Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-08-18

drawn from the treasury Of the state
600 for 20 days back pay. The com.
mittee on public lands which had not
had . bill before It for 10 years, had .
clerk and . stenographer On tho
stump the populist orators assured the
people that when they got control Of
the legislature they would abolish nu-
merous useless Offices, naming among
others adjutsnt general, assistant
adjutant general, board Of pardons.
state labor commissioner, assistant
commissioner, three clerks In the OF.
flee OF state treasurer, one 10 the Office
OF attorney general. one in the office
OF superintendent Of public instruc-
zion, one In the Office OF supperin tend.
ent OF insurance, the Hutchinson re-
formatory board, consolidating 1t with
the state board Of charities, the state
accountant the state oil inspector and
two members OF the state board Of
charities Not one OF these offices was
abolished, but several new offices were
created.
/ The platform said nothing about
passes but the speakers and newspa-
pers in the campaign made voluminous
promises Of what the party intended
to do in abolishing the giving of free
passes on railroads. This was pro.
posed in bill and 1t was voted down
and defeated In the populist senate
February Is. by 10 votes to O. The
preceding platform had come out
strong for woman suffrage. A woman
suffrage resolution was voted down by
populist votes In the house. Senator
Young's bill to reduce sleeping car
rates was killed In the railroad com.
mittee OF the senate. Senator Young
brought 1t up In open senate and IL
was voted down An anti-oleomar.
garine bill was voted down. 4
This is the way populAts fulfill their
most solemn platform and campaign
declarations when given absolute
power.
As to the present platform, 1t Is oh.
servable that very hesitating reference
Is made to the last legislature, the
convention cententing itself with u
general Endorsement Of its course in
repudiating pretty nearly the entire
Abilene platform
A plank Is adopted In the new plat
form for the initiative and referendum
constitutional amendment A resolu.
ton TO submit this amendment was
introduced in the last Legislature and
voted down by populist votes Another
plank of the new platform demands
the repeal Of the metropolitan police
law. A bill to this effect was proposed
10 the last Legislature and was voted
down by the populist votes On Feb
ruary %, 1897. Senator Lewelline moved
to indefinitely postpone the cousid-
GRAFTON Of the bill and his motion
was carried BY 81 to IL Seventeen
populists out Of Is In the senate voted
against abolishing the law and four
populist senators were absent Only
four populist senators out Of Is were
recorded for Adjustment The new
platform also demands constitutional
convention, as q bid for democratic
votes Representative Hackney (pop)
introduced resolution calling for
constitutional convention In the last
II was voted down In
house overwhelmingly populist When
the resolution was pending the Rice
County Eagle, q strong and influential \
populist paper, warned the legislature
that the rank and file Of the populists
would not stand it "Populists in the
legislature" said the Eagle, "only q
have to keep up their monkeying with
resubmisslon and constitutional con. \
Vention to disrupt and defeat the peo- |
Pies party" The next legislature, II t
populist will hardly adopt any such
resolution. s
The platform adopted yesterday s
DOESN'T mean anything, because 1t Is v
lot intended that the next legislature, q
I populist shall pay any attention to
ia pledgea There are no senators to 4
'lect this year excepting in two or y
hree cases. The senate holds over. II
s In control Of the populists by two
birds majority. These populists are "
" an overwhelming majority opposed II
o maximum railroad legislation and b
viii not allow 1t to get past them at "
he next session. They are opposed to 81
and referendum and will not b.
ermit It to 70 to the people. They
re opposed to popular election of rail-
Dad commissioners and will vote Il -,
own II proposed in the next legisla. -
ure. They are opposed to abolition D
I railroad passes and will defeat II cl
nd hold on 10 their free railroad ca
They are opposed 10 OF
eduction Of salaries by an over. do
'helming majority. They are opposed Ar
reduction Of legal rate Of interest al
nd restriction Of the sale Of ri
ne output Of the penitsntiary ar
bal mine. They are on record by their =, -
otes after full consideration ss op. - -
osed practically 10 the entire pro- S'
ramme Of reform" proposed BY yes. "
'rdays platform. In view Of the fact
lat these populists control the senate
vo to one and In view of their votes BE
I'D expressions Of opinion in debate, lei
lie delegates to the populiststate con. T.
,ntion can hardly expect the people -,
Kansas to take their platform pledg. pi'
g these various reforms seriously. m,
he platform Is platform Of bum err
,mha ~ hoa haas LIT