Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-06-11
Definite Principles.

which effect the government OF the
country. General platitudes may hold
in the democratic ranks the blind fol-
lowers of that party but many OF those
who voted the peoples ticket last year
were republicans, and republicans are
not accustomed to follow the noise OF
the rabble any further than IS neces-
sary to discover the trick Of those who
beat the tin pans. For thirty years
republicans have been the leaders OF
the people on all the issues that have
come before them. They have adj
hered to fundamental principles all
the way. and we do not believe that
they are going to change their entire
nature in a moment of time. The
campaign of last year was conducted
on the part of the peoples party, on the
negative principle of faultfnding.
It's very easy to find fault, especially
with the party in power. The demo-
Gratis have been finding fault with the
republicans for thirty years. Constant
and oft repeated falsehoods will finally
be believed by some. After "A years
of uninterrupted grumbling and lying
about the republicans the democrats in
1884 succeeded in inducing enough
republicans to withdraw from the party
to let in a democratic administration,
But the democratic party since slavery
was abolished has had no definite and
positive convictions upon any OF the
great issues before the people. For
thirty years they have constituted the
negative quantity in American polltics,
and when they attained control of the
governmental machinery in 1854, they
we're like a ship without rudder.
Guided by no underlying political pol
icy, and controlled by no definite prln-
ciples, they floundered about In the
political sea, for four years without
gaining even a first view of the true
PRINCIPLES which underlie the govern
ment of so, 900, GOO of people. And in
1888 instead of hearing from the people
that welcome plaudit well done, good
and faithful servant etc." they were
greeted with the unpleasant sentence:
Take We away therefore the talent
from him and give it unto him that
hath the ten talents. For unto every
one that hath shall be given and he
shall have abundance, but from him
that hath not even that which he hath
shall be taken away" And the repub-
Iiclns were again restored to power.
Aud now inasmuch as the demo-
cratic party has been wiped off the
map of Kansas politics and the peoples
party promises to lie the principal
opposition to the republicans during
the coming campaign, it would be well
to understand definitely just what the
issue is between these two claimants
for preferment. We are all, or at least
we ought to be, interested in good gov
eminent and if the peoples party has
a panacea for the political ills which
appear to prevail throughout the
country. then let us all be for that
panacea. On the other hand if the
history of the republican party war
rants the belief that that party has
been the friend of the people and that
the principles which it has and does
advocate are best calculated to promote
the public good, then let US clingto the
boat that has carried US safely through
so many dangers.
The peoples party through its plat
forms alleges, THAT the great ques-
tons of labor, land, transportation and
finance are the economic questions be-
fore the country and the world" If
these are the four great questions, then
the four next greatest questions are:
first, what legislation does the peoples
party propose which will effect labor?
second what legislation does the peoples
party propose which will effect land;
third, what legislation does the peoples
party propose which will effect trans
poltation? and fourth, what legislation
does the peoples party propose which
will effect finance? Upon the true an
swer to these four questions ought to
depend the future existence or disso-
luton of this new political organiza.
ton. 1t is not sufficient for any great
party to allege in general terms that
there should be reforms or changes
effecting the economic questions of the
day.
The people who are to be governed
have right to know the tenor and
effect of all proposed changes in legis
lation. And unless the members Of
the peoples party are willing to ''gO il
blind" they have reached that point il
the history of their organization wher
they are going to know the character
Of the legislation which their party
advocates.
Now, as to labor. Does any one
know what the policy of the peoples
party is on the question of labor? Tit
leaders profess to be the friends of TIT
laboring man. So do republicans anC
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