The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-28

wealth which modern progress has pro-
duced; like the huge trusts in oil, sugar,
and other merchandise, and in trans
portatfon; C2) to always take the side
in the controversy of the employers of
labor against the laborers themselves,
and in addition to all these plans and as
guarantee of this generally plutocrat-
fc policy (3) that it is the settled de-
termination to introduce as perma-
nent system beyond all precedent prior
to 1896 the use of money in elections for
the corruption of the popular suffrag e.
"A fairly good defense for the Repub-
Hcan party can be made against all
those charges and at all events vigor-
Gus retort can be made against our
motley opponents, showing that it would
be absolutely dangerous to trust them
with the control of the government; but
IL is even now ser. OuSl Y inCOnVeN lent for
us not to be able to point to some new
present affirmative proposition of posi-
tive good to the masses of the people,
which good things they very much de-
sire and of which the Republicans are
to be the leading and powerful advo-
Gates. Our opponents are promising al
most everything for votes.
What can we promise? We cannot
possibly accept the issue as they are
trying to frame it. If it be really one
between the rich and poor, then, al
though the rich may be truly right and
the poor may be truly wrong, we shall
be sadly beaten at the polls; and we
cannot stem the tide of ballots by in
functions from courts, by calling out
y
by the utmost use of money in elections.
What I mean is that in any republic
with suffrage actually unrestricted, the
majority party. in order to remain in
power, must not only be right, but must
be able to satisfy the great body of the
people that il is right; it must be con-
tinually on the alert, not only to pro-
tect the wealthy, but to serve, benefit,
bless and improve the conditions of the
poor and the people of moderate means
in the community. This may be called
i v1rDlff
in a country where the people rule and
are to continue to rule with a popular
sway assumed to- be surely beneficent
to all the people, rich and poor, money
lenders and money borrowers alike.
$50 1 would keep hold of the move
ment for bimetalhsm as means of
good to the people and OF safety to the
Republican party. If the leading Re
publicans of the country have any 9TH
err promise to make to an eager people
of something in the interest of the
gether this is the time to bring it for
ward and to explain and enlarge upon
it; especially making it prominent in
the now opening Ohio political contest.
We can do much to hold votes by the
method of 1S96-by demonstration OF
the peril into which the success OF the
homogeneous elements of opposition TO
the administration will bring the coun-
try; but it will be most convenient to
make promises of some new and posi-
tive good to- result from continued Re-
publican ascendency.
81 propose, for one thing, a renewal OF
the pledges of 1896 to bimetallism; a re-
newal open unreserved and sincere; a
promise to dispel the hard times, to bring
on good times, to stiffen prices, to re-
vive business and to benefit both cred
itors and debtors, simply by restora-
ton of the metal money of the good old
times; not gold alone, but silver also
the currency of the merchants from the
DAYS of Abraham. The president has
not abandoned this principle. Mr. Hanna
has not abandoned it. The Republicans
of their state should cling to it as saw
ing power with the voters better than
an army with banners, or any amount
of money provided for the legitimate
expenses of that most important pend
ing struggle in the state OF our two
and inseparable leaders.
ct will make brief al1usion at this time
to one other point. The St. Louis plat
form pledged the Republican party to
aid in making Cuba free. The breaking
of that one pledge would very soon send
the party out of power. 1t has not yet
been broken, but it's fulfllment proceeds
with agonizing slowress- Let us nope
that President Mckinley will do some
thing after his well-earned vacation;
certainly after the coming victory in