Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-10-08

Of the sunny south.
Contrast the action of the railroads
toward defender of his country,
which refuses to give the old veteran
chance to assemble occasionally with
ont costing him fortune, with the
action of these same railroads in offer
ing to furnish free transportation and
special trains and cars to their employ
es and offering to take them, to the re-
publican mecca to hear Major McKin-
ley talk ''sound money" honest
money" What is the reason Of this
preference for political object over
the welfare Of those who gave the best
part of their lives that the interests of
the great railroads might be perpetual
ed in time OF danger? The very best
the veterans can do is to secure a half
fare rate, while railroads will haul free,
men from all over the country to Ohio
to get their orders from Mckinley as
to how they should vote.
Not only this, but if the poor old
veteran above referred to, and thous-
ands of others, could have gotten fair
price for what they raised on their
farms they would not only had enough
TO enable them to travel as becomes a
soldier in patriotic land, but they
would be in better circumstances in
in life, and much better prepared for
the battle they are yet to fight.
A reduction in the rates Of freight on
the products of the farm to more near
ly correspond with the price of what
the old veterans have to sell would be
much more patriotic and just on the
part of the railroads than furnishing
special trains for their employees to
travel to Canton in order to get their
political wisdom from man who adyo
Gates policy which would still further
reduce the price of the farmers pro-
ducts.
While the railroads can and do furn-
ish every Jimcrow politician in the
country pass. and a train of Pullman
cars for the big generals of the army
to run around over the country and
tell the veterans how to vote, a poor
soldier. one who braved the shot and
shell of many a battlefield, is compell-
ed to travel a long weary road Of 100
miles on foot like common tramp in
order to again be with his old com.
rades and mingle his voice with theirs.
But then, the common soldiers work
is done and they have no further use
for him The men who are on the re-
tired list with big fat salaries, and who
travel over the land to eXhort their
comrades to embrace the gold standard,
are the men who are favored. No
favors to those who did the brunt of
battle, but hOnors to those who assume
to tell the rank and file how they shall
cast their ballot.
Many an old soldier in this county
would like to have attended the Tope-
ka reunion last week. but he finds that
after selling his wheat crop for mere
pittance and arranging for the inter
est on his mortgage held by the bond,
buyers, the little pension he receives
would not permit him to spend the
money necessary to be present with his
old comrades, and as he realizes the
harhships of an approaching winter, he
resigns himself to this condition that
surrounds him, and over which he has
no control, and views the future with
no small degree of apprehension fol
his personal welfare, and that of his
family.
Millions for the politicians, passes
for the political tricksters, but not e
recognition of the boys In blue. Mans
inhumanity to man makes countless
millions mourn" is most fully exem-
plified in the attitude of the corpora
tions and the combinations of capita
toward the defenders of the nation in
its time of dire distress.
W. E. CARR.
Say, you men who are worrying about
how you are going to scrape up enough