The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-08-26

$50 for 90 days back pay. The com
mittee on public lands, which had not
had bill before IL for 10 years, had
clerk and a stenographer. On the
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 adjutant general, assistant
adjutant general, board of pardons,
state labor commissioner, assistant
commissioner, three clerks in the of
fee of state treasurer, one in the Office
OF attorney general. one in the office
of superintendent of public instruc-
ton, one in the Office of supperintend-
ent of insurance, the Hutchinson re-
formatory board. consolidating IL 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 newsps-
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 bin and IL was voted down
and defeated in the populist senate
February 10, by 10 votes 10 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 IL up in open senate and II
was voted down. An anti-oleomar-
garine bill was voted down.
This is the way populists fulfill their
most solemn platform and campaign
declarations when given absolute
power.
AS to the present platform, IL is OBJ
servable that very hesitating reference
is made to the last legislature, the
conven ton cententing itself with a
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
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
in the last Legislature and was voted
down by the populist votes. On Feb-
ruarv 25, 1897, Senator Lewelling moved
to indefinitely postpone the consid-
Grafton of the bill and his motion
was carried by 81 to ~. Seventeen
populists out of 25 in the senate voted
against abolishing the law and four
populist senators were absent Only
four populist senators out of 90 were
recorded for adjustment The new
platform also demands constitutional
convention, as a bid for democratic
votes. Representative Hackney (pop.
introduced a resolution calling for a
constitutional convention in the last
legislature. 1t was voted down in a
house overwhelmingly populist When
! the resolution was pending the Rice
County Eagle, 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
have TO keep up their monkeying with
resu omission and "A constitutional con-
vention to disrupt and defeat the peo-
| pies party" The next legislature, il
populist, will hardly adopt any such
resolution.
The platform adopted yesterday
doesn't mean anything, because il is
not intended that the next legisl ature,
if populist, shall pay any attention to
| its pledges There are no senator's to
elect this year excepting in two or
| three cases. The senate holds over. II
| is in control Of the populists by a two
thirds majority. These populists are
by an overwhelming majority opposed
to maximum railroad legislation and
will not allow it to get past them al
the next session, They are opposed To
initiative and referendum and will not
permit it to go TO the people. They
are opposed TO popular election of rail
road commissioners and will vote il
/ down if proposed in the next legisla.
ture. They are opposed TO abolition
of railroad passes and will defeat II
j and hOId on 10 tnelr Tree railroad
transportation. They are opposed &c
reduction of salaries by an over.
whelming majority. They are opposed
10 reduction of legal rate of interest
and restriction of the sale OF
the output of the penitentiary
coal mine. They are on record by their
votes after full consideration as OPP
posed practically 10 the entire pro-
gramme OF reform" proposed by yes
terday's platform. In view of the fact
that these populists control the senate
two To one and in view of their vote;
and expressions of opinion in debate
the delegates To the populist state con
vention can hardly expect the people
of Kansas TO take their platform pledg
ing these various reforms seriously
The platform is II platform 81 bun
combe. 1t has been officially repudi
ated ~ representatives. of the party il
advance of ITS adoption and il is hardly
to be supposed that the new things il
| the platform such as state insurance