Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-08-28
Secret Political Organizations.

for the existence of secret political
organization in this free country is in
thorough accord with every principle
of q republican form of government.
Secret political organizations are
menace to free government and dam
gerous to the welfare and liberties of
the people. No political organizations
whose acts are intended to control or
in anywise effect the government of
the people should be permitted to do
its work behind barred doors. a secret
organization whose object is solely for
the benefit Of its individual members
and whose acts can in no way affect
outsiders, is probably har mless insti-
tuition but when a secret body of men
undertake to control the acts and the
government of those who are not eligi-
bic TO the signs, the grips, the words or
TO witness the floor management of the
organization, then it becomes the rank
est kind of despOtism and cannot and
will not be tolerated in this free
country. And at such moment pa
triOtic and liberty loving citizens will
will not remain silent nor inactive.
The theory of our republican form of
government is that each citizen is an
equal ruler in the affairs of government.
AS we are all Americans the last con-
siderable man among US has an interest
equal to the richest and the Doblest in
the laws and constitution of his coun-
try and is equally called upon to make
a generous contribution in support of
them-whether it be the heart to con-
ceive, the understanding to direct or
hard to execute
The affairs Of government are a COM
mon cause in which we are all inter
ested, in which we should all be en-
gagged. And that man or class of men
who would endeavOr to deprive any
other man or class of men from par
ticipatiDg in the affairs of government
is an enemy to the country.
What equality exists in the govern
ment when a certain class of citizens
bind themselves together in secret
lodge rooms at midnight hours and
there behind doors, locked and barred,
with the guard at his post, concoct
schemes to take possession Of the leg
islative, executive and judicial depart
ments Of the government of all the
people? What voice have those, who
are ineligible to membership in this
secret order, in the affairs of their gov
eminent? A majority of the voters of
this state are farmers. Should they
all join this secret order, they could
absolutely control the government.
Then we ask, in the name of human
liberty, what the 1oO, 900 voters of the
state who are absolutely ineligible to
membership in this secret political ma
chine, would have to say in matters
pertaining to government? Is it pos
sible that any class of our citizens
would disfranchise one third of the
voters of the state, by organizing a Sc
eret political order, to which only two
thirds Of the voters are eligible? Was
tyranny ever more complete? And
yet is not this exactly what the Polk.
ties under the misnomer of the ''peo-
pies party are trying to do? They
do not say to all the people as every
other loyal political organization has
done since the foundation of free gov
ernments, "come and join us in man
aging the affairs Of the government"
but on the other hand they would say
70 100, 900 voters Of the state, 1--WE have
majority of the voters of the state
pursuing our particular calling in life
and we do not propose that you shall
join with us or have anything to say
In the selection of officers to control the
government and we propose to coop
ourselves up in secret lodge rooms
which are absolutely inaccessible to
you and there under the solemnity of
an oath select our candidates and on
election day we shall elect them and
you can whistle"
1t matters not that may have been
q loyal and faithful subject of nv
country; it matters not that when my
country needed friends, barred nv
breast and sacrificed my health aud nv
limbs for her defense; it matters not
that l may be honest, virtuous and of
good repute; yet, forsooth, if in nv
early youth l chose the calling of a
merchant, doctor, lawyer, a bust
ness man of any kind, not numbered
among the chosen ones in the secret
councils of this order, 1 am as COM
pletely barred from ali participation in
my government as though 1 were an
outlaw or an alien. Yea, my govern
ment which l have shed my blood to
save from the reasonable conspiraciee
of L. L. Polk, the great head of this