Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-01-08
GARNETT, KANSAS, JANUARY s, 1897.


upon one platform, under one leader, and bold
ly proclalning our purpose to check and for
the future prevent undue accunulations OF
wealth, demand not only such legislation as
will give to the American people an equitable
standard of value and dollar not too dear to
circulate, and controlled by the people instead
of the banks {; not only such legislation as will
lift the remorseless hand of tariff taxation from
the shoulders of people now reeling stagger-
ing under public burdens and private debts, but
such legislation also, and by amendment of the
constitution if necessary, as will place taxes
upon great incomes and great estates, with an
increasing ratio is the ascending scale. Thus,
and thus only, can accumulations be kept with
in safe limits.
''And why should not this great party of the
people, this true, real pure Jeffersonian DEM
ocracy, openly declare what all known to be
true, viz: That corporations, as they exist
with us, are an artificial and legalized device,
contrived for the sole purpose of effecting con-
centration of commercial enterprise, and as
such destructive Of competition, inimical to in
divdua opportunity, hostile to individual in
dependence and constant menace to free IN
stitutions. Why should we not declare for the
extrpation of this alien and sinister power
Why should not the nation and the states re-
sumo the franchises so long and so freely be-
slowed upon such raworthy, ungrateful and
dangerous objects, and for the future grant no
franchises except after public examination and
inquiry bv public tribunal and then only for
reasons of public policy, and to objects OF pub
lie interest and utility, with absolute public
control and public participation i'll earnings ?
'Why not boldly and openly announce the
well-setled and familiar legal doctrine that rail
roads are public highways, and why longer
shrink from applying to them the logical rule
which obtains in all such cases. viz. That so
long as they remain public highways, the
title to their roadbeds and rights of way should
be in the public with such degree of control
in all other respects as the aw-making power
may deem expedient =? In fine, why not have
society control property instead of property
rule society
"These great issues are upon us; we cannot
escape them. The man who falters is lost. The
party that teinporizes will perish. The con-
ditons are present. The hour has come. The
man is at hand If your honored guest, Will
liam J. Bryan will as boldly step to the front
now as he did at Chicago, when his fervid elo-
quence swept the convention like a storm OF
fire if he will set the seal of his approval up
on these great and reaching reforms now abb
soutely essential to the preservation of the ma
tons life, he can weld together not only his
late followers, but millions more with them, i'll
one solid indomitabe army which will drive
from this land the last vestige of monopoly and
plutocracy and restore to the people the rights,
privileges and opportunities which belong to
freemen."
ovERMYER's LETTER sIDE-TRACKED.
The above letter was suppressed, it is said,
by Mr. Atwood, and this has created good
deal of talk. 1t has tendency to make Mr.
Overnyer popular with the reform element.
Many prominent people have called on him to
talk about the letter and congratulate him.
In discussing the condition of the poorer
classes in this country which makes reform
necessary, Mr.. Overmyer said:
"The trouble is that the men who champion
the cause of the poor desert them. They can
not resist the Establishments of wealth and the
leaders among the poor must come from their
own ranks, but | say here before heaven, though
am neither poor nor rich, would rather give
up my life itself than barter my interest in hu-
manity."
Mr.. Overmyerrose from his chair and brought
his big, round hand down on the desk with
thunderous force
Then he showed how his record had not been