Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-07-30
KANSAS DEMOCRATS.
Editors of democratic Papers Meet
a. Topeka
no FAITH IN ALLIANCE REFORM.
The People Advised to Trust to the Demo-
cratic Party For Redress of Griev-
ances and For a Stable Flnan-
ciaI System.

sidering the policy Of the party and the
preparation of an address At night
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 5.
A. Riggs; THE Democrats of Kansas,
response by ex-GOv. George w. Click;
''The Young Democracy" response by
Hon. Eugene Hogan; THE Democratic
Press of Kansas" response by Hon. L.
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-
Vention assembled, i'm view of the fact that
large conservative element OF this country
Is becoming Secmingly inOculHted with doc
trIneE foreign to the genius and fundamcn-
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-
Estic to democratic principles.
he evfla haf affffpt the country Lot
the result OF fixed limitations upon govern
mental authority and upon those who cXcr-
else author ty. but precisely the reverse
These evils are the spawn OF that latitude
marian and lIcentious idea which holds that
the government should be restrained ana
whatever those In authority believe or pro-
fess to believe for the welfare OF the country
should be done.
How then can these evils be cured? By
a resort to methods of like character,
but OF greater extent than those which pro-
dure these pYi'sy
How can monopoly be remedied by more
monopoly?
How can the evils of too much govern
mrnt be RENE lied by still more govern
mcnt:
How can wrongs inflated by stretching
anu Olating the constitution be rightcd by
Eu>pcndiuR or abuliShin= the constitution
How cam Industrial emancipation be ef-
T. ctcd by "a -ys rm that would p ace all the
commercial a'Iivi'irS and industrial forces
Of the courjrr un.I. the control OF those in
author t:
u W cIn dc-roti m Ia. avoided by sys-
O. IN which w-uH in'r"a e the public pat
roEtls" and Il NC th'. power of those in au-
thori. 4 ;iuu' u / fold!
How q nth. evils of class legislation, par
tiaIry ia Il min s'rJtiun, corruption and
uuivrrs ,umoral. .zatipn in finances be
uvo d, Il by a sy-tcm thar encourages ev ry
mHu in the country to - ek Slms and makes
thc government pa lie alms giyor?
ii'w can tn Il n.l'v dualitT. that personal
srl resp Ct by which alone freedom Is main
tainrd. bc preserve ly a system which
IA ks cv. ~ man a mcndi ant and the gov
eminent vat pa crnaI power dispensing
(: vur To the mas sCs?
L der such Il system With such a vast pa
tro lA=e at = comm md with such unlimited
power in iIs hrndS , party once in power
could never D. di lodge except by revolu-
tInn.
We IN ore profoundly sympathiZe with
the SEPARATIONS ami aims OF all who hope
and sincerely -trivc for better conditions of
tn" mrsscs of mankind. but cannot sub
scrib- to doctrines that ar identical in
character and intensified In degree with
those ideas and doctrines that have pro-
durcd the conditions conn, aimed of. We
cannot shut our eye, to tn indictment pre-
sented against the cXi5lmg wrongs by the
p"Oplc's party as a complaint against the
and continuously objected to and pointed
ont by the democratic p .rty.
And while th"se wrongs were accom-
plished with strong hands unlawfully over
the united principles AMI best efforts of the
q mOCratlc party, IL was largely by the aid
Of those who now clHmOr for redress of
these wrongs by a species of communism
and state socialism that are foreign to Amer
lean traditions and the constitutional pTin-
ciples upon which this government was
founded. These demands of the people
would as n necessary sequence, II carried to
their Legitimate consequences, result I'm sub
vertlng and revOlutiOuiZing she 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 Is not one which can be de-
scrIbed as rational and which Is within the
bounds of possibility but what has been
made over and over again by the democratic
party,
Neither are we blind to the fact that this
latter day movement of those who were un-
I'll recently the political associates Of the
perpetrators of these wroLgs 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
say to all who hope for better things, all
hail brother, but we cannot consent to with
draw from the field OF activity at the very
make reformatory reiIefs possible.
After thirty years of devoted adhesion to
principles and measures, through miSrepre-
Gcntatiou and obloquy. the old veteran in
the warfare for liberty cannot be carried
aside by new recruits and amateurs who
were aUxIliaries 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 it is the only
party In this cOuntrY's history which has
stood mp for the people against centralized
power, for men against man official 1t has
steadfastly declare 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 and under a 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, whig, knOwnOthing, republican or what !
not have been and are now the enemies of
these salutOry restraints and sound consti-
tutional principles, the maintenance OF
which is necessary TO the protection Of the
Individual against usurpation, corruption,
extravagances licentiousness 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 It is wise
60 do lies the question what it is safe to in
trust the Official to do.
Questions OF jurisdiction and power are
n~fr in fhnfr nd In Fha