Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-05-07
Is THE G.. A. 3. M PoLITICs7

republican bosses in Kansas who at
tempt to use the order above named
for base political purposes no one who
has observed closely the history of that
party the past few years will attempt
to deny, and that such bosses have
becu successful in such effort to great
extent we have not the least doubt.
1t is justice to the rank and file of the
G. A. r., however, to state that we be-
lieve the majority of them are opposed
to letting any political influence be used
with or by them, and what has been
done in the past has been by the mi
nority whose love for party and personal
advancement or aggrandizement has
been greater than their love for the
order or their brother comrades.
To illustrate to some extent, the way
republican bosses have heretofore &C
complished the debasement of the old
soldier organization we quote part of
an article in the Grand Army Journal
of a few weeks ago. which treats of the
reunion at Hutchinson and the republi-
can editorial association meeting called
for the same time and place:
"What do the republican editors
want of the Grand Army encampment?
What have these republican editors
done for the soldiers? The same
Associated Press dispatch from Hutch
inson which announces the great gath
ering of these republican editors. also
informs US that his royal highness, the
governor, is to meet with these repubii
can editors Governor Humphrey
| wears the button of the Grand Army
of the Republic; two years ago last fall
he and his henchmen were loud in their
praises Of the valOrous deeds of the sol
diers of Kansas; last fall the governor
| took them all to his arms, wept over
| them, and in glowing and eloquent
! language told them how his heart went
| out to them, how he yearned for their
| welfare tvotes), while at the same time
his Office and most Of the appointive
| Offices of this state were filed with
men who not only were not soldiers,
but who had no love for the soldiers;
who stand around like lot of sneaks
and towards and damn the ''Old soldier
racket" and these republican editors,
in the face of all this, and without
word of protest, propose to hold "a con-
vention at the same time and place the
Grand Army holds its annual encamp-
ment.'' Is it any wonder that the de-
partment of Kansas is growing weaker
financially? Is it any wonder that the
department of Kansas has no influence
in the national encampments, while
states with less than half of the soldiers
that Kansas has, can secure any favor
they desire? There can be but one
answer to these inteIrOgatOries, and
there is but one remedy: and that is,
for the soldiers of Kansas to give the
politicians to understand that they are
not wanted; that the veterans are cap
able of taking care of themselves, and
when it is said and carried out by the
soldiers themselves, standing sOlidly
together for their own interests and the
interests of their families, rebuking by
pocrisy on the part of all officials and
giving all editors, whether republican,
democratic, prohibition or alliance, to
understand that when they advocate
the enforcement of all laws. purporting
to have been enacted for the benefit of
the soldiers, it will be time enough TO
gather in at the campfres and encamp-
ments of the Grand Army of the Re-
public. The Kansas department has
been killed by politicians who simply
used the soldiers in and out of the
Grand Army of the Republic for party
purposes. 1t is safe to say that the
governor of this state and the secretary
of state and nine out of ten of the
Grand Army men holding Offices in this
state, do not visit their posts on an
average of once year. If any body
wants the names of these politicians
given, here are few of them: George
| w. Finlay, W. j. Buchan, W. P. Hack
ney. J. II. Hallowell, L. q. Humphrey,
| Bill Higgins, George r. Peck, Adjutant
General Roberts, j. w. Hamilton,
Henry Booth, III. E. Richter, W. W.
Smith-life is too short and your space
too limited to give them all, but every
regular attendant upon the encamp-
ments of this department knows them,
and knows that the statements herein
made are true. The comrades whose
names are here given are capable of
doing much good for this department,
and if they would devote as much time
to building it up as they do to securing
the votes of the soldiers, Kansas would
occupy more prominent position in
Grand Army circles than it does. If
the republican editors would advocate,
in good faith. the interests of the sol
diers the year round as they do in state
and national campaigns, they would
find the soldiers of Kansas much more
pleaSed tn meet them at their oneamD-