Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-11-01
| To the Members Of the T. &L. U. Of

Missouri:
BROTHERS: Answering many let
tiers | have received regarding the
county and Subordinate Unions of
our State which have taken politi-
cal action, either by bringing out
separate tickets or by endorsing can
didates of the different political
parties. / will say, l have never had
any matter that has caused me as
much thought and anxiety as has
this.
Believing as l do, that partisan
politics is the greatest curse of the
age to the farmers of our country,
the thing above everything else that
has kept US apart and prevented US
from acting together in the past,
and the thing that we have most
to fear in the future, both for our
selves and our country's good; and
fully endorsing the views of George
Washington when he said: 1.-THE
love of party is the greatest danger
any government has to contend
WITH" | went into our beloved
Order, which declares in the pre-
amble to our constitution as its first
principle, that We are to Labor for
the education of the agricultural
classes in the science of economical
government in a strictly nOnpartisan
spirit. and to bring about a more
perfect union of said classes.
Now, brothers, if our order nom
mate candidates for Office, as a
Union or Unions, or if they endorse
as Unions, any candidates of part
isan political bodies we at once
make our order a partisan political
body, leave forever our solemn con-
stitutional declarations, disregard
the warnings of the father Of our
country and but plunge ourselves
deeper into the mud and filth OF
partisan politics from which we are
so much interested in extricatlng
ourselves. If it were not for the
influence of partisan politics, the
passage Of the laws making our
United States bonds payable in coin
and then in gold, the vesting OF
millions Of acres of our public
lands in railroad companies, land
syndicates and alien owners; placing
the heavy burdens of tariff taxation
upon the necessaries and the light
est on the luxuries Of life and many
other laws that NOW curse and
Cypress us would have never been
passed.
Do you now think we can ever
succeed as an order, or can ever free
ourselves from the restrictions Of
partisan politics if we become
partisan political body ourselves:
The restrictions of partisan polite;
are so great that if a farmer is con
WINGED of the error of his politica
party it is seldom he has the cour
age to turn his back on his Ole
political friends and join the ranks
of his old political enemies, because
he would then get the ieers of boil
sides
However, there is nothing in on
constitution that prevents an.
member from taking any pOlitics
action, as an individual, that h,
may deem proper, for you remembe
that you are assured that nothing
n
herein contained shall in any WIS,
conflict with your religious or politi
cal views, but when our unions tax,
partisan political action they violat'
the letter and spirit of our consti
tuition.
| have submitted this matter t.
our State Executive Committee ant
the Chairman Of our Judiciary Com
mittee and they all agree with mt
: and say that it is my duty to reVok
the charter of Unions that nOmi
nate candidates for Office.
And nowI ask my brothers t.
, give up this partisan political action
and aid us in trying to put it down
And If this is not done it will b
my painful duty to revoke th
charters Of such Unions as refus