The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-03-31
9ai1v r Ea9Ie
NJ. NJ. MURDOCH. Editor
RESPONSIBILITY OF VOTING.

1t is quite true that no man who eve
lived could come into a town, and. pick
ing out a stranger, tell what his polite
were by the manner of his dress or th'
colcr of his complexion AS individuals
neople are much alike, most all beln:
atcuated by common motives, holdini
the precepts of honesty, moral goodness
and fidelity of word and intention, high
In Wichita this is particularly true
AT the sound of a single trumpet declar
Ing that Wichita is TO be injured or is tc
be helped. every man within its limits
PUSHES to arms in its defense or TO 1t;
assistance.
People are much alike individually re-
eardless of politics. But what people
unused to politics, can not understand
Is why individuals so much alike make
I'D parties so radically dissimiiar.
These people are asked to support
two tickets in the spring election.
"What difference does it make" they
exclaim, (which We support?'
1t makes a world of difference. At
the time of the civil war people were
all much alike, but they divided into
two parties. And one Of the parties was
right, as time proved.
That is of the past which is a good
past because it is irrevocably gone. Two
parties are in the field here this spring.
One is the Populist party, the other the
Republican party. The individuals in
both parties attend common churches,
associate together, dwell in harmony,
but they make up two radically differ
snt parties.
Does any one suppose that the Popu-
list party expects an endorsement In
Wichita this spring of its follies and fai-
cities at Topeka this winter? 1t is a
party organization here in Wichita. At
It's fall convention it will endorse what
the legislature has done. After six years
of incessant pledging, the Populists re-
fused 10 pass a maximum freight rate
bill. After six years of demanding the
adjustment of offices it goes TO Topeka
and does not abolish a single office.
After six years of declaring against the
official use Of railroad passes it votes
down an anti-pass law; after six years
harping on the referendum, it brushes
that plan; after six years howl for hon
esty in public life it gives the state the
most corrupt session in the states his
tory; after six years pretensions of re-
form it gives the state nothing but the
broken promises, and those without an
apology.
Yet this party is made up Of individ-
ralS common with all the rest of human
ity. Where is the difference? The diff
ference is that a man having honestly
been a Populist before can not now
endorse the actions Of the men he help
ed 10 elect. When he does, when he
votes for a Populist on the heels of the
adjournment of that good-for-not
do-nothing legislature, he notifies the
community that he is rewarding diShon-
esty, putting a premium on falsity and
exalting political infidelity.
He allows his partisansip to dictate
over the better motives of his humanity.
If he is tool of the Populist politician
like Cone and L P. Campbell. ne has the
excuse of being misguided, but if he is
above the local Populist cars, he owes
st TO himself, even TO his party as a just
rebuke, to vote the Republican ticket
this spring.