The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1891-11-27

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In . RuRbsR ef stsSss wAsro the
parties are EsArly equally balasced
The bsiancs Of pozsE szd therefore
the power itself l. IA ths hazds Of q
small minority wAO have no special
party ties and vote sometimes with
one party and sometimes wtth the
other. When this minority b made
up Of men who have no party ties be-
cause they have no principles, says
the Western Rural partisan or non
partisan. and hence vote for the can
didate or party that makes IL profit
able to them on or about the day Of
election. It is called the floating vote.
Despicable as the .'foater'' may be. he
sometimes controls the policy of a
campaign and affects in q marked
way. any interests, financial OF social.
that can be affected by legislative &C
zion. Is Is humiliRting to al Amsri-
can citizen that the vast business in
terests OF the country are sometimes
at the mercy OF the floating vote and
that the policies OF the state aHd ma
ton are sometimes determined. not BY
the correctness or justice OF tho poll
cies proposed. but By the price which
the different parties are willing ~ pay
th c ''fioater"
When This small number is made uP
as it is in many OF the Rgricul urnl
5 atos, OF farms rs, OF men who have n
- AXE" in tho soil and who have
clearly defined princIllss which lhsy
hold above all IR,ty obliga ions ths
case assumes an en.iiely different
aspect and the issue is deter min d by
considera ions OF On entirely diff rent
chRrac. or. No vo is so difficult 10
purchase as that OF ths farmer He
demands rs the price of his vo,e-not
two dollars a day-bu. pledg from
the Far V nd candidate 10 carry out
Ger ain lin of policy OF the oorrec.-
ness OF which ~ has becJmo con-
WINGED lhro gh dis cussion in the All
anco and XII -drtd orga lizn:iol II
does no. follow of necessi Y hat the
demands made by the farmer are
always JUS, or, IL no. JUS, practicable
at the preseRs time. Farm ~ are not
iniallible and the wisest man may err.
He may have the balance OF rover In
his hand and make a bad use Of It.
Whether he makes q wise or II wise
use OF IL depends on the thorough1ess
nj b which he has stVdied the poiisi-
cal ques ions that enc. his interests
and those of the public,
One of the chief OBJ jects of tho Alli-
ance is TO educate farmers so thor
oughly In all that Affects the agricul-
tural industry that their demands
shall be not only In the line OF their
own best interests. but in the interest
of the general public as we'll When
ever this object IS attained and the
interests of agriculture held supreme
over all non-partiRAu policies. the
balance OF power will not be held by
the 1loater, 10 be bar1ered away in
the political market but by GLASS OF
men who have q stake IN the country
and who aye vitality interested In rs
Welfare.
The tendency of political parties IL
always toward equilibrium. A small
minority in any state coatrsls the
state policy. Shall this minority be q
purchasable mine<Tty who have no stake
in the country. or shall IL be men who
| have homes and families and who
must suffer by evil legislation Edu-
eating voters Of both parties In the
direction of wise legislation in mat
tiers affect ng the agricultural interest
Is = comparatively easy matter for the
Alliance TO dominate and control the
policy of the state on q large class of
questions and make IL impossible for
purchasable 'floaters" 10 determine
public policiea To do so the Alliance
must have visa Considerate broad
guaRe leadership 1t must look upon
questions not in the line of their ef-
feet on one party or the other. but on
the public welfare. All parties Will
learn TO shape their policies and meas
ures TO meet the views of a class Of
farmers educated in the lines OF their
own best interests. and in doing -
VII best serve the public.
Jay GouIdss Modest wants.