Barbour County index., 1898-10-26
HAZELToN.

Idst ieIter we want 10 say further, that
there never was an election to be held
In Kansas that was of more impor-
tance to the people of the state than
the one to be held next November. 1t
doesn't simply mean the election of a
few county officers, but it. Is fraught
with much more Importance than all
the county offices combined. 1t means
either the endorsement of the present
administration or the election of a re-
publican administration. There are
only two sides to it: you must either be
for or against Governor Leedy. Now
what is there to cause US to desire the
reelection Of the present officials.
FHst, we call to mind the great good
accomplished by the stockyards law
controlling the robbers at Kansas City,
a fight such as was never before made
by any attorney general in the United
States. Then we call to mind the
school book law. This is enough in it.
self TO cause every man in the state, if
he will stop to consult his own and his
neighbors' interests, to want the ad-
mlnistratiOn reelected. Then there is
the great work of Webb McNall-a
Work that was never undertaken BY
any other man in his position In the
whole country-and he has come out on
top and on the side of the people in ey-
cry case. This of itself is or ought to
be sufficient to warrant all of us to
want him or another as good kept in
the position. Then let us take the
scrip and screen law, a law that has
virtually been dead letter until the
present administration got after the
operators, and many others as good If
enforced. And when we look the mat
ter over carefully it seems to me that
there are great many reasons why we
should to man vote to elect Governor
Leedy, and there has not been reason
yet advanced why we should not do so.
When we look at the Importance of
their re election we are forcedto the con-
clusion that it is the duty of every good
citizen to do all in his power to aid in
this work. How can we best do this?
Can we do it by trying to run a three
cornered fight in this or any other
| county in the state? 1 can not see it
| in this light. 1t is true saying that
| united we stand and divided we tall.
and this rule holds good In politics as
| well as in other matters. Can we hope
to do any good for the masses of the
people SO long as we have no ones In
terest at heart but our own? can we
| claim to be working for the people so
long as we stand in the way of com
plete harmony? There are a few mid
die of-the- road democrats as we'll as
| Populists in the county, and to all such
grant the same privilege to think as
they do as would grant to one that
agreed with me in every particular ,and
l give them credit for as much honesty
as l would claim for myself, but when
it comes to deciding great and i'm
portant issue-One that will either save
or cost the people hundreds of thous-
ands of dOllars-we are of the opinion
that the time has come for each to take
hold and do all in his power for the in
terest of the people and walt till some
other time when much less is at stake,
to do the act of getting even or grind
Ing some political ak. This is a time
for true and unselfsh patriotism, and
no time for ak grinding.
So far as the county attorneyship 10.
cally goes, the next man to fill that re-
spOnsible office Will be either a Popu-
list or republican, and it Is to a great
extent left with the third man as tC
which 1t will be. The question for him
to decide is whether he would prefer to
do what he can to defeat the republi-
can or lend his help toward his elec
ton. 1t is not my purpose to say what
he shall do or what is his duty, but
will say that, were L in his place,
would soon decide that what could ds
would be done toward electing the Pop
ulist. l thInk The only person tha
ought to aid the republicans this yea
is the man who believes in high protec
tion ana the gold standard; all others
ought to lend their aid toward fOreve
silenclng that party which holds tha
you can tax man until you make hin
rich. And, then, it would be no NOR,
than one would expect if the Populist,
should decide that as long as there is
certain element in the democratic par
ty against them, that they would b,
justified in letting US know that they
could get along withouL democratic
representative, and by this means th
democrats would not only lose what
they now have in sight, but would place
themselves in a position where they
could hardly hope to get anything il
the future. Let Us lay aside that grea
thing we are disposed to call principle
and take a policy view of the question
just for moment and see il We Cal
hope to gain anything by it even oI
that line.
There is no use denying the fact tha
the democrats are greatly in the minor
ity in this county, and every fight mad
against the opposition only weakens u
that much more. Let us take littl
this time, go In and WIN and In the fu
ture we may be able to get more.
would like to see the time when W
could take the whole cake, but we ar
| too little to expect it now. / know
that the republicans are pleased wit
us if we will hold out against the Pop
ulists and don't blame them. for it
their best and shortest road to the put
/ lie crib. DEMocRAT.