Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1893-01-18


racy is the aggreg lted wealth of the nations
rich men and corporations thoroughly organ
fZcd and massed under talented, energetic and
INSCRIPTIONS generals. These leaders advance
the column along the whole line against the
wealth creators Of the country for the purpose
of taiting the fruits of their toll TO the utmost
The prosperity OF the producer is trampled
der foot by the invading host and now the lib
critics OF the citizen vanish amid the general
sp1iation.
The triumphant plUtocracy has destroyed
the nice balance between the rights Of property
and the rights OF men as they once existed, and
now when issue is joined between money and
man the man is forced to the wall 1t has
changed the peoples courts OF justice into the
plutocracY's courts of law 1t has made the
legislative function of the government its hum
bic seAgtor. While under its subtle necromancy
the forms OF our popular institutions remain,
their spirit has gone and these United States
are no longer government of the people, by
the people and for the people
The old-tIme theory that the only valid rea-
son OF being democracy is to do the greatest
good to the greatest number of citizens has
been put away, and now its sole mission is held
TO be that OF an umpire If the strong and
crafty compel the weak and simple to fight
them on their own ground with their own weap-
ons, the government must take no considera-
tion of mercy, justice and eternal moralities,
but keep its eyes fixed on the rules of the COM
bat as laid down by the plutocracy and let the
Ouel 10 Qeatn go on IL Is as II the shepherd
sat on q stump and implrtially allowed the
wolves and sheep to fight it out and If the
sheep happened to be lacking in the matter Of
jaws and teeth, it was merely their misfortune
and the wolves Legitimate advantage.
1.-THE idea that the republic under any
righteous obligation to do the best 1t could for
the well being OF the mass of its citizens is
voted by the plutocrats TO be rank heresy 1t
IS next door to that dreadful thing paternalism,
which positively inculcates that it is the duty
OF a republican government to have q kindly
concern for the prosperity and happiness Of all
its people.
'In the opinion of the plutocrat only one cir
cumstance more horrible than this could possi
bly, happen, and that would be for Jesus Christ
to appear on earth and inaugurate the millen-
MUM.
ITO sum up the case of 10000 600 American
producers, they charge the triumphant plu-
tocracy with subverting popular government
and so prostituting the judiciary and debauch-
ing the making power that the people can
obtain neither judicial legislative protec-
tion from it's boundless rapacity and oppres.
sion"
Now upon the Kansas Reform Press associa-
tion devolves the duty of awakening the people
to these awful facts in such manner as to enlist
the cooperation Of the great masses. 1t must
be fight too; battle Of ideas, battle for
light and truth-the revelation of the truth con-
cernng our own condition and the tendency of
the forces Of civilization
fully believe that we, that is the American
republic, shall survive, but not by resting su-
pinely at ease and saying "all is well,'' but be-
cause there are many good and true men who
see clearly that liberty must be fought for and
that her foes are at hand and powerful and
these men are at work. This l hope is the
reason are here. There are yet in our land
yea in our own grand state, many people who
are not aware of the fact that plutocracy 'has
craftily and with criminal interest taken pos
session OF the slowly organized party machn-
cry which was built up In purer times for the
convenience of the people in governing them
selves" and that this machinery while retain
ing the original names, longer obeys the
hand of the masses Of either party for whose
good 1t was created, but has come to be a
malign engine that serves the privileged few at
the expense of the despoiled many" We must
fight for their liberation from the thraldom of
partisan prejudice by using every argument
and every means to show them their slavery.
We must fight not only for the enlargement
of the ranks of reformers, but also for the pres
ervation OF the principles OF true reform within
our ranks AS the reform party increases in
numbers and power, the tendency will be to-
ward party spoils and partisan conquest and
the neglect of fundamental principals. We
Shall need to guard well against such tenden-
cics. Let US survey briefly some OF the forces
against US in this contest.
The putocratic press, sustained by the cor
porationS, constitute the most active force
against This is sustained by the advantage
of having the field and by It's skillful use OF the
prejudices OF its readers, thus keeping their
eyes closed to the truth. The hearts of the
people are intent upon right and we must gain
access to them By persis tently though patient
ly and kindly bombarding this fortress now
held by base means. To paralyZe the efforts of
the secular plutocratic press we must strive for
accuracy and truthfulness in the presentation
OF news and by fairness in presentation of ar
gument and freedom from personal inVective-
trail ltyA fhn isfs
religious press and to win them to our cause
we must present higher code Of morals than
that business is business" and show the peo-
pie that the business of men as distinguished
from that of mere money getters is to live and
let live To say Give and let live" is beneath
the moral standard of true manliness. do not
mean to say, nor to be understood as intimat-
ing, that the whole influence of the religious
press is vicious, but that there is vicious in
huence in II: for while it may denounca usury
it has no moral standard for determining what
uSury is. In New York and several other
states, it is usury to charge more than 6 per
cent interest In other states the limit is z g.
10 r. or any rate agreed upon, and the churches
and the religious press are content to let this
rest upon legal grounds, doing nothing what
ever TO learn and teach the moral elements in
volved. 1t is one of the elements of the fight
beforf ps ~ stand for the moral quality called
equity and against the ininoral and unjust ex-
tortion practiced under high legal interest
either Dy statute or contract or both.
Centuries ago this was a question OF morals
1t was allowable to charge a stranger inter-
est or hire for the use Of money, but not a
neighbor or brother. A stranger" was an
alien, an enemy. Now, all men are brethren
neighbors, and under the same law morally
that was then prescribed for those not
"straHgeFs,n
This coming fight nlusJ be made with the
weapons Of peace-skiilful presentation Of truth
in the interests of humanity, not in a combative
spirit as against airy man or set OF men. but
only as combltiny error, and that by pointing
out the more excellent way When reviled re-
vile not again but turn on the modern electric
Search-light OF fuller-orbed truth till our -ene-
mics slink away in darkness or confess the er-
ror OF their way and join our ranks.
Perhaps you want me TO indicate some par
ticular contests to be undertaken at once
~ ei,, we must besiege the citadel OF public in.
differences IN regaF to certain reforms in IeC;a.
lation and create a dem aud for certain work to
be done by the next legislature. We ought to
be practically and actually unit in insisting
that our legislature shall follow out the plan of
brushing aside some useless and expensive
time-honored customs, did our valiant lead
erS in deciding that the Inauguration of our
governor shIll be pain business affair rather
than a scene Of revelry for the disp ay of but
teraties CT fashion. Let US fight the useless and
rUinous Journalism aEd d%ppllingless OF legjs.
latiye bodies, and demand that from this time
on the legislature shall be a body OF workers
who shall transact business for the people,
rather than use the peoples time and money to
do business for the corporations.
Let us demand mortgage relief Law: the
Australian ballot law, better system
Jay making any one who purchases a vote in
any way eT even spsnds enough for cigar for
the purpose Of eieetioneering, ineligible for OF.
fee thereby. equitable school tax law that
will prevent the present inequalities of this
burden; the Introduction OF the initiative aud
referendum and proportional representation: a
thorough revision OF our insurance laws, a law
that will fully enfranchise the better half OF
our citizens; railroad laws that will relieve the
peepie fren eStartior: a law making the rail-
way commissioners elective pg the people:
laws provlling highways; a law providing that
July 1, election day, Thanksgiving ami Christ
mas days shall be holidays: ami law fixing
the election Of township officers upon the same
date as that upon municipal elections
But need not specify further. We ought to
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