Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1895-06-26
NOTES AND COMMENT.

NOTES AND COMMENT.
organization is a most important
factor in the campaign. All depends
on the enlightenment of the people and
the best results can only be secured
by thorough organization. In this con-
nection especial attention is called to
the request of Commander Van Der
WORT for Legion scouts. There should
be an unselfish devotion to the work,
and true patriots should volunteer to
push organization. Write to head
quarters, secure instructions and then
take scout among the people.
| U. S. Hall, whose cuckoo" pin feath-
ers are now beginning to make quite
a show, had this to say in a recent
Z interview with Washington city re-
! porter: Above all things, there must
! be no disorganiZation in the party and
3 dlsorganization would be threatened
by any action now upon the silver
/ question. We are certain to have good
crops. Our corn and wheat both prom
: lse an abundant harvest, and when we
! have gathered and sold our products
we can take day or two off and talk
over the financial question" Riley"
no doubt, would make the question
non-partisan
| Massachusetts is waking up to the
Importance of having good roads. She
mas special commission to look after
!
propriated 100000 for the purpose OF
course, this is the rankest kind of
paternalism, but inasmuch as it is be-
ing practiced by the old parties who
| nave never read up on the subject they
don't know it and where ignorance is
Dllss 'tis folly to be wise" The ex-
penditure of this sum of money will
give employment to many man that
needs it and everybody in the state
VIII be benefited thereby. Other states
should follow the example set by Mas.
sachusetts.
IL is said that the Stock Exchange
list OF London shows $37 500, 900 900 of
securities, of which $40, 600, ,00O,O are
OF foreign countries, and pay interest
ana dividends to the extent of $780,
OOO,OOO annually in gold. Since a gold
standard makes" an honest dollar" that
will buy much of the products of labor
it is easy to see why England favors
the gold standard. England dictates
the finances of the world, and her rule
would not be more arbitrary, nor more
expensive, If she had troops Quartered
IN every country that permits her to
dictate the finances. If Grover Cleve-
land had thrown open our ports and
permitted the landing of British troops
we would not be as much under her
sway as we are now, nor would it have
been any more humiliating.
Paul Van Dervoort, commander-in-
chief of the Industrial Legion, has pre-
pared beautiful certificate of men,
bership in the Peoples party and the
| Legion which ought to be in the home
of every Populist. 1t is one of the most
beautiful designs we ever saw and is
fit for framing and adorning any mans
parlor. He proposes to send this GER
tificate and lot of Populist literature
out for 81. The money thus raised
will go toward extending the organiza-
tion of the Legion. We sincerely hope
that every Populist who can possibly
raise one dollar will send it to Brother
Van Dervoort and obtain this certifi-
cate and help along the work of Or
ganiZation. We have a half a million
men in our ranks that could easily
spare a dollar for this purpose, and we
hope they will respond promptly. With
a we'll organized Legion we need have
no fears of traitors within or foes with
out. The Legion is our guard against
both. Address Paul Van Dervoort,
Station B, Omaha. Neb.
Since the death of Secretary Gresham
the many good things he did are COM
ing to light. One of the incidents of
his judicial career that has been re-
vived is his connection with the ap-
pointment of receiver for the Wabash
railroad in Illinois. Judge Gresham
told the story briefly in the following
words:
my order was acquiesced in at the
time, but it failed to please a great
many railroad people. 1t threw a side
light on the transactions of the Wabash
which they did not like. The road had
been running behind for years. 1t was
in debt for interest on its bonds, and it
owed for it's taxes. To the astonish-
ment of all concerned, and myself too,
my receiver for that piece of the road
running through Illinois made a profit
of little over $4,0O0,0OO in two years.
years. We paid the taxes of the road
of little over $4,O00,O00 in about two
and made a big hole in the interest, as
well.
In other words, the government took
road which the corporation failed to
make pay, and in two years paid exist
ing debts for taxes and part of the
interest due. Yet there are plenty of
men who still persist that a government
could not successfully operate a rail-
road.
The subject of building a new rail-
road across the continent on a co-opera-
tive plan, utilizing the millions of idle
workmen in the country, is being dis
cussed. The preparatory steps have al
ready been taken and Walter Vrooman
of Baltimore, Md, has been chosen
president. Now, If the different work
ingmen's organizations will lend help
ing hand they can find a way to strike
corporate monopoly that cannot be set
aside by Jim Crow decisions of Dog
berry courts. The Western Federation
of Miners have a half million dollars
in their treasury which might better
be expended in an enterprise of this
kind than in a fruitless strike. The
railroad companies hold the key to the
situation of the mining industry. With
the people operating great trunk line
and tapping many mines, not only the
rates of transportation but the price of