The Advocate and news., 1898-04-13

Republicans can't point with pride" to
their last State administration, neither
can they view with alarm" the present
Popullst State administration. They will
perhaps fix up a batch Of generalities
about Republican principles" and
trusting to the aid OF corporations for
a slush fund will plunge into the cam
palgn The book trusts and insurance
corporations will be heavy contributors
this year, and the Kansas City stock
yards will lend their aid and tighten the
load which has Of late years fallen so
heavily on the railroad companies.
Winfield Free Press (POp.): A few Of
the politicians in the Second district are
attacking Congressman Peters and an
tagonizing his denomination. In do
ing this they are not assailing his record
In Congress, because his record has been
a good one in every respect. No man
in Congress works harder or does more
for his constituents than does Mr.. Peters.
He Is always at his post. and has always
been true to Populist principles. The
fight is no doubt made on the ground Of
personal spites and jealousies. Notwith-
standing the fact that Mr. Peters has
spent much time and money fighting
the encroachments Of the Kansas City
stock yards, his opponents accuse him
Of being favorable to It's interests. There
Is no foundation whatever for their un-
worthy attacks. It would be just as well
If Populists would fight the enemy in
stead of resorting to attacks upon those
who are honorably upholding the prin-
ciples of the Populist party.
Neodesha Sun (Pop): A prominent
citizen said the other day: II am In IA
vor of letting each candidate for a county
office announce himself and then letting
the people at the regular election de-
eide between them. want nothing to do
with parties in county affairs" Now,
who can offer a reasonable objection to
this plan? It would greatly purify and
simplify local government, that Is GER
tain. II anybody has valid objection to
a reform Of this kind we would like to
hear 1t. Instead of using our wits and
our money 1--WE all have little enough Of
BOTH to fight one another, why not use
them in an earnest endeavor to improve
our government, and why not begin at
home? There is no worthier cause. Let
the man who says 1t is good enough now
be cast TO one side, together with his
brother who says its imperfecti0ns can
not be overcome, and let those who are
not afraid to walk In unbeaten paths
go to work. There Is plenty Of room for
Improvement.
Topeka Mail and Breeze (Rep.): The
last State Republican convention set a
bad precedent when it adopted resolu-
ton authorizing the chairman Of the
State committee to increase the commit
tee by appointments Of his own. This
places a power in the hands Of the chair
man which should not be given him.
We have no criticism to make upon the
chairman or his appointees, but we do
desire to enter our protest against the
plan of authorizing the committee to add
to the committee any number OF mem4
bers. The committee should be named in
It's entirety by the convention. II it has
not been large enough let the cOnven-
ton increase it. If 1t be considered nec-
essary or advisable to have more men,
bers at large or more from each Congress
sional district the number may be in
creased by the convention. Every men,
ber of the committee, however, whether
1t be large or small, should receive his
appointment from the convention, not
from the chairman or any "one else. We
hope and believe that at the coming
State convention there will be no effort
to give an appointing power to the chair
man Of the State committee, whoever
he may be, but II such an effort should
be made we trust 1t will be defeated over
whelmingly.
Concordia Empire (Rep): Some bosses
have come to the front who imagine
themselves to be the Republican party of
Kansas. To them the rank and file of
the party is simply material to be used
as they please to further their own pri-
vate interests. When the committee
meets to transtact the business Of the
DovtVy avaY.vkhiup turna On tho indiVid-