Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1900 — SIMON GREY'S FAMILY. [ARTICLE]

SIMON GREY'S FAMILY.

BY ALMA L. PARKER,

A Story of Country Life.

GUIDE ROCK, NEB.

CHAPTER VI. —(Continued.) “Cynthia, you are not the loyal Populist that you used to be, I’m sorry to say. You seem to think that everything grand and good comes from McKinley. You seem to have the impression that he was the hero of Manila, but I tell you that man's name is Dewey. Now, Dewey, no doubt, is a great man. I’d just like to know what his politics is. I’ll bet he's Populist.” “Well, I suppose that “when Schley or Sampson sink that other fleet we’ll have another hero.” “Yes, if they ever do, but they haven’t found theAf yet. «.They don’t seem to be in any hurry about it, either. They’re drawing big pay, and they’re not anxious to And the fleet very quick. I haven't any faith in them or McKinley, either, but George Dewey is all right so far as I know.” Political Simon got very impatient, and spent most of the time fault-find-ing.

CHAPTER VII. Vinuie Grey’s Remarkable Speech. Another autumn arrived. The Span-ish-American war had ended. Cervera’s fleet had been slink in almost as miraculous a manner as the Asiatic fleet had been. We were now a bigger nation than ever before, for the war had extended our dominions, by Spain ceding to us Porto Rico and the Philippine Islands. Also the Cubans had been given their freedom. We also had avenged the Maine! What a blessing it had been to those islands to exchange Spanish rule for American! Simon was glad we had been at war, because, he said, it had made better prices for farmers’ products. He had never accumulated money faster than since McKinley’s election. The reasons he gave for good times were the scarcity of farmers’ products and the late war. Instead of going to the poorhouse they enjoyed luxuries in their own remodeled home. Boonsville had just given Glen Harrington and the other Soldier boys, just returned from Cuba, a reception. Vinnie’s term as Superintendent of Schools was almost over and the Greys wondered if the Populist convention would renominate her. It seemed evident that they would, for she had given perfect satisfaction. ****** It was time for the convention, and Simon was once more a delegate. He was as enthusiastic as ever, and eager to know whether Vinnle would be renominated or not. Vinnie herself was interested and determined to attend the convention. It had been whispered to her that she would again receive the nomination, and for this reason she wished to be present. She had no desire to have her name printed on another Populist ticket. Vinnie viewed the convention of Populist delegates with keen interest. It seemed to her that they were lacking in the Qld-time enthusiasm. Was it possible that they, like herself, were beginning to realize that Republican times were not so bad after all, and were not anxious for a change? The chairman called the meeting to order, and after the necessary introductory business liad been attended to. they proceeded with the nomination of the several candidates. Finally the chairman anuonneed that a nomination for County Superintendent was in order. "Will some one make a nomination for Superintendent?" the chairman said.

A man from the Boonsville delegation arose. "I believe,” he said, "that it is the will of tills convention to give our present Superintendent tlie nomination agaiu. 1 make a motion that we give Miss Vimnie Grey the nomination for County Superintendent.” And then the crowd yelled. The motion soon was secouded. “Any one else wish to make a nomination for this office?” said the chairman; hut the crowd was silent. “Then 1 suppose It is the will of this convention to choose Miss Grey unanimously by acclamation. Will some one kindly make a motion to riiui effect?” Instantly Yinnle had arisen in the rear of the room and said in a clear voice; “Mr. Chairman.”' • . '‘Miss Grey," said the ehalrmtfh. "The gentlpmeu of tills convention have been very kind to me. I thank them very much, hut 1 cannot accept the nomination.” declaration was a surprise to all. aud was followetl by a laugh. “She's Just gasluV’ said one. "Wants to be coaxed,” said another. •Nominate her anyway." said a third. “What's the reason you won’t ttccept It?" said a fourth. "Order!" shouted the chairman, hut his voice seemed to he unheard. To pacify them Vlnnle rose again. “Miss Grey,” said the chairman. "Mr. Chairman, the gentlemen of this convention seem anxious to kuow the reason why I will not accep.t the nomination. May l have the privilege of telling t hem V”

The chairman, seeing that everyone, was eager to hear what she wished to say, gave her that privilege. Vinnie’s remarkable speech was as follows:' “To begin with, gentlemen, I have lost all faith in the Populist party. It has ceased to be a party of reform, if it ever was one. Ido not wish to criticise the gentlemen of this convention, but I mean .the Populist party as a whole. It is almost entirely composed of fault-finders, men who are never satisfied \vith anything. You know aa well as I do that we are having good times, yet how many men in the Populist party are willing to acknowledge it? If you find one, ten chances to one lie will say it is because of ‘supply and demand,’ or the late war, or something else; the Government has nothing to do with it. Now, suppose this is true. Just trace that same man back to a few short years ago, before our last presidential election. He would then -have told you that ‘supply and demand' had nothing to do with the regulation of prices, and that nothing could bring good times with gold for our standard money. You know as well as I do how they told us that the rich would get richer and the poor poorer; that we would all be slaves if McKinley was elected. Now we know that was not the truth, for no man is more independent to-day than the farmer. • "The laboring man has no excuse for being idle now. There is plenty of work and good pay. Factories by the hundred have opened, giving men employment. They earn plenty of monej, and can now afford to biiy the farmers' beef and pork. Ah, yes, it. is supply and demand, but there wouldn’t be such a demand were it not fouour new protection law enacted by our Republican Congress, Those men who traveled over this country, persuading men to join their so-called reform party, were false prophets. Would you continue to believe them? You had better trust the sure captain, who never lost a ship. When this People’s Independent party started as a party of reform we were all anxious to join it We were honest enough to wish to be on the side of reform, but, all, gentlemen, time has proven that we don’t need free silver. "Free silver will soon cease to be your hobby, for we all now know that we don’t need that. They can’t deceive us that way any more. 1 hope the gentlemen here assembled will reason in your minds that the man who deceived you once may deceive you again. Many of those who voted for free silver didn’t know what free silver meant, and, believing that these Populist speakers and papers toid them, thought it. was their only salvation. They have been very pleasantly saved without it, and ought to know hetter now.

“Suppose a foreigner caine to this country and he didn’t understand the English language, and some people told him that he was a slave; that he’d never get rich until a cyclone struck him. "Why, if he believed what they told him, he’d probably pray uigbt and day for a cyclone to come. If he was wise, he’d first find out what a cyclone meant, then he might come to a different conclusion: but if he made no study of the subject, no investigation, of course he would never understand until a cyclone did strike him; then he would learn to his sorrow what it meant, and he would curse the men who deceived him. • ' “Now, these men who deceived us by saying we couldn't have good times without free silver, were false prophets. Let’s not believe them any longer, but change our politics. Let’s treat those gentlemen right who have brought good times to our door, and who have saved our country’s honor in time of war. “You, gentlemeu, who are favored with the power to vote, I beg of you to vote sensibly. There b» no one more contemptible than the hypocrite. If you believe one way and vote another Vou are committing a sin before God. I beg of vou to reason for yourselves and theu vote as you conscientiously believe to be right, no matter what others may think. Some people if they find they are wrong, won’t acknowledge it, but a truly honest, upright or Christian man Is glad to confess his mistake. ••We should not be foolish like the old woman, that owued a goose which laid a golden egg every day. Her neighbors told her to kill the goose and she would find It full of golden eggs. Now this old womnu was prospering, but she wasn’t satisfied, so slip did as they advised her. She killed the goose, but to her sorrow there were no golden eggs to be found: so she didn't even have the goose left, because of her foolish greed. “Let us not do as she did. but let us be satisfied with the good times we now have. “You all know now why I will not accept the nomination so kindly offered me. I thank yon,” she said as she resumed her seat. (To lie continued.)