The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1898-08-25

lady reformer. was appointed 90 days
sfter the session began. Within two
hours after her appointment she had
drawn from the treasury Of the state
EGO for 20 days back pay. The com
mittee on public lands. which had not
had bill before it for - years. had .
clerk and . etenographer. On the
stump the populist orators assured the
;-eople that when they got control Of
toe Legislature they would abolish nu-
others adjutant general assistant
adjutant general, board of pardons.
state labor commissioner, assistant
commissioner, three clerks in the Of
Gee of state treasurer, one in the Office
of attorney general, one in the Office
of superintendent of public instruc-
ton, one in the office of supperintend-
emit of insurance, the Hutchinson re-
formatory board, consolidating it with
| the state board of charities, the state
accountant the state oil inspector and
two members of the state board OF
charities. Not one Of these Offices was
abolished, but several new offices were
created.
The platform said nothing about
passes, but the speakers and newspa-
gers in the campaign made voluminous
PROMISES of what the party intended
10 do in abolishing the giving of free
masses on railroads This was pro-
Eosed in q bill anu IL was voted down
and defeated in the pop2list senate
February 10. by ~ votes to g. The
preceding platform had come out
strong for woman suffrage. A woman
suffrage resolution was voted down by
populist votes in the house. Senator
Young's bill to reduce sleeping Car
rates was killed in the railroad com.
mittee of the senate. Senator Young
brought it up in open senate and it
was voted down. An anti-oleomar.
:xarine bill was voted down.
This Is the way populists fulhu their
most solemn platform and Campaign
declarations when given absolute
power.
Al to the present platform, 1t Is OBJ
ssrvable that very hesitating reference
IL made to the last Legislature, the
conven ton cententinR itself with .
general indorsemeEt OF lts course In
Tepudisting pretty nearly the entire
Abilene platform.
A plank is adopted In the new plat
form for the initiative and referendum
constitutional amendment A resolu-
ton to submit this amendment was
introduced in the last legislature and
voted down by populist votes. Another
plank of the new platform demands
the repeal Of the metropolitan police
Jaw. A hill to this effect was proposed
IA the last legislature and was voted
down by the popu:ist votes. On Feb
suary Ss, 1897. Senator Lewelling moved
10 indefinitely postpone the consid-
grafton of the bill and his motion
was carried by 81 to II. Seventeen
pcpulists out of IS in the senate voted
against abolishing the law and four
Populist senators were absent Only
tour populist senators out of Is were
| recorded for adjustment The new
1 platform also demands a constitutional
convention, as bid for democratic
votes Representative Hackney pop
introduced resolution calling for q
constitutional convention in the last
legislature. 1t was voted down in q
house overwhelmingly populist When
she resolution was pending the Rice
County Eagle, q strong and Influential
populist paper, warned the legislature
that the rank and file OF the populists
would not stand it ''Populists in the
legislature" said the Eagle, ''only
have to keep up their snonkeying with
resubmission and constitutional con.
vention to disrupt Tad defeat the poo
ple's party" The rext legislature, il
populist, will hardly adopt any such
resolution.
The platform adopted yesterday
doesn't mean anything, because it il
not intended that the next legislature,
if popuiist, shall pay any attention to
its pledges. There are no senators to
elect this year excepting in two OF
three cases. The senate holds over. II
is in control of the oopulists by a two
thirds majority. These populists are
by an overwhelming majority opposed
to maximum railrta.d legislation and
will not allow it to get past them al
the next session. They are opposed ia
initiative and referendum and will not
permit it to 60 to the people. They
gre opposed to popular election of rail
road commissioners and will vote II
down If proposed ii the next legisla-
ture. They are opposed to abolition
of railroad passes and will defeat il
and hold on to sGeir free railroad
transportation. They are opposed ia
reduction of salaries by an over
whelming majority. They are opposed
to reduction of legal rate of interest
and restriction CT the sale OF
the output of the penitentiary
coal mine. They are on record by their
votes after full consideration as Cd.
posed practically to the entire pro
gramme of reform" proposed by yes
terday's platform. In view of the fact
that these populists control the senate
two to one and in view of their votes