Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-05-24
ARE WE RIPE AND READY FOB a
NEW PARTY2

Future" the General Master Work
man used the following language:
''The Knights of Labor and the
Farmers organizations have at last
realized the truth. They see that
they have been robbed. and they know
that if this nation is to be perpetu-
ated, if it is to live for the people, it
must be taken from the hands of its
enemies and given into the hands of
its friends. Two millions of farmers.
representing the food center of the
world, are united. Is it likely that
they would so suddenly organize and
stand up to be counted on the side of a
peoples currency, a peoples means
of transportation, and a peoples
solution of the land question, if these
things were wrong? The solicitor of
the treasury must have had before
his eyes the vision of new party-a
party which will stand squarely upon
the doctrine of 'equal rights for all
men, special privileges for none;"
party which Will have the courage, of
its convictions and will strike at
abuses instead of grasping for power;
party that will stand upon the con-
stitution of the United States in issu-
ing the currency of the nation;
party that will compel corporations
to obey the law as individuals do;
party that will make the words
american citizen" loom up as some
thing to be respected; a party that
will count every vote in secret for the
man for whom 1t is cast; party that
will not hypocritcally SWIVEL about
civil service reform and practice the
opposite; party that will not only
stand at the port of entry to guard
against foreign invasion, but will
watch the doings Of traitors at home
and will protect the people against
their intrigues and Vaccinations.
VIII the knights of Labor and
Farmers Alliance form such a party
as this? IS what must have flashed
through the solicitors head. I can
not tell whether we will have such a
party in the near future, and it is as
well not to hurry the movement in
that direction; but, members of the
Alliance and Knights of Labor must
vote for their principles and not
against them, or this nation will cease
to exist. I know that l will be
charged with being politician be-
cause of this, but I believe the time
has arrived to begin laying the pave
ment for the peoples walk to Wash
ington. I care not by what name the
party be known; and if saying this
brings censure, then it were better to
be censured in such cause than be
praised for remaining silent.
I have watched the trend of events
for the past few years and many times
have been censured by friends for
not taking this or that course many
times have been accused of attempt
ing to keep the Knights of Labor out |
of politics, of discountenancing a new
party. 1 have always advised |
Knights to be politicians, but not |
traders. 1 have opposed turning the
order into a party and have had good |
reasons for it. The order can live i
and do good work as an educator;
and its members those who are vot-
ers-can be portion of a grand
party that Will count among its parts
those who are Knights, members of |
the Farmers Alliance, Trade Union
lists and reformers generally. The
order must exist as an educator, but !
that need not delay the preparation |
for the coming of the new party. OF |
one thing rest assured. the new party |
will not come until the people are
ready for it; the people will not be
ready for it until they know why it is
necessary to have such party; and
when the time comes there is no
power vested in Powderly, whether
he be General Master Workman or
private member, that will retard its
progress.
In the party of the future the old
soldier of the Grand Army will be
treated as citizen, not as a mendi-
cant; in the party of the future the
man who tills the soil will own it, and
not the man who deals in mortgages;
In the party of the future worth not
wealth will be the standard of nation
81 greatness"
Why did I write such letter?