Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-11-19
possession ye shall grant a redemp

"27. Then let him count the years
of the sale thereof and restore the
overplus unto the man to whom he
sold it, that he may return into his
possession
"'28. But if he be not able to re-
store it to him, then that which is
sold shall remain in the hands Of him
that hath bought it until the year of
jubilee; and in the jubilee it shall
go out and he shall return unto his
possessions
''The year of jubilee came once in
fifty years, and that often, pay or no
pay, the title of the land Of the debtor
went back to him or his heirs.
"The fee simple to farming land
could not be utterly lost by reason Of
debt. Inside of walled cities the fee
simple might pass, but even then
there was a one year redemption.
These provisions were intended to
prevent land monopoly. 1t was well
understood even in that remote age
that unless prevented by positive
law a few people would soon possess
the earth.
"Kansas must have a redemption
law, and to make sure Of it should SC
provide in the constitution.
Entering as we are upon a great
struggle between the people and
power, we begin to appreciate more
keenly the Importance Of the present
constitutional safeguards of the citi-
zen against organized violence, such
as, The people have the right to bear
arms for their defence and security,
but standing armies in time of peace
are dangerous to liberty, and shall moi
be tolerated, and the military shall be
in stict subordination to the civil
power Sec. 4, Bill Of Rights. We
begin to realize the Importance Of
the source and composition Of the CO.
ercive power of society. Our fathers
understand this well, hence they mol
only put in all of our constitutional
provisions similar to the above, but In
our state constitution 1t is provided
that The militia shall be composed Of
all Rble-bodied white male citizens be.
tween the ages of FL and 45 years, ex,
cept, certain exempts.' Why was this
1t was 80 that when the authorities
called out the militia to put down the
people, they call out the people them
selves, and why this? So that unless
the cause for putting the people down
IS a just one they shall not be put
down: Why? 'Vox populi vox del.
It was intended that the people of &
free state should not be assaulted by
organized bands of men separated
from the body of the people, subject
to despotic discipline and in duty
bound to obey the most unreasonable
and inhumane commands. And vel
in the Pinkertons and in the present
national guard militia we have exactly
such organizations authorized by laws
passed by unsuspectlng Legislatures
through the sly but far away volitlon
of men who wanted armed and orga.
nized bodies who would not hesitate
to fire upon the people; men who want.
ed those bodies to coerce the people
in conflict between the people and
power which they then saw when
others saw nothing. We want a new
constitution to render unmistakable
the rights Of the people to exemption
from assault by hireling bands Of
rufisns upon one hand and by an
unconstitutional soldiery upon the
other.
THE present constitution provides
that the right of trial by jury shall be
inviolate,' and yet we have no trial by
jury in this state except IN cases Of
libel.
I'm criminal cases the jury should
be the exclusive judges of the law,
and the evidence, and should afix the
penalty, Until this is all talk of the
invlolability Of trial by jury is the
sheerest mockery, and the boosted
protection of the liberties of the peo-
pie by trial by jury is delusion and a
snare. When we come to make con-
stitution for a really free state we
will have trial by jury in fact as we'll
as in name.
"The existences Of such tribunal
as the police court in most of our cities
is a burning disgrace to the state and
sreproach to the age. These so-called