The Advocate and news., 1897-12-08
A POPULIsT OPPORTUNITY.
by HENRY MCLEAN, OF PAoLA,

utilities. This means that the Peoples
party has for it's aim the substitution
Of cooperation for competition as an
industrial system. This principle has
taken fast hold Of the people of not
only this State but of the country at
large, and has made great headway
among the European nations. For the
Peoples party in power in this State to
make such record as will commend
itself to the voters who placed it in
power it is imperative that all branches
of government-the Legislative, Judi
Cial and eXecutive-keep this cardinal
tenet of the party faith constantly in
mind and conduct the affairs of their
respective departments in strict accord
with it.
The opportunities for legislation have
gone by unless the executive shall con-
vene the law-making body in extra ses-
sion. While the last Legislature did
some very creditable things, it is to be
regretted that it did not place upon the
statute books some distinctively Popu-
list legislation. Those who are chosen
to represent the Populist voters of the
State should remember that they were
not selected for the purpose of dictat-
ing what the people should have and
what they should not have; they are
merely the instruments chosen by the
people to carry into execution the we'll
known principles of party faith; they
should remember that the movement
which resulted in complete POpulist
State government originated with and
was carried to success by men who care
much more for the realization of their
theories and cherished reforms than
they do for the success of any particular
man or set OF men or for the success of
their own, or, for that matter, any other
political party.
We are, of course, interested in ma
tiOnal politics and national issues. but
the congressman we send to Washington
can, II they are faithful to party theo-
ries, do very little but agitate. What the
mass of the voters in this State want
what they eXpect-what they are en-
titled to--is a vigorous, intelligent. ag-
gressive State administration, dealing
with State Issues and State institutions
upon purely Populist principles. Moth
ing else will satisfy the rank and file
of the party, and nothing else should
satisfy it.
The free coinage Of silver, government
ownership of railroads, Pacific railroads.
protection and free trade and Cuban af-
1airs are all important in their time and
place, but now is the time to do some
thing relating to our State affairs along
Populist grounds.
To begin with small things and work
up to larger is the law of development.
TO begin with simple organisms and un-
told to the complex is the law of evolu-
tion. We should at once commence the
evolution of the industrial common
wealth in this State by introducing the
principles OF cooperation in our State
institutions. For example: The State
penltentlary at Lansing has a fine farm
OF more than three hundred acres. This
year 1t yielded more than enough of
various products to supply the prison
during the winter. Take the one item
or apples. Thousands of gallons were
canned and thousands of pounds were
dried, and yet the authorities sold. at
the season when apples were cheapest
over $1,000 worth.
AT Topeka and at Osawatomie are in
sane asylums, each of which has about
one thousand patients. It would have
been in exact accord with Populist prin-
ciples, and in exact accord with very
excellent business principles, for the au-
thorities at the penitentiary to have pre-
pared these apples for winter use at
these asylums instead of placing them
on cheap market and then letting the
other institutions go upon the market
to buy. At the penitentiary are facto-
ries employing the very latest and most
improved machinery making shoes.
clothing. harness, horse collars furni
ture and very many more things. The
men are contracted to some firm or cor
nflrQtinn Qf n mt 10, IL.