Thomas County cat., 1890-08-28

ance to us also az . nation that our
men. who handle the destiny of all our
Institutions and the people Of the en-
tire country through the ballot box,
should also be properly educated in
regard to their duties and the princi-
pies OF correct government, laying aside
all prejudices of party or location and
voting for correct principles ana the
greatest benefit to all.
That the Industrial and agricultural
classes OF society are the real founda-
tion Of our government, and the sup
port of its institutions has been tau ht
US from our earliest recollection; and
that these classes of people are fnan-
cially oppressed, is admitted by all
papers, both independent and partisan;
and an examination into the affairs OF
tn, government to ascertain if possible
the cause of this condition of oppres-
sion is now occupying and puzzling the
brains of many of our wisest and most
intelligent men throughout the entire
nation.
was greatly impressed by a thought
expressed in a letter recently written
by brother in the eastern part of the
state. in which he said: "Deplorable as
our condition is, it is the result of
voting ourselves into serfdom. Our
leaders have betrayed our interests and
sold labor to capital, and we are robbed
of our homes and life earnings. I have
Just lost q home that 1 had worked
from boyhood to get. 1t was worth
S20,OO0-64O acres finely improved
but falling prices of grain and stock,
with expense Of running the farm, and
three years Of bad crops and excessive
interest to pay, could not sell enough
for cash to keep up, so had to yield to
capital, and, amid scalding tears, left
my home so dear and comfortable,
where I had raised my family of four
children, and renter now occupies it."
This picture is sad indeed, but only
expresses the situation in which many
of us will find ourselves unless some
system of relief can be reached. And
now, if this lamentable condition is the
result OF mistakes in legislation, we
should be forcibly impressed with the
great necessity of having our voters
properly educated concerning the
affairs of our government. that they
may understand how to vote for relief
in some manner. A great many mis-
takes have been made, and it may not
be an easy task to locate them or to
ascertain their direct cause. One of
the leading causes, understood by all, is
the contraction of the currency.
Some system of irrigation is as nec-
essary for us as higher prices for pro-
duce are for our brethren in the east,
and it is evident that small amount
of funds employed in this industry
would soon make ours one of the rich
est and most productive countries in
the world. This has been clearly dem
onstrated during the present season
by the limited use made of the arte-
sian water in Richfeld. These wells,
though not expensive, are decided
success, and we regard it to be our duty
as county to ask and petition our
state and nation to assist us with a
small amount of their bountiful treas
ure, that we may soon rank among the
richest and most productive counties in
this great Sunfower state. If our leg
islators fail to heed the petitions of
thousands of our voters in regard to
means of relief for us, we shall then
regard it as our duty to relieve them
Of their respective duties by placing in
their honorable positions men from the
industrial ranks who will not forget to
raise their voices in behalf of the op-
pressed, of their own families, and
brotherhood of the entire nation. Spe-
cial favorites should not be tolerated
in nation, state. county, or any locality.
but if we would hope for prosperity
we must return to the correct principles
of the golden rule. Then, and only
then may we expect unbounded success
in saving our homes. which are the ),
fruits Of many years of toll, and
in building many more pleasant
homes where justice shall reign un-
trammeled by monopolies, trusts, and
rings, with freedom and equal rights
to all, and special privileges to none.
Mrs. T. j. WHITMAN, Lecturer.
Richfeld, Kan, July IL, 1890.