Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1892-10-22

FOR all" we wish to ask our candid read
Ars to consider a few of the utterance
contained in the peoples party platform
We quote the extracts In the exac
words of the published reports Of th.
Omaha convention and without inten
tionally misconstruing the meaning OF {
SINGLE passage. l. 1--WE meet in tn.
midst OF nation brought to the verge o.
moral, political and material ruin
With your own personal knowledge o.
the condition of things around YOU
present homes or your former place o.
residence, we ask you thoughtfully to con.
slider the full meaning of the declaration
that we are on "the verge OF moral, pollt
ical ruin" Moral ruin implies that men
have lost faith iu their fellowmen, that
good people have lost interest In their
churches and Sabbath schools, that the
Bible and books on religious and moral
subjects are being disregarded and their
teachings unheeded, that our school
system is failure, for in the schools the
young are trained for citizenship, that
philanthropie institutions, whose aim is
to assist the unfortunate in the world
are polluting instead Of helping mankind.
Candid reader, from your own personal
knowledge can you accept these things
as true? Do YOU believe that there are
more immoral men in proportion than
you cast your first vote? Do you
believe that the spires OF churches points
ing heavenward are only devils finger
pointing men downward instead of
upward? Do you believe that in spite
of the constantly increasing Sabbath
schools and the growing numbers which
meet in them every seventh day the
nation is going to perdition? Do you
believe that the Bible and good itera-
ture being sent from the printing presses
in greatly increasing numbers are only
poisoning the minds of their readers?
Do you believe that the state of Kansas,
building on the average school-house
for every working day in the year, is
simply putting up pesthouses which
degrade instead of uplift? Do you
believe that the efforts of good men and
women to raise the standard of morality
have been futile? We cannot think that
men are worse to-day than they formerly
were. Such a view is too pessimistlc.
We believe that our neighbors are as
honest as they ever were. We believe
that the agencies for good are doing
good and that there is a larger proper
ton of men in our nation today who are
upright, honest and loyal to principle than
ever before. It is sad commentary on
the training received from our parents if
we, with all our superior advantages are
far worse than they, and it would be
sadder still to be compelled to believe
that our posterity will pass beyond the
"verge of moral ruin" and be engulfed in
that politics is wholly corrupt. We do
not deny that there are corrupt political
methods and corrupt politicians. So
there are corrupt methods and corrupt
men in every undertaking, but these do
not predominant by any means. There
have been more recent efforts to purify
election methods than ever before. Reg
istration laws, and the adoption of the
Australian ballot system in twenty-nine
states are illustrations. As to material
ruin, the United States is able to pay off
it's obligations as fast as they become |
due and the reduction of the public debt |
since the civil war is without parallel |
in the history of nations. Only last |
month the holders of 25 million dollars
worth of AZ per cent bonds requested,
upon their maturity, to have them con-
tinued at per cent, the lowest rate of in
terest of any country in the world. While |
credit is so good does it look like
material ruin was staring the nation
IN the face? Our state credit is good |
and the farmers of Kansas with 20 mil |
ion bushels of wheat and lao millions of
corn, besides other grain and stock in
are rather 10th to believe
that they, as individuals, are financially |
ruined" 2. The people are democrat
led; most of the states have been COM
PEELED to isolate the voters of the state at
the polling places to prevent universal
and bribery. Again appeal
ing to your personal kno Wedge of local
affairs, we ask if you honestly believe
yourself, or your friends and neighbors
with whom you associate from day to
day, "are demoralized." There may be
localities where elections are not open
and free, but we do not believe that such
3 condition of affairs exists in most of
the states, nor that bribery and intimida-
lion are by any means universal. We
have voted several times ourselves and
neither of these affections have come near
u.s. 3. labor is impoverished and
the urban workman are denied
The right of organizing for self protec-
tion." Local surroundings will refute
this statement also. We confidently as
,ert that there is not an honest tramp in
The state of Kansas, for from every corn
field and wheat farm there has gone up,
within the last ninety days, a cry
Tor more help and at remunerative wages.
Will our friends show rs single in
stance where urban workmen have been |
prohibited by legal ensctments or sane
ion from orna nizino for kha nnrnosa Of L