Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-03-17
"Smash the States. !.

SOuc u0G dS &OOQ.
Smash the States"
The above heading adorns the Hutch
lnson News columns in last Saturdays
paper, and under the caption the News
Topeka correspondent gives a long
account of how the republican states
are made in Topeka by the bosses. The
correspondent advises smashing OF the
states, but does it for effect only, and
is no more in earnest than that paper
has ever been. Instead of smashing
the states, the News will drop into the
procession meekly and try to make the
slate ticket winner-if possible. The
whole history of the republican party of
Kansas is one of slate making, and the
party could no more exist by any other
mode OF political procedure than log
can keep out of its wallow The slate
making, and a blind following of the
slate makers by the rank and file, has
kept an unworthy horde of professional
papsuckers in Office for 10, the sc many
years. 1t is that party's -'main hoit;"
its only salvation. 1t is practiced in
all cases, from state to township cleo
tions. In this county the slate is now
made by the county boss and his select
ring of party strikers. They could tell
you-if they would-just who they eX-
pect to nominate this fall. 1 could to-
day name their candidates for clerk of
the court, county attorney and county
superintendent of schools, and could
make mighty close guess on the other
county officers.
The News seems to 'shave it in for''
the federal Office holders particularly;
the men, It says, as rule Are class
of politicians who have been overlooked
by the voters. In the hustle and shuttle
before the people they get pushed TO
the rear. Many OF them never held an
elective Office in their lives. They are
not in touch and sympathy with the
people. They do not have the confidence
of the people, and it would be much
more consistent if they would keep
their hands off; allow the free express
sion of the voters of the party as to who
should be the standard bearers"
How nicely that fits the ''boss" in
Barton county republican affairsl He.
Caraway, came to Barton county few
short years ago because, as he himself
says, "there was then big republican
majority here" and he straightway
started out to get an Office. He was
sat down upon by the people. it is true;
they did not want his services, and said
so by their votes; but, as he made his
fight in line with the slate makers. he
eventually secured a federal appoint
ment, against the protests Of the mass
of people interested; and he now as
sumes to be, and unquestionably is. the
Sir Oracle, the am, the high-muck-a-
muck of Barton county republicanisn.
''Smash the slates?" Well hardly;
either in state or local affairs. That
would be un-republican, and Caraway
will virtually tell you, so. -Stalwartism
consists in the common herd flocking
around the leaders selected by the hess
slate makers, and Caraway will explain
to his people that to be stalWart is
greater than all else.
Smash the states, and PendimoniHm
will reign in. the g. o. p.
Smash the states, and there is no
foundation left for a republican plat
form: no collateral to put up for 1.-The
sinews OF war;" no horde Of federal
of6ce-holders with free railroad passes
to beat about the country and sound the
war cry.
The News understands the situation
all right, but it will never. in sober
earnest, raise its hand to smash a single
slate. Not this year; some other year.
IT WAS only few months age that
the republican papers of Kansas were