Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-08-06
FUSION OPPOSED.
Kansas Democratic Editors De-
clare For Standing Alone.
Questions of National Moment to BE Con-
tended For-Earmers' Complaints Long
Those of the Democracy-A Ring
ing Address.

Slder1ng the poi1cy OF the party ana the
preparation of an address At night a
grand banquet was served at the
Throop. Judge John Martin, of this
city, was master of ceremonies and
toasts were responded to as follows:
THE Democracy of Thomas Jefferson
and Andrew jackson" response by
Judge Charles w. Blair; ''The Victory
of 1890 and Its Lessons" response by
Hon John A. Eaton: The Campaign
of 1892 and Its Issues" response by
Hon W. C. Perry; THE Democracy OF
the Future, - response by Hon. James
Humphrey; Tariff Reform Downward
and Free Silver" response by Hon S.
A Riggs; The Democrats of Kansas"
response by ex-Gov. George w Click;
1.-THE Young Democracy" response by
Hon Eugene Hogan; THE Democratic
Press of Kansas" response by Hon. T.
Mcintyre, president OF the Democratic
Editorial association; THE Women of
Kansas response by Hon. Frank
Lynch; What We Mean" response by
Hon d. Overmyer.
The address is as follows:
The democratic editors of kansas in con-
yention Assem- bled, in view of the fact that
a large conservative element of this country
is becoming seemingly fnoculated with doc
trines foreign to the genius and fundamen-
tai principles upon which our government is
founded, issue the following address to the
democracy of the state and nation:
We hail with delight the awakening of the
American people to a realization OF the
wrongs they have suffered, which are the
direct result OF ideas and doctrines antagon-
istic to democratic principles
The evils that affiict the country are not
the result of fixed Limitations upon govern
mental authority and upon those who e1er-
else authority, but precisely the reverse
These evils are the spawn OF that latitude
marian and licentious idea which holds that
the government should be restrained and
whatever those in authority believe or pro-
TESS to believe for the welfare of the country
should be done.
How then can these evils be cured2 By
| a resort to methods of like character,
but of greater extent than those which pro-
duce these evils2
How can monopoly be remedied by more
monopoly?
How can the evils of too much govern
ment?
How can wrongs inflicted by stretching
and violating the constitution be righted by
suspending or abolishing the constitutions
How can Industrial emancipation be eff
fected by a system that would place all the
commercial activities and industrial forces
of the country under the control of those in
authority?
How can despotism be avoided by sys-
tenn which would increase the public pat
ronage and hence the power of those in au-
thority thousand fold?
How can the evils of class legislation, par
TALLY in administration, corruption and
universal Generalization in finances be
avoided by a system that encourages every
man in the country to seek aims and makes
the government a public aims giver2
How can that individuality, that personal
self respect by which alone freedom is main
tanned, be preserved by a system which
makes every man mendicant and the gov
eminent a vast paternaI power dispensing
favor to the massess
Under such n system with such vast pa
tronage at its command with such unlimited
power in it's hands n party once in power
could never be dislodged except by revolu-
ton
We therefore profoundly sympathize with
the aspirations and aims OF all who hope
and sincerely strive for better conditions OF
the masses of mankind, but cannot sub
scribe to doctrines that are identical in
character and intensified in degree with
| those ideas and doctrines that have pro-
duced the conditions complained Of We
cannot shut our eyes TO the Indictment pre-
| sented against the existing wrongs by the
peoples party as complaint against the
| wrongs perpetr2ted by the republican party
and continuously objected to and pointed
| out by the democratic party.
And while these wrongs were accom-
plished with strong hands unlawfully over
| the united principles and best efforts of the
democratic party, ii was largely by the aid
| OF those who now clamor for q redress of
these wrongs by a species OF communism
| and state socialism that are foreign to Amer
fcan traditions and the constitutional prin-
ciples upon which this government was
| founded. These demands OF the people
would as necessary sequence, IL carried to
! their legitimate consequences, result in sub
verting and revolutonizing the government
| itself Neither are we unmindful of the fact
| that of all of the demands made by those
| who have recently discovered these great
wrongs there il not one which can be de-
| scribed rational and which Is within the
bounds of possibility but what has been
party.
Neither are blind to the fact that this
latter day movement of those who were I'M
til recently the political associates of the
perpetrators of these wrorgs is simply a
desperate effort to get the benefits of demo
cratic measures and democratic policies
without abating their partisan prejudice
sufficient to vote the democratic ticket We
hail brother, but we cannot consent to with
draw from the field of activity at the very
moment when the triumphs of democracy
make reformatory reliefs possible.
After thirty years of devoted adhesion to
principles and measures, through misrepre-
sentation and obloQuy, the old veteran in
the warfare for liberty cannot be carried
aside by new recruits and amateurs who
were auxiiiaries Of the enemy in the great
battle Of the past
The reason that the democratic party has
survived for a century Is because it has de-
served to survive: because il IL the only
party in this countrv's history which has
stood up for the people against centralized
power, for men against man official. 1t has
steadfastly declared for fixed and definite
limits of power, and has set its face like flint
against every alluring and enticing pretext
for the indulgence of the doubtful and ex-
cessive governmental powers upon the
vague and dangerous excuse of accomplish
ing public good
In a country ard under 4 government the
object of which is to preserve freedom, the
very genius of the constitution must be re-
stricted-
The democratic party is therefore and ever
has been the constitutional party of this
country and its opponents whether federal
lists whfg. knownothing, republican what
not have been and now the enemies OF
these Statutory restraints and sound consti-
! tutionai principles, the maintainance of
which is necessary to the protection of the
| Individual against usurpaiion, corruption,
exirayagances- RIGHTEOUSNESS and criminal
| ity of those in authority Through all the
past in every free government the question
has been and throughout the future what
| measure of power dare we intrust TO those
| in authority
Back of every question of what 1T is wise
to do lies the question what il is safe to in
| trust the official to do. --t ..--
| Questions OF jurisdiction and power are
primary in their nature and in the very
/