The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-30
CONEYS SPEECH
He Was Orator of Day at Big
McLOuth Picnic.
Was Not to Talk Politics, So
Mentioned "Few Things"

The twentieth annual town picnic at
McLouth, jefferson county. was in full
Hast yesterday when Captain P. H
Coney. of Topeka, who had been draft
ed by the McLouth Commercial club 10
make a speech, arrived on the grounds
via automobile. The captain missed
bfy train in the morning, and so in
formed the McLouth people by phone,
hut they insisted that he charter
dee -sea going gas wagon and come
any way
Accompanied by newspaper friend
the captain motored through the coun-
try, shedding observations upon the
y.ast history of Jefferson county and the
DAYS when he drove through the same
Kills over worse roads. He was Sched-
uled to speak to the McLouthians at
O'Clock, and was only 80 minutes late
Several hundred county visitors were
gathered at the picnic grounds, which
are compoed of a village street and the
well shaded yard of the McLough high
school. An amusement company had
are composed of a village street and the
merry go-round, Ferris wheel and other
concessions were doing a thriving BUSH
ness The McLouth band was running
opposition to the mechanical music ma
chine on the merry-go-round- The band
resigned in favor of Coptain Coney, and
for an hour he held the crowd away
from the concessions.
When Captain Coney was invited to
make the speech, he was warned by the
.politically-mixed members of the COM
iTnittee that his faVorite topic, politics,
should be avoided Inviting Captain
Ccney to make a speech and avoid poll
tics is much like setting dish of sar-
dimes and tomatoes before a cat and
inviting the cat to help herself to to-
imatoes. He began with a well worded
compliment to the little town, its pros
lperous men, handsome matrons and
pretty girls, followed with reminiscent
iees of the founder of the town,-ex-Sen-
ator McLouth, and the early history of
Jefferson county, and then, addressing
himself directly to a number of old
soldiers present, reviewed the late I'M
pleaSantnesS which made Kansas what
! II is. He referred feelingly to the poll
teal division which was the faith of
Lincoln, Grant and others of the war
period. and then, pointing two fingers
toward high Heaven, cheerfully admit
ted that any one-man gang that tried
! TO break up that sacred party was all
that the stand-pat editorial writers and
cartoonists would make them appear
Carefully, 1udiciously, he removed
small strips of the bull moose epidermis
and replaced it with coat of caustic
He named no nameS,-but he gave some
vivid descriptions. Then, after shak-
ing hands with number of old friends
and a number of new friends the cap
tain climbed back into his car and
started back. around the horseshoe
curves, snake bends, acnbss the classic
Grasshopper,-now dignified with the
name of Delaware. through Oskaloosa
ozawkie and few more and back to
Topeka by early candle light. The trip
was just so miles in length, and the
captain seemed to enjoy every rod of it.
Tomorrow he said. as the road
turned to pavement and the journey
neared the end, ''I am going to speak at
GCffS, Nemaha cOuntv And T shall
make a few remarks about certain so
called political leaders. OF course" and
the captain chuckled, It couldn't make
political speech at McLouth."