Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-08-27
COMMUNICATED.

wish to give the readers of the GAZETTE
correct information upon some things
that are mentioned in the report.
As member of the committee on
resolutions wish to state that there
was no plank on single tax introduced
am single taxer and am not
ashamed to own it, but 1 wish to bc
fair with all concerned. l will give
the plank which presented to the
county convention in juxtaposition
with plank from the peoples party
national platform that the delegates
and members of the peoples party, Of
Reno county, may see what the county
convention voted down. The follow
ing is the plank presented to the county
conventions:
Resolved, That our present system of
taxation is unjust in that the harder
man works, the more he improves his
land the higher he is taxed. That we
demand legislation that will reduce
taxes on users of land and increase
taxation on public franchises and
spectators who hold land idle or par
italy in use, and pledge the nominees
for Reno to work for such measures.
The land plank in the national plat
form IS as of follows:
The true policy demands that the
national and State legislation shall be
such as will ultimately enable every
prudent and industrious citizen to Sc
cure home and therefore the land
should not be mOnopOlized for specula.
tive purposes All lands now held by
railroad and other corporations in eX-
cess of their actual needs should by
lawful means be reclaimed by the gov
eminent and held for actual settlers
only and PRIVATE LAND MONOPOLY as
we'll as alien ownership should he pro-
mbited.
About the only difference in the two
planks is that the one presented to the
county convention is specific and re-
lates to State legislation. The other
is general and relates to national,
State and municipal legislation. Icall
special attention to the words "PRI-
vATE LAND MONOPOLY" in the plank
taken from the national platform.
Small capitals are mine. Those words
show that the peoples party is opposed
to private land monopoly" as well as
alien ownership.
Now, as to the plank on the initia-
tive and referendum, it was taken to a
great extent from the peoples party
national platform. but made specific
so that it was binding upon our repre-
sentatives to work for it. 1 insert the
two planks here. The first Is the one
presented to the county convention:
1st. That we favor direct legislation
rs embraced in the initiative and ref.
erendum now in vogue in Switzerland
and pledge our nominees for repre-
sentatives to work for the same.
I'd. We favor system of direct
legislation through the initiative and
referendum under proper constitutional
safeguards.
The other plank that was presented
was a plank in favor of proportional
representation. Twill insert the plank
here that the readers of the GAZETTE
may have an opportunity to read it:
RESOLVED, That we favor proper
tional representation for the election
of State senators and representatives
and pledge our nominees for represen-
tatives to work for measure in appOr-
tiOning the State which embraces
proportional presentation.
AS there are great many people
who do not understand proportional
representation, permit brief explana-
ton. Four years ago the peoples party
rolled 1911 votes in Kansas, the re
publican party polled Isl, 34l votes, the
prohibitionists polled 1858 votes max
ing a grand total of 324,905 votes cast
in Kansas in 1892. Dividing by l25
the number of representatives in the
legislature and we see that quota is
1853. Dividing the populist vote (163,-
ll1) by this quota we find that the
quotlent is 90; remainder 1878. Di-
viding the republican vote (157 ,24l) by
the quota the quotient is GO, remainder
,3Ol. Dividing the prohibition vote
| (4,55S) by the quoty the quotlent is l.;
remainder l ,954. Adding the quotients
we see that so plus so plus equals 1913
two less than 125 the number of repres-
entatives ia the legislature. We there
fore take the remaining two from the
two parties having the largest untitled
quotas the peoples party and prohibit
tionists. So the legislature stands SO
populists, so republicans and 2 prohibit
tlonists, total 125.
The legislative war of 1893 would
never have occurred IL the members had
been chosen in this manner. Can any
populist be opposed to proportional rep
resentation2 Yours very truly.
FRANK BOwsER.
BERNAL, Kan, Aug "a, 1885,