Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-10-17
STREETER'S VIEWS.

We are not an especial admirer of
Candidate Streeter, of the Union Labor
ticket; but we must give the old man
credit for having the Republican party
down pat" In speech at Bellville
Illinois. last week, he took occasion TO
tell what he knew about Republicans
and their legislation and their plat
forms. lie saidi
The farming community i'm Illinois,
the great Northwest, and from one end
of this vast country to the other is grow
ing poorer and poorer every day. Read
for yourselves the monthly reports of
the commercial agencies of the country,
Bradstreet's and Dun's, and YOU will
find the situation at the present time
of the farmers and producers is even
more deplOrable than | have described
to You. Look at the great industries of
the country. What do the statistics
show but that the men employed in the
work shops, the farmers and the miners
are growing poorer year by year? There
is an annual increase of wealth i'm the
United States OF 81 ,3OU. 000, OOO, created
by the hands of labor. The wealth
growing power is gradually increasing
while the laboring men are growing
poorer and barely able to exist without
laying aside anything from their scan
ty earnings.
1T is a result of class laws and vic
iOus legislation" The speaker cited
numerous laws in defence of his posi-
ton. There is no relief in the plat
forms of the old parties. The Repub-
lican party has given away half of the
Western domain to the railroads and
left us with S64 200, 900 of bonds bear
ing 6 per cent. interest, to pay the in
terest and the principal. The govern
ment permitted these vast railroad mo-
nopolies, created by the munificence of
the congress of the United States to
charge extOrtionate rates for transport
alton and freigts. The Republican par
ty created huge railroad debt by vic
louS legislation and legalized it by is
suing bonds for it's payment not tax
able by law and exempt from railroad.
state or local taxation. But from five
to ten times the amount of bonded III
debtedness III taxable assets. as notes.
bonds aud mortgages, are hid behind
he non-taXable feature of this debt
aud escape and eYade taxation. The
burden of sustaining the law, the gov
eminent, public schools, municipal and
al a at in - a0.ss
ear upon the great producing class.
who pay.taXes for both the common,
people ami the aristOcracy. The greal
lbJect and intent of such a government
rs was framed by the fathers of the
constitution was government of til,
common people for. of, and by the peo
pie. Those financially and physically
weak were 10 be protected from the
vealthier members of society and the
encroachments of the stronger. Ii is
not the strong and wealthy, but the
weak and poor that need the most pro-
lection and the fostering care of the
government. The strong are better
able 10 care for themselves. This prin
ciple ordained and established by ON
fathers. has been diverted and Changed
so that I'm place OF it we now have a
government Tor the aristocracy and the
| Few and by reason of il we are building
up millionaires all over this country
and sapping the prosperity of the great
common people, whose hands produce
all wealth, until they are driven to the
ragged edge of poverty and want.
After having brought the country to
this condition the Republican party. by
class laws and vicious legislation cali
| upon the great common people 10 elect
| Harrison and Morton. / call ON the
representatives of both the great poIit-
| icai parties to point out. 10 show us the
remedy for this unnatural condition of
affairs. Let any Republican or Demo
GRAFT In the audience tell me the remedy.
l wait for reply. As usual, there is
no one to answer. a. YOU are -, =
/ pleased To answer. We must read The
I platf0rma for remedy. What does
| the Republican platform Offers A hiob
! protective tariff, cheap tobacco and rec
! whisky. Is II not true. fellOw-citizens
1 that we have been trying the virtues ~
the high protective tariff Cor more fhnn
twenty years. and that IL has made He
rich richer and that poor poOrerY IF
the medicine ti,af the protection doctors
/ have prescribed = good meiicina. is Il
/ not about tire for some results2 Had
I not the medicine ought TO work? Look
at the present condition OF the country