The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1898-10-14
The Last
Legislature,


A legislature Ike an administra-
ton should be Judged by what it ac-
c9mplishes and we ask the voters Of
Kansas to judge the POpulist Legis-
laEuFe Of 1897, by this rule. At the
outset we desire to say that no legis-
la5ure in the history Of Kansas has
ever passed so many wise and bene-
Geial 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 For 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
commonwealth The Republican
party from the time Of it's first sue
oB has drffted more and more
toward the power Of money until, at
the present time the dollar dOmin-
aEes the party and dictates its every
az. Corporations control it's legis-
iadon, 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 legis-
laEUTe 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-
a5ed advanced views on the financial
UHestiOu in line with those held by
ali refOrmers who believe the people
are entitled to as much consideration
as is granted the corporations.
ACtuated by these motives the PEG
pies Party members Of the legisla-
6ure Of 1897, entered upon their du-
ties, realizing the impOssibility OF
curing all the evils in the short space
o. fifty days that thirty years Of vi
oiOus legislation and neglect had
bred. The results show an honest
effort, with great good accomplished
end with the start made, opens the
way for thecOntinuatiOn Of the work
"a the interest Of the producers and
I6bOreFs, by further legislation
THE ANTLPINKERTO LAW.
The interest Of labor were carefully
Ia it's interest was that known as
the Anti-PinkeFtOn law. (See page
23o, 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
vDking the aid of hirelings and en-
4ssaries 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 benificient
(g1 effects of the Mckinley tariff law
passed IN the interest Of labor % 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-
TONS.
Labor organizations have been
asking for a law to prevent discFim-
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 (see page 226 Session Laws)
LabOring men who favor liberty viii
not vote to turn down party that
-9aYOTs 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 los.
page 205. viii 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 VIII the labOring men do for
this party and theirfriends in NOvem-
ber2
BLACKLISTING.
The Legislature went further in be
half Of humanity and passed a law,
(See page 3D. to prevent blacklist
ing OF the labOrinG man in Kansas
and providing for the collection of
damages in a sum three times as
great as he may be injured. How
viii the labOring man who has been
blacklisted IN the past, vote this year2
ANTI SCRIPT LAW.
On the very next page S23. is a law
to secure to labOrers the payment Of
their wages, and prevent the issuing
OF script and store orders. The Re
publican legislature Of 1887 made an
attempt to cure this evil, but Ike all
their work In the interest of labor
the bill was so bunglingly drawn as
60 be imperative The Peoples Par
t. law has stood the test Of the
courts and win be a benefit to labor.
The faboring man viii scarcely vote
to give the Republicans q further
chance to blunder with laws in their
interest
SAFETY OF MINERS.
The interests Of the miner was
looked after and at the request from
them q law was passed providing for
their health and safety while en-
Bloyed under ground and seeking to
protect them from the eareIessness
and greed OF the mine owners (See
page $50
DuOTErETTCV 0T7 lgOTORNEERC