Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-09-23
VIEW OF THE FIELD.
NATIONAL POLITICAL ISSUES
BEFORE THE PEOPLE.
Monopoly Which Is Seeking Complete
Control of the Legislative, Judicial
and Executive Departments of the
Government Must He Defeated.

In the New England states the
apathy of the producers may continue,
but in the western and southern states
there are indications that the political
revolution, begun in 1896, when a ma
jority Of the western states Joined with
nearly all of the southern states in vot-
ing for modified populism, Is growing
in strength and radicalism. This
years peoples party platforms are no
less sound and radical than those OF
1892, and the silver Democrats and Re-
publicans, who took what was styled
by the plutocratic press extreme Pop
ulistic ground in 1896, are much more
radical and Populistic in their platform
utterances this year.
The Democratic convention In ILL
nois is especially deserving of Populist
congratulations, because besides
ringing anti-plutocratic money plank
the Illinois Democratic platform con-
tains Populist planks in favor Of direct
legislation and public ownership OF
franchises. Public ownership OF fran
chises" means public ownership OF the
means of transportation and communi-
cation. The Ohio and California DEM
ocrats have also declared in favor OF
direct legislation, and the educational
influence of Peoples party press anu
speakers will no doubt bring the states
rapidly into line.
The Populist Standardization OF
monopoly in money, land and trans
portation-will be supported by ma
jority Of the voters sooner than most Of
us had dared to hope, judging from the
present signs. With the political
winds blowing from the right quarter
Populists will be encouraged to more
vigorously proclaim the truths of their
platform.
On the other hand 1t is evident that
the banks, loan and trust companies,
railroad companies and trusts are po-
litically united against the interests OF
the people, and that an enormous cam
paign corruption fund will be expended
by M. A. Hanna, who himself has some
81. 100000 invested in the above forms
Of monopoly, and desperate effort
will be made to place majority OF
goldbugs and corporation tools in both
houses of the next congress.
While the Republican national plat
form declares for the suppression of
trusts, every trust official in America
will contribute towards Republican
control Of congress, knowing the plat
form to be lie and that they have
nothing to fear from a party whose
politicians are their paid attorneys and
whose real leader, Mark Hanna, is a
member of their own inner circle.
The Republican platform declares for
ibimetallism on the basis of an interna-
Itional agreement, but it is a we'll
known fact that Hanna, Mckinley and
Reed have promised that in case they
control the next congress the single
gold standard will be firmly rivited
upon the people, If possible, through
an unrepealable treaty with foreign
gold standard powers. Gold bonds will
be sold and the greenbacks retired, and
whatever the organized usurers Of the
country demand will be given to them.
Therefore the voters should be on
their guard. All Of the votes that
Doodle can buy, that the giant corpora
lions can bulldoze, that war cries can
bamboozle, will be cast against the
producers and for the monopolists.
Fondly convinced that the people are
fools, all of the lawyers on the pay
rolls of the corporations will try to
prove that every vote against the gold
trust and the railroad trust is vote
against the late war with Spain, and
fools will believe it.
In this country the power Of aggre-
gated wealth in control of the metro
politan press and the professional
spellbinders, when combined with
rooted political prejudice and the folly
Of fools, is not to be despised. Unless
the people get actively into the fight
in their own interests and guard
against Doodle influence over the Off
cial count, Mark Hanna may actually
be, next year, in control of all branches
of our ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, judi
cial and executive. Activity among pa
triots who see the horrible possibilities
involved in this is all that is necessary
to prevent it. PERCY PEPOON.
Too Poor to Hold once.