The Advocate and news., 1899-04-05
\ CURRENT DISCUSSION
police force and didn't do it,"


porate power, mike, you know the boy was
indicted for larceny, and it took all my pow
ers of persuasion with the railroad company
whose car he robbed, and good retainer
in the Smith case for the county attorney,
besides your putting up, to keep Jim out of
jail"
"That's it," retorted Mike. "I'll work for
no crowd that blades me besides Crosby's
an A. P. A."
81 would live three years on cornmeal
alone to see a Republican ticket elected"
remarked school teacher in my hearing re-
Gently.
The above hOmely but true illustrations
portray the manner in which ignorance and
prejudice work to the degradation of legis-
latiye bodies; nor are they more potent in
their influence for evil than the apathy of
the honest, intelligent voter, who sees moth
ing good in present systems, or the selfish
interest of the men of capital, who pledge
their support for candidates upon the con-
sderatiOn OF licensing unlawful resorts, that
the revenue therefrom may lessen their
taxes, or that their investments and in
comes be not questioned, guaranteeing lux
uries cheap and necessities dear; or that
public recognition and remuneration be
given to their friend, Mr. Snap, who is their
recognized "fxer."
So far no party seems sincere in its ad-
vOcacy of educational qualification. The
writer has seen the most Objectionable char
acters, those who could neither read, write
nor speak our language, granted citizenship
upon the sworn statement of the ward
heeler; the result of whole districts changed
by colOnizing such material for few days
payment of board and keg or so of beer
In the general election of 1896, o whole
township in the neighboThood of the writer
was most unwarTantably stolen by the par
tisan whippers-in. The constitution of the
State of Kansas says: "FOr the purpose of
voting, no person shall be deemed to have
gained or lost q residence by reason of his
presence or absence, while kept at any aims
house or other asylum at public expense"
Notwithstanding this concise language, so
desperate were the marshals of the gold
standard in this State, that they sent out
confidential tips to their friends to vote
early, and so Obedient and prompt was their
response that by IL o'clock every rural Re-
publican vote was in, and under the direc-
tion of the State prison authorities, old sol
diers from the National Honey stood in
line by the hundreds, till after the closing of
the polls, thus crOwding out citizens and
taxpayers. No manner of threats or persua-
sion had any effect, for they were assured of
protection; the judges were selected for that
purpose One was an appointee of the then
Republican governor, another o railroad
agent, and it was stated afterwards they adj
mitted that to have refused to be party to
the injustice would have cost them their
places.
:. E.
Third. Short terms and low salaries in
vite mostly incompetents or spectators.
Conceding present systems to be so estab-
lished that we may expect no higher ideals
in selfgovernment for some years, are we
not justified in attacking plan, so unbusi-
nesslike, so extremely bereft Of wisdom, that
if suggested in our own AFFAIRS we should
consider the proposition as coming from
one "tOuched?" Bi-annual, limited sessions
of legislatures is notion of recent growth:
too frequent assembling of the people is
dangerous to crowns and prerogatives. The
former had awayOf dissOlving, and when that
OVC"He AHeAPeulehC, pIOEOgulnR, creating
titles and moulding opinions for unpaid law
makers. There are only two conditions Of
society that justifes nOn-compensation for
such services, for
"What is fame?
IT'S the bubble on the fountain,
Rising lightly ere it dies"
One implies all the temporal wants of
mankind satisfied, a condition attainable
only after the passing of the beast, and re-
inheritance Of the government of Love; the
other that of extreme destitution and dark
ness.
The shOrt-lived and infrequent legislator
is child of privilege, born of avarice. Fifty
or sixty days for men charged with the bur.
dens of an afflicted constituency, is period
entirely inadequate for the duties imposed
upon them. Consider that each has his acts
L A.