Wichita eagle., 1888-02-10
FoREwARNED IS FoREARMED.

NJ. STEwAET.
FoREwARNED IS FoREARMED.
To the Editor Of the Eagle:
see that the ultra Democratic Bea-
con, amongst many of its new political
tricks, has begun one that IS really sig
nificant. 1t has set the whole Demo-
cratic leadership in this city and county
and the southwest for that matter, to
work getting their state and district
conventions held in this city. Here are
the political reasons for its significance:
No state convention was ever held in the
southwest: no congressional district con-
vention was ever held in Wichita. The
people of the southwest and of this city,
though not openly protesting heretofore,
are as susceptible to honorable recogni-
ton as any people, And if the Demo
| Gratis give us that recognition it will,
| coupled with other advantages now in
their favor, add largely to their strength
| in this part of the state Whilst being a
| minority party, they will lose nothing
in other parts by those petty local and
personal jealousies so prevalent in a
majority party. The assembling of two
| important conventions here will bring
together all sorts of followers of that
party and many others of those inter
ested in the Oklahoma and government
contract questions. This will be true,
because that party is in national power
Snch assembIage will disburse in this
city several thousand dollars in cash.
Ali this will have an influence. Then,
am in position to know that nothing but
the treachery of certain Democratic
leaders in the last election prevented
them from electing their whole ticket.
This city was saved to the Repub-
lican ticket by taking advantage
of Democratic dissension and MAX
ing up for those Republicans fail
ing to vote out of spite towards
the policy pursued by the party in the
state, bv thorough organization and
polling the new vote not yet affected by
such policy. In the county where pro-
hibition and Republicanism is supposed
to be strong the Democrats gained all
their advantages. This year the Demo
Gratis will be organized and more har-
monious. Dull times, which with dis
ease and famine. is the fast friend of
Democracy. is this year in their favor.
In this congressional district, too. Peters
majority in a total vote of 81, 465 over
George. Democrat, and Mayes, Prohibi-
zionist. in 1886 was 1878. If the Demo-
Gratis were to pool issues, as they can
easily do. with the dissenting elements
and put one of the Carlisles of this city
up for congress upon one of their
pike-net, vote catching platforms
and effect change of 4CO0 votes Mr..
Peters would be beaten. 1t must be
borne in mind that since Mr.. Peters was
elected the national Democratic admins
tration has been putting Democrats into
postoffiCes. post routes, marshalshlps,
commissionerships and land offices, to
saw nothing of the tremendous influence
of the mail route contractors who are
organized like an army. All this in
flux, or nearly all, instead of being
for Mr. Peters as when he ran in 1886,
will this year be against him. The IN
fluence of the southern element into this
city and the district, too. has been very
large and influential. They are largely
men of means. and those of them
who are not Democrats. are mostly
opposed TO prohibition. This county alone
amply holds the balance of power in this
congressional district with Its more than
ten thousand votes. Then, too, while
Mr.. Peters is a nice gentleman, he has
had the Office long enough. The staying
qualities of congressman, unless he be a
genius. will come to an end by adverse
ballot if he holds too long against the
public patience.
OF course. hardly f1atter myself that
the self-conscious leaders of the Repub-
lican party will deign to notice the
claims of little. insignificant Wichita
and Sedgwick county with its politically
undetermined new population, or even
those of the southwest counties. They
have no claims for candidate for gov
ernOr. congress. for state convention
that these gentlemen are bound to notice.
The Democratic leaders see the sltua-
ton. / will wager that they hold their
corr entions here and choose large Por-
ton of their ticket from this part OF the
state on a get-there- Eli -free-for-all plat
form, which will run about thus; The
robber tariff enables New England PEG
TO first get rich By tribute PAID to them
by the western farmers IN the form OF
national impost taxes. and then loan that
tribute thus wrenched from TO the said
western farmer upon his newly acquired
homestead a enormous interest, winch
results III eventual confiscation. The
very duh times which puts men against
the government will make this theoret-
zeal truth but practical lie sound nice.
The notorious and impractical attempt
10 make angels by statute by the Reput-
Iicau party in its prohibition
legislation has robbed the freeman OF
his personal liberty and the person of
his vocation and placed the government
of the municipality in the hands OF a
central despotism: thus taking the iIr'st
steps towards confiscating indirectly the
proceeds of the property owners OF cites;
As evidenced by the loss OF private ana
public revenue arising from gambling,
prostitution and whisky drinking, which
vices are not lessened but put without
official control and sent broadcast TO SOW
the seeds OF iusidious immoTalities