Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-09-25
and am satisfied that it will. in time, DEM

Fifth-Twe,ve new counties have been
fully organized during the past twenty
months, and seven of these were organized
under the law recently passed, requiring .
population of $500 and property assessed dt
$3.50, Co., as prerequisite to organization.
Siytt-Laws have been enacted providing
that preference in public employment and
appointments shall be given to honorably
discharged Union soldiers, and for the
burial of Union soldiers at the public ex-
pense.
THE AUTHORITY OF GOVERNOR.
In considering all these things, my fellow
citizens-and have tried to present my
views and action touching them with entire
frankness, and as fully as is possible in
speech of this character-it should not be
forgotten that the governor of an American
state possesses no authority that Is not ex-
pressly vested in him by the laws. bis du-
ties and powers are clearly defined and linn
tied by law, and he has no more right to do
any act or exercise any authority not ex-
plicitly within the scope of the laws than has
any other citizen. Hundreds of men thought
Iessly say, when something they think ought
TO be done is left undons: "If l was gov
ernor, I would do this and that" when, if
any one of them was governor, he would find
he would do. I have frequently, since as
Stunning the duties of my present office,
found my authority thus restricted, and
although this fact has occasionally caused
embarrassment and vexation, l know the
limitations placed on my official power are
proper and just. This is a government OF
laws, and not of men, and no interests,
either of justice, morality, or the public
welfare, will be promoted by vesti no any
officer with arbitrary power Or authority
If, therefore, any good citizen thinks mat
have, on any occasion, failed to do what
he believes l should have done, let him, be-
fore condemning me, ascertain whether l
had any legal authority to do it: whether I
had not, in fact, done all that the laws of
Kansas authorize me to do; and whether, all
things considered, it is not always safer and
wiser to follow Davy Crockett's rule: "Be
sure you are right, then go ahead" True
courage is not illustrated by yielding to
public clamor; nor are right and justice e1-
emplifed by hasty and ill-considered zeal
for q good cause. The American faith in
observation-disclosures" is not, after all, mis-
placed, and the public man who, possessing
the judicial quality of seeing both sides, or
all sides, of any question, does the safe and
Just thing in dealing with it, can afford to
trust to the clear judgment and the honest
instincts of the American people for his vim
dication and approval.
REPUBLICAN ACHIEVEMENTS.
nave uOb, my I0uOW CltizcuS, dIUouptoO
to discuss those questions which divide the
people in the larger domain of national
politics. 1t has seemed to me that, on an
occasion of this character, should confine
my remarks to discussion of state affairs.
But am not Indifferent could not be indif.
ferent, to those issues of principle or of poll.
cies on which the republican party bases its
action and its faith. am before you as q
candidate of the republican, party. have
n
est, enthusiastic, loyal republican: q repub-
Gcan from conviction; republican who be-
ieves that the republican party embraces in
its ranks the best brain, and heart, and con.
science of the American people. On every
great question presented during the past
thirty years, the republican party has
taken the side of justice, liberty
and eternal right. Never ashamed or afraid
to espouse the cause or the poor, the lgno-
rant or the alien, and make their wrongs its
own; it has never, on the other hand, PAN
dered to vice or crime or cupidity for sup
port. When it took control of the general
government, this country was a weak col
lection of discordant states, on the verge of
civil war aud disunion. 1t crushed armed
rebellion, brought the old flag back to the
places from which it had been driven, and
civilized nations. 1t struck the shack
les from 100000 slaves, lifted
them up and enfranchised them. It
opened the public lands to the people under
the b3nefcent provisions of the homestead
act. 1t spanned the continent with railways.
1t gave to the people sound financial sys-
TEN and stable currency. 1t revived and
fostered American manufactures. 1t en-
outraged public education. 1t enriched our
history with long list of imperishable
names, that will be an inspiration and an
example to our youth for generations to
cOme-Lhe names of Lincoln, and Grant,
ard Seward, and Thomas, and Garfield, and
& host of others. And finally, when fraud
and terrorism in the south, and vilifcation
and falsehood in the north had accomplished
their ends, and this great party surrendered
the trusts it had SO long controlled, did
its opponents and traducers, after the
most patient and careful investigation, dis
cover any facts or evidence to Justify the ig-
norant and brutal accusations they had made
against republican honesty and competency!
Not single fact. Not a shadow of evidence.
They Counted the money" and it was all
tnere-eyery penny of it. They Investigated
the books, they scanned every account, they
scrutinized every item and tigare, and they
found nothing to criticise. And at last one
of the most prejudiced democrats in the
country was compelled to declare, and did
declare, that he had been amazed at the per
feet system, accuracy and integrity with
which the business of his department had
been conducted by the republicans.
THE "RAscAIs" WHO WERE TURNED OUT.
But they 'stnrned the rascals out" Oh,
yes-that business has been attended to with
lromptness and regularity. An unending
procession of "rascals" has been moving
out, for year and a half. "Rascals' who
had invaded the sacred soil of Virginia and
Kentucky; who had stolen negroes and made
them free; who had been with Grant at
Vicksburg and in the Wilderness, and with
Thomas at Mission Ridge, and with Sher-
man on the march to Atlanta and the sea,
and with Meade at Gettysburg. Some of
these ''rascaB- nave grown old and gray;
some imped out painfully, because OF old
wounds; some wore vacant sleeve; some
had voted against that great democratic
patriot, Vallandingham; and some had, yeara
before, been guilty of singing song about
hanging great democratic statesman ON q
sour apple tree. Men guilty Of such 'ras-
calities" a. these, of course deserved to be
s'turned out" and they were promptly
bounced.
In their stead Q long line Of democratic
martyrs and patriots marched in-men who
had ''fought four years for their democracy"
under Leo or Bragg, or Joe Johnston; mon
who had expatriated themselves to the Wilds
Of Canada to avoid Lncoln's ''bastiles;"
men who had wandered through the timbers
of thu Wabash or thu Miami bottoms hunt.