Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-10-12
FROM A HAzELroN DEMOCRAT.

EDS. INDEX: Will you allow me
space in your paper for just a few
words on the present political situation
OF this county, as regards the Populists
and democrats.
have discovered by hearing others
talk that there is claimed to have been
some misunderstanding as to the fus-
ION ticket, and hence the mistake of
putting out man on each ticket for
county attorney. From what L can
learn y seems that the chairman Of the
demoCiatic county committee claimed
at the convention that they had been
promised two places on the ticket
representative and county attorney, by
the Populists. Now il am not mis-
taken the parties making this promise
were composed OF small number of
the Populist county committee acting
in conjunction with a small number of
the democratic county committee at a
meeting held some time prior to the
regular conventions of the two parties.
1t am right in this the parties making
those promises, if they were made, had
not yet consulted the party and were
only making promise of what they IN
dlvldually were willing to do, and were
only consulting very limited number
OF democrats. and neither party had
any power or authority to bind their re.
spectlve parties to what they might
have thought to be right. Hence 1 can
see no very good reason for either party
to claim anything from this particular
meeting, 1t being one with no powers
conferred, and having no power, could,
of course, bind no one to what it might
desire to do. This Icing the case, it
would seem that no one with any auth.
ority to make promises has as yet found
it necessary to violate any of their
pledges. The very act of both parties
when they met IN regular convention
shows that neither of the committees
at the prior meeting had any power, for
have been creditably informed that
one of the first things done by the Pop
ulists when their convention was
organized was to appoint new COM
mittee to confer with the democrats
and the democrats. while they did not
appoint new one, appointed two addi-
tional men on the original committee
and virtually made it new committee,
thus showing by their action that THEY
did not consider the acts of the former
committees as being in any way bind
ing on the convention. And if l am not
laboring under great mistake an act
done without any authority does not
bind anyone.
Now let us take look at what is
likely to result from this socalled mis-
understanding. The first and most
probable result will be to elect repub-
llcan county attorney. This will likely
result in enough disaffection to cause
the defeat of DR.. Cloud for representa-
alive; it may also result in the defeat
of Judge Mckay for judge. l regard il
as being very dangerous undertaking,
and one that ought to be looked at from
the standpoint of the best interests of
the people of Barber county, and not
simply confined to the selfish and mar
row views of two or three parties that
have an axe to grind. At this time 1
have nothing personal to say for or
against any of the aspirants for office,
but have OF at least feel considerable
interest in the result of the election as
to what party has control of the county
affairs. am not yet ready to turn oyer
the office of district judge to man that
was nominated by the party that is con-
trOlled by the money power, regardless
of what the man may be personally.
Neither am L ready to say or do
that will elect republican to
make laws for us so long as we have as
good men for the places as can be found,
in either the Populist or democratic
party. 1t may be that the next legisla-
ture would be called upon to elect a
United States senator, and we know
they Will be expected to do some more
for the people as against the
and I would not expect a
republican to be found voting on that
line. l have no enemies to punish nor
friends to reward, have no axe to grind,
am not now and never expect to be a
for any Office, and am only
interested In seeing the best done for
the people that can be done, and for this
reason am not IN favor of matters be-
ing run as they are now, and would
very much like to see some one show
by his action that he could sacrifice
some of his selfish aims, and take steps
for the interest Of the people of Barber
county. Trusting the people to reward
them in the future.
A DEMOCRAT.