The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-07

last night at the home of his daugh-
ter. Mrs. ]. w. Mcclellan at Grenola,
Kan. A complication of troubles and
old age caused his death. He was re-
covering from stroke of apoplexy
and the amputation of a leg IN a 10
pelxa hospital recently. The body
will he brought to the home in To
neka Tuesday. Funeral under the
auspices of Lincoln Post WeonesoaS
afternoon. e,+,v
Nearly fifty years ago senator
paffer moved to Kansas and establlsh-
sd the Fredonia Journal Since tha'
time he has been active in polltlcs' ia
newspaper work, and has written seN
eraI well known books and poems.
Ee has been a farmer, a school teach
er a soldier, an editor, an author anu
a statesman He was 81 years old at
the time of his death.
William Alfred Peffer was born III
Cumberland county, Pennsylvania,
Septeu1ber 10, 1881. At the age OF 10
years he began teaching in the coun :
frv schools near his home, working
ON his fathers farm during the sum
mer months. At the age OF q ne ne
moved to Indiana, thence to Missouri
and in 1859 he began farming in IL
linois.
q private in the S3rd Illinois Infantry.
In June 1866 he was mustered out
with the rank of lieutenant. He act
Cd as adiutant, judge-advocate and
quartermaster.
Took Up Law Practice.
At Clarksville, Tenn, in 1865, Pef-
fer, still young man, began his law
, practice. Later he moved to Kansas
and established the FredOniG Journal,
then the Coffeyville Journal-thriving
newspapers published in southeastern
Kansas today. In 1874 he was elect
cd by a big majority to the Kansas
In la a
tial elector. In 1881 ne was editor of
the Kansas Farmer farm journal
that was an authority on Kansas
farm topics in 1881 as it is today
In 1891 Mr.. PETER was elected
United States senator by the Peoples
Drtv He served rs senator until
1897 After his return to this state
he was candidate for governor on the
Prohibition ticket
This was his last political ambition.
He entered literary work Immediately
and was author of "Myriorama." a
national poem: the "Carpetbagger in
tennessee Geraldine, or What May
Hapnen.n PETERS Tariff Manual, :
s~The Way Out The Farmers
side" "Americanism and the Philip
pines "Rise and Fall of Populism in
the United States
He has made his home in Topeka
since taking charge of the Kansas
Farmer in 1881. He had been living
with his son, Douglas NJ. PETER. us
' -.5L
davs ago when he went to Grenola to
visit his daughter.
It was PETERS pamphlet entitlcd
saThe Way Out that first made him
prominent in Kansas politics and per-
haps resulted in his election to the
United states senate to succeed the late
John ]. ingalls,. 1.-The Way Out" dealt
with all the evils, the calamities and the
sorrows of the days that preceded the
1898 panic. Kansas farms We're mort
gagged for more than they were worth
corn was selling for eight and ten
cents a bushe1 and PETER wrote his lit
tie booklet, pointing out a relief. Some
of these teachings have since been en-
acted in law. some of them are today
in the Bull Moose national platform-in
a revised form of course-and the Pef-
fer teachings which were scoffed at 20
years ago, are accepted principles of
political gospel today.
Senator PETER was noted for his
whiskers. He was one of the pioneer ad-
vocates of whiskers in Kansas politics
and his long flowing beard occasioned
innumerabIe cartoons and jests and
then the fun was passed on to the para
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