People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1896 — A TALK BY INGALLS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A TALK BY INGALLS.

INTERESTING INTERVIEW WITH THE CELEBRATED KANSAN. CUnki Silver It*- • Dead Issue—Says the Populists Haw a Stupendous Problem la Kansas—Republican Party Ha. t Tremendous Task Ahead. Ex-Senator John J. Ingalls spent a day recently in Denver on his way to ■Wyoming to fill , lecture engagements. The senator was in his usual fighting trim and expressed himself freely and forcibly concerning the recent election in Kansas and the great sociological questions that are occupying the public mind. ' - “I spent four months or more campaigning Kansas for the Republican ticket, ” said he, “but the result showed that I might as well have been somewhere else. The Populist victory in Kansas was one of the phenomena of politics for which there is no explanation. I really think the victors were as muoh disappointed at the majority as we were surprised and startled by its proportions. The Populists not only elected fix out of the eight congressmen, but *ttTey secured five out of six appellate judges and have two out of three members of the supreme court, the governor and all the 6tate«cfficers and a majority ,over all in each of the branches of the legislature. It is the first time in the history of anv American state when all the different parts of the government

have passed into the hands of a party whioh proposes to reorganize society. It is a great responsibility, but I am not sure but that it is the best thing that could have happened. “The developments will be quite interesting,” remarked the reporter. “Yes, from a sociological point of view, the situation in Kansas will be very interesting. It is the only state that has ever submitted to a trial of those stupendous problems with all the resources in the hands of the people who want to make the experiment. In Nebraska the Republicans hold the courts and I think here in your state, under the reign of Waite, there were barriers. The Kansas test will be an example of what may be expected if the Populists gain control. Kansas has been the ground for experiments in morals and politics for a quarter of a century, and it seems destined to lead in this. ” “What is the Populist programme?” was asked. “It is very extensive,” replied the senator. “How far they will be able to put it into operation depends upon the harmony that may be brought about among elements somewhat discordant. The more violent of them contemplate a war of spoliation against society based upon practical confiscation and a redistribution of assets of'the community. It includes war on railroads and other corporations, the abolishment of laws fpr the protection of creditors and a redistricting of the state for congressional and legislative purposes that will retain the party in the possession of power for an indefinite period.” “Are you alarmed at the prospect, senator?’ ’

“No, I don’t regard the situation with any great alarm, ” replied he. “I have great confidence in the capacity of the people for self government, and the ultimate appeal to reason and fair play is a distinguishing characteristic of the An-glo-Saxon race. The possession of power makes men conservative, and my impression is that the incorrigibles and implacables will be restrained and prevented from carrying out anything like the revolution indicated in the platform. The man who was elected chief justice was formerly a Republican. He is a man of high private character and professional attainments, but he is an avowed socialist. In his speeches he declared that the users of property had rights paramount to the owner and said if be was elected chief justice he would search the precedents of a thousand years to find some law for the poor man.” “The election of 1896, ” remarked the visitor, “contained many phases not covered by the silver question. It was the attempt of the laboring and producing olasses to readjust themselves to changed and changing conditions. Silver, in my opinipn, was merely a symptom. There are 100 causes for the spirit of unrest, How to meet these problems is a question that is going to test the statesmanship of the future. The right to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness is at stake. In fact, it is the greatest problem that has ever faced any people, but I believe the Republican party is equal to the emergency. Democracy and Populism have both been tried and found wanting. The Democrats offered free trade in 1892 and Bryan offered free silver in 1896. The Americau people refused to aceept the situation offered by Mr. Bryan.” “Silver will win in four years, will it not, senator?” 1 “No; I cannot say that it will. If the Republican party does not find some remedy for the evils, some other party

©rill step to the front Trusts? We hear a great deal about trusts. Nobody hates trusts more than I. Mr. Bryan and his advocates all forget to say that there is a law now in existence which aims to strangle all trusts. The law was the creature of Mr. Edmunds, the most practical legislator of the age. Edmunds strangled polygamy to death, and he formulated the antitrust law. Mr. Olney and Mr. Harmon have failed to prosecute offenders under the law, and it remains for the Republican administration to take hold and carry out the law. * 'The money power in its organized capacity had just as much to do with the campaign of Mr. Bryan as it had to do with the campaign of McKinley. There is no more gigantic trust on the earth than the silver trust, and the silver miue owners were all supporting Mr. Bryan. A trust is a thing that knows no politics but plunder aDd no principles except spoliation of the human raca It is puerile to say that the election was bought with.money. The proportions of the victory repel such an idea. In any event I cannot bring myself to believe there was any more open use of money on the side of Mr. MoKinlfey than ®n the side of Bryan. The faot is the brains of the country are in the Republican party. It is the party of progress and aggressiveness, aud always ba3 been. ” "Aren’t the socialists becoming unpleasantly aggressive?” was asked. ‘‘Purely aroadian, ” was the reply. "A lot of dreamers, sentimentalists who have visions, but nothing practical. Tfiey are the St. Johns of the political dispensation, crying in the wilderness, and some time, as Emerson says, the dreamers of yesterday become the realities of today and the statutes of the future. The dreamers are like the Garrisons and Beechers of the War, but when strong men are needed Lincolns and Grants appear and carry the projeots forward to a final accomplishment. There will be no bloodshed, for the American people are too oapable of self government.. They are a people of peace. We talk about solving a problem. It is a mistake. Lincoln never moved until the people were ready. Nobody solves a governmental problem. The problem solves itself. Under this government a man is entitled to the fullest use of his powers as long as he uses his powers honestly. The question is not whether a man shall make $100,000,000, but whether he shall be entitled to bequeath $100,000,000 to his son. The right to tax, in the opinion of the supreme court, is the tight to destroy. When it comes to a question of leaving a vast fortune to a son, the society may have something to say in order to insure its own preservation. ” — Rocky Mountain News.

EX-SENATOR INGALLS.