Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-11-19
A SOUND LETTER.
The following from the Topeka CO

; The following from the Topeka cor
respondent of the Kansas City Time:
will be read with interest by all ger
sons who desire uniting of the ele'
ments in Kansas that are opposed tc
all that is wrongful and unjust in the
policy of the republican party of today
The county and judicial elections
held in Kansas last Tuesday have
proved but little SO far as the strength
Of the three parties are concerned. The
democrats through lack of organization
in many counties divided their votes
between the peoples and republican
parties as individual preferences die
tated. Last year the majority of dem
ocrats voted with the new party fOl
county and legislative officers. and this
year many of them voted for republi-
can candidates. The result is that
each time either the peoples or repub-
lican party pOlled more than its full
strength.
A problem now confronts the demo-
cratic party, which should be solved at
the earliest possible moment, that a
policy may be agreed upon for its guild
ance in 1892, and on this matter David
Overmeyer of this city said yesterday:
1T seems to me that there is but one
course for the Kansas democracy to
pursue. and that is to go straight for
ward along the line of democratic prin-
cipIes and thorough democratic organ
ization. There are i'll Kansas at least
1O0, 900 voters who are regular and con
frmed democrats. There are 1T least
100000 more voters who desire the
same measures that the democrats de-
mand. These are tariff reform. free
silver, railroad and corporate regula-
tiOn and anti-prohlbitiOn. Organiza-
| tiOn should begin at once with a view
of concentrating all of these voters to
| the accomplishment Of these reforms.
The motto should he measures, not
men, There need he no secI ct lodges
for the accomplishment of any honest
work of good citizenship. Clubs should
be formed in every township, town,
city and school district of all who are
willing to assist in bringing about
these great and much needed reforms
for which the people of Kansas are
longing, but which they are prevented
from accomplishing by the force of
present partisan organization.
There is but one party that can bring
hot 80 t,o
democratic party. a party has to have
q name, and it is with small patience
that we can longer regard men who
want just what the democratic party
can give them and which no other party
can or will give them, as they well
know, and still are so wanting in polit-
ical courage that they shrink from be-
ing called democrats. 1t would be very
strange if party which had existed
for hundred years had not made some
mistakes, all parties make mistakes.
the democratic party has made some
mistakes, but its underlying principles
are right and always have been. 1t has
made no mistakes for more than a
quarter Of century, and though ex-
cluded from power during all but four
years of that time it has managed to
attract to its standard majority of the
people Of the country. Its personnel
is therefore very high. 1t is pretty well
rid Of mercantile politicians. It has in
its ranks the very best elements of the
country
"Mr. Cleveland in 1883 had 100, 600
more votes than General Harrison. Of
Harrison's vote at least 1.OOO,OOO were
colOred, the ex slaves of the south. or
the powerful and dominating race the
movements of which must tell for veal
or woe in this country the democracy
had majority over the republican
party of at least 1 ,lOO, 900 and major
ity over all parties of from 800, 900 to
400 600. It has the governors of thirty
states and a large majority in the lower
house of congress. 1t is the great pop
ular party of the country made up of
nvlncible and unconquerable adherents
who adhere to its principles through all
circumstances with devotion and en-
thusiasm. not for Office or class advant-
ages. but because they believe in those
principles.
THE discOntented people Who went
into the peoples party should consider
these things. If they want to defeat
the republican party they must join the
democracy. They must throw away
that silly prejudice which has so long
restrained them and act from the die
tates Of common sense. The democratic
party is powerful to save. Let them
come to it and be saved. 1t represents
about all that the farmers alliance de
manded until they passed under control
of the state socialists. 1t represents all
that is opposite to republicanism which
is possible of attainment. No change
can be expected till the republican party
is defeated. The only power that can
defeat it is democracy. Being the only
real peoples party in this country it is