Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-10-13
The Last
Legislature


A legislature like an administra
ton should be judged by what it ac--
cOmplishes and we ask the voters OF
Kansas to judge the Populist Legis-
lature of 1897, by this rule. At the
outset we desire to say that no legls-
1ature i'm the history OF Kansas has
ever passed so many wise and bene-
fetal measures since the admission OF
the state into the Union and we cite
the statute book of 1897 in proof.
Two elements enter into legisla-
ton, especially in Kansas-man and
money. Fer years money, as rep
resented by great corporations, has
received the attention OF our law
makers to the exclusion of the man,
and the Interest of humanity. The
legislature of 1897 reversed the order
and gave some attention to the in
terest of the great common people,
who have by their labor, economy
and enterprise made Kansas a great
party from the time of it's first sue
ces has drifted more and more
toward the power OF money until, at
the present time the dollar dom1n-
ates the party and dictates its every
act. Corporations control it's legis-
1atfon, state and national. The
Peoples Party, on the other hand, is
made up of individuals who believe
that the people are entitled to as
great consideration, at least, as the
corporations.
Upon these lines the battle of 1896
was fought and won, and the '1egis-
2ature of 1897, came into power
through that victory, in which we
were ably assisted by our allies, the
Democrats and Silver Republicans.
whose national conventions enunci-
ated advanced views on the financial
question in line with those held by
all reformers who believe the people
are entitled to as much consideration
as is granted the corporations.
Actuated by these motives the PeO-
pies Party members of the legisla-
ture of 1897, entered upon their du-
ties, realizing the impOssibility OF
curing all the evils in the short space
OF fifty days that thirty years of vi
cious legislation and neglect had
bred. The results show an honest
effort, with great good accomplished
and with the start made, opens the
way for the continuation of thewOrk
I'm the interest of the producers and
1abOrers, by further legislation.
THE ANTI-PINKERTON LAW.
The interest of labor were carefully
guarded. One of the important laws
in it's interest was that known as
the Anti-PinkertOn law. (See page
230, Session Laws. The Peoples
party believes that the officers of the
state can preserve the peace and up
hold the dignity of law without in
voking the aid of hirelings and en-
fssaries of the corporations brought
from outside the state. Remembering
Homestead, Occur de- Allen. the great
railway strike at Buffalo, New York
the miners strike in Tennessee, all OF
which occurred under the beniticient
90 effects of the Mckinley tariff law
passed in the interest of labor ca the
Peoples Party made it impossible to
employ outside hirelings to shoot
down in cold blood and without
authority the railroad employees or
miners of Kansas.
TO PROTECT LABOR ORGANIZA-
TIONS.
Labor organizations have been
asking for a law to prevent discrim-
nations against their members and
to protect them against coercion
and discharge because of such con
nection. The last Legislature needed
their demands and gave them such a
law tsee page. 226 Session LaWs)
LabOring men who favor liberty will
not vote to turn down a party that
favors broadening their rights.
CONTEMPT OF COURT.
The imprisonment of Eugene V.
Debs and his companions for months
in q Chicago Jail for contempt OF
court, and hundreds of other cases OF
less note where men have been
thrown into prison and denied a
trial by jury is fresh in the minds OF
the labOring people. Chapter 1906
page 205, will forever prevent such
occurrences in Kansas and in such
cases grants every man the right of a
trial by Jury and restricts the power
of judges and courts in such cases
What will the laboring men do fol
this party and their friends in NOyem.
Der?
BLACKLISTING.
The Legislature went further in be
half of humanity and passed a law
(See page 1922 to prevent blacklist
ing of the laboring man in Kansas
and providing for the collection O
damages in a sum three times as
great as he may be injured. How
: viii the laboring man who has beer
blacklisted in the past, vote this year:
ANTI SCRIPT LAW.
On the very next page 323, is a law
to secure to labOrers the payment o.
their wages, and prevent the issuing
OF script and store orders. The Re
publican legislature of 1887 made al
attempt to cure this evil, but like al
their work in the interest of labor
the bill was so bunglingly drawn as
to be imperative. The Peoples Par
ty law has stood the test of the
courts and will be a benefit to labor
The laboring man will scarcely vote
to give the Republicans a further
chance to blunder with laws in theil
interest.
SAFETY OF MINERS.
int ufc Of hn
looked after and at the request from
them law was passed providing fol
their health and safety while EN-
pIoyed under ground and seeking tc