The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1890-08-14
Speech ~ mos. W. \. rmILL,rs

britN cred ~ Washington, iaty lstt.
licsn Members nj the Alliance and the
Republican Members ct the Count
Central Con'uItiee.
~. PrsSid,n', and FcLf,T cifi-rns !:
Ten or twelve years have passed
since ! had the privilege Of address
| ing the citizens of Washington
county, then my constituents. I
| often lad the desire TO meet NV old
friends, tn grasp them by ths hand
| ami look into their fares, hut 10 wa.
n privilege not accorded TAI me, aud
A. l Was not a candidate did not
wish Ia intrIIde an my successor.
TN this nCr1Siuu several gentlemen
kindly invited me la he present
aud rs felt interested in Your
sub Cri matter Of conference TO-DAY,
ana " Ishpd also to consult with rIN
fellow citizens hrIe, ID gave me
pleasure to come. ! have Witnessed
ia" great Improvement ia your farm
ing interests all over the rountry. :
haV" rampaigBrd over u in the old
gTasshuppcT days. and u Is verN
gratifying 10 see the improvements,
handsome houses, the orchards and
| fields, the many thriving towns all
! over the country, aud here In Wash
iugtOn your beautiful court housp
and other evidences Of growth and
prosperity. have also taken b
deep Interest in the sudden growth
uG such organizations as the Alliance,
aud the disposition OF working men
to inquire into these questions. la
= government nf the people, created,
to preserve their rights, and In the
most straightforward way to serve
their interests, most men sre In
clined TO grumble nj the delays and
obstacles that seem 20 block the way
TO needed reforms. The highest
purpose Of our institutions is to
mould the popular will into law, but
ours IL \ representative government.
not e Democracy, since you cannot
meet 81 you do to-day to frame q few
Laws To govern the courts, the exc
cutiye authorities aud the whole
people. Whether they are the better
or the worse for u, our political pro
ceedings are slower; the things to /
see 10 IL that they are not too slow.
and that in transmitting your ideas
through your representative that
they are not shoTn Of their force and
applicability, aud 20 transmOgrifie,l 1
that you would not know than.
Thus we witness strong popular de- /
niand for certain changes In our 1
laws, in the administration of public i
business and In the eeOuOmIc and /
financial appliances that have 30
mnch effect ON private individual
business. Lying nj the bottom OF all Il
these complaints and agitation 10
the assertion that the laborer, the
artisan, mechanic aud agricultural
producer, under our modern mech
anisn of exchange, Is not getting
bis fair share. Not having capital
of his own he IL Obliged 10 borrow on
ruinous teens, and nj rulnOus In
lerest TO carry on hls business, and
in the rnd finds himself stripped Of
all bat \ very bare living. should
he have n little property he mort
cages IL, too often finding that he
has borrowed under one condition %
prices aud has 10 ray under an
other and haFtlef eoBdiIi0n, re-
lniring ffty per cent more OF all he
Fan make, and thns is unable In the
hattie Uf life 10 meet his obligations,
aud fails poor ard homeless man.
indeed u half the complaints we
imp eurreut Ia AllIsuee and labor
are true, accumulated |
.spiiai iBstsad of Icing q birssiug II ,
, curse, = horrible monster like the |
lstspus, which has seized the work |
nag mau ia bis grzsp aud II sucking
ke lie out Of hins. IL
These complaints aud 0rgaaika-
ions of the working classes 10 dad {
emetiies are not new. Mere than Z
en- years sgU 70 took sliage In I
labor leagues. sifikrs, boy. 3
otis aud varinus forms OF defence | 3
nd resistancr. Professional poiiti- e
ians Of bath parties said these az. q
lAtiohs wsaid ksve their brief day
nd rsss sway. p SHGas egteut this G
a. been true, but let messy Fisht I,
ere. n this diEcnatent II fsundsd b
4 any real grieranees, and BE- n
u, prefer that The present q
Iliisncs mainlaia iis cEsahizatisa 4