the hatred of his logical
enemies.
1t was during the peoples party cam
paign that the now time worn straw
vote story was born. A pencil fiend
after carefully canvassing a Pullman
car express loaded with silk stock
ings." came upon a section hand going
through to the next water tank. The
knight of the pick was seated in the
end of the combination smoker when
approached by the seeker of political
forecast information.
My good man." said the canvasser.
whom do you intend to vote for next
November"
WHO will vote for? Why. Cleve-
land of course. Who else would I vote
for?"
Why" said the pest, Il have been
through this entire train and you are
the only man on the train that will not
vote for Blaine"
Have We? Well. to HI with this
train You wait till the gravel train
comes along and see who they'll vote
forl''
And it was the gravel train that de-
livered the goods for the Buffalo candf-
date, but they never considered Gen
.eral Butler as a serious proposition and
consequently did not vote for him.
ard. Fourth Michigan cavalry. under
date of May 25, 1855 as follows:
90