New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-03

L
| their unalterable opposition TO his pro
gramme.
The Presidents Jaws were set hard
when he came in. and they frightened
/ still more when he took in the stu
/ alton. When he arose he stood for n
moment surveying the audience and
then mentally rolled up his sleeves and
went in. II was from the fringes OF the
crowd and from the galleries that the
applause came; the farmers just lis
I tened.
Yet from all that can be learned
/ from the politicians. and even from the
| farmers themselves. Kansas is not so
/ dead set against defence plans "a the
| surface seems TO show. Every one ad-
mits a shift favorable TO the programme
within the last month. Many predict
! that the speech to-day will hasten IT.
kansas hasn't laid her ears back or
sct her teeth yet one wiscacre de-
clared "She's still willin' to listen to
reason"
There are here. as everywhere else
that the President has been, so many
cross currents of opinion that II 10 I'M
possible 10 generalize with much safety.
| There are so many exceptions. Kansas
is not used 20 standing unhitched. and
the remnants Of all the "isms' OF the
last generation are involved in every
political question. There arc still Pop
ulists here. still free silver men, still
even a few greenbackers. -.
Roosevelt and Bryan have both spllt
their parties and both are now with
out the following they once swung. ne
defence question is non-partisan, and
every group Is split sidewise ana
lengthwise by It. The leaders doh I
know whether 20 lead; most OF them
have tried TO play safe by staying on
the fence. Some have taken the anti
preparedness stand on the general
theory that Kansas is anti and these
are now looking 20 the condltloh OIL
their line of retreat
The point of view OF the average
Kansas "anti," so far as IL could be
learned from the politicians and far
mers-and they are IN general agree
rnent-is that they are not interested
i'm any national honor question that
goes outside the boundary lines OF con
tinental United States. They believe
the fleet can protect the coasts, and are
willing il should be fairly strong. lhey
do not believe the results would be
serious if an invader got even az Tar
as the Alleghenies. and have absolute
confidence he could be stopped there.
But they believe that citizens can take
care Of any invader without any prepa-
ration. and see no sense IN wasting men
and spending money on something 'h"D
can take care Of itself.
A Wichita farmer spoke his nina on
the honor question M the hotel loDDy
this morning. and MS hearers were WIN
him.
Honor Is Continental TO Kansas.
.You folks down East can talk al!
YOU want about the Presidents no,t.
protecting the honor Of the country,
he said. Hes gone twice as lar as we
folks out here wanted him 70. ne
cant be too cautious 20 suit US. W.
wjll-everv man of us fight IN min
ute If the nation is invaded, but we
won't 20 Il step farther. wed keep
every American off belligerent ships.
We'd keep every American out OF Mex
ico. We'd let the laps take the fhiIlp-
pines and be damned. II they want EN-.
We'll defend our homes. but when any
American goes where he has no rlght
TO 90. If he gets into trouble us
his own fault. The honor Of the coun-
try doesn't get outside our boundaries
that we can see.
Another farmer after this speech
was less positive.
There's a heap in what the Presl-
don. said" he remarked. eve might
stand for what he asks for, If that $
all he wants But we're afraid he'll
90 too far. You folks down East are
asking so damn much that we suspect
mes with you. But we'll think II over.
On the question Of honor Kansas
does not seem open to much convlc-
ton. But on the question of the
ability Of the farmers 10 fight trained
soldiers, il is beginning 20 have doubts.
Also. II has learned that much ma
chinery is needed for war, and VIII
have no objections TO providing re
serves Of munitions and rifles.
give US the guns and well take
care Of the other fellow" seems to be
the general attitude now. Yet one
man had noticed that casualty lists
from Europe showed less than per
cent Of the wounds due TO rifle IRE
and speculated on the time NECESSARY
10 train an artilleryman. Another had
observed that the fighting type which
filed he Kansas regiments IN the oivll
War and which. from further West,
supplied the Rough Riders Is disap-
pearing.
"We'n have TO do something soon
ne opined. "but | reckon there IS no
use getting het up about IT right now
There1 be plenty Of time to get ready
while the other fellows are getting
over the war. The Japs oh, who's
afraid Of the Japs -
The President addressed blC over
flow meeting in the high school. Most
( Of the audience was composed OF stu
dents. They gave their school wells as
he entered. Governor CappcF again
introduced him. .u.,
Z .If Kansas will not fight, who will p
the President asked. "She viii hgh,
for principle. The only thing we are
ever going TO fight for is human rights
/ in one form OF another.
"Let no man interfere with ne ights
If America. and let no man hole back
from getting ready TO defend those
The President went directly iron. me
school 10 the station to leave fer Nan
sas City.
~ anvN1CTTIST T0JNC