Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1899-01-21
TOPEKA, Kan, January 8, 1899

TOPEKA, Kan, January 8, 1899.
The men who built the foundation
OF our great Kansas were wise in their
dav and our generation, too. They
adopted a constitution and buy-lawS
for our state that pervides for emer-
gencies. 1t pervides for irregular Ses-
sions of erratic legislatures. These
pervISiOnS pervide for extra irregular
sessions to ward off impending calam-
tiles such as plaques. peStilence, de-
ferred combinations and other dis
pensations of all-wise improvidence.
Thus we had the 'grasshopper'' extra,
then the ''foot and mouth" extra ar d
the last has been a heap like it. I'm
afraid the CRATE common people viii
not appreciate it because they will
not or can not understand the CRATE
underlyin' principles of reform gov
ernment and governors. There was
an emergency but the CRATE common
people may not see it as plainly as it
appears to many of our late lamented
governors appinteeS who bravely
struggled to have reform firmly
seated in the high places and keep it
there. There was an emergency: We
promised the people a rail road bill
and we must keep our pledge. We
passed the bill and repealed the old
law, lest it bring on another emergen-
". Emergencies are bad onless there
oe reefcrm administration in power
to check 'em. The new bill has no
father nor no mother nor no god
father-even the corkus wouldn't own
it. 1t was an emergency bill and
didn't have time to be born with reg
ular kinfolkS. Bein' an emergency
bill we made it go into effect in about
four months. Some Of our senators
were agin the bill but voted for it
because t was the corkuS agreement
to do so. Our CRATE party is agin
corkus rule but this was an emergen-
cy bill. Even a Republican Supreme
Court can see that but I'm afeared
the CRATE common people won't catch
on. In the meantime very mean
time), before the new law goes into
operation, another legislature will be
in regular session but it was only
lately elected when the CRATE common
people were busy and didn't take time
to notice. Comm so recently from
private life, without experience. the
new legislature couldn't be trusted to
manage an emergency. 1t was our
emergency. too, and we met our duty
with noble courage but, somehow,
I'm afeared we didn't do all that was
expected of us. Some of our faithful,
hard woTkin' friends will be out of
jobs afore long. Still the CRATE COM
mon people will never know how
much they owe to their party leaders
and the underlyin' principles. Regu-
lar sessions can't handle emergencies.
In this Respondent mood i turn for
consolation to the little book of l.
Ronnick. called the Manual and Sc
cret Work OF the Farmers Atlantis
the CRATE parent of our party: The
author saws:
Our second degree consists of catty-
ketical instruction of the benighted
candidate seeking for reform and es-
cape from the prosecutions of venal
officers.
Our chief password is Euroclydon
and signifies our stock in trade as you
will discover upon consulting Web
steb on bridge.
On entering lodge of reeformerS
you will advance to the center of the
hall and stand on one foot. like a tur-
keygobbler in snow drift, which sig
mites independence. While in this
graceful position you must salute the
Chief Saw Buck who will assign you
to position of honor in accordance
with your ability as an agitator and
the frequency with which you are
sought by venal offices of trust and
profit The greater persecution of
this kind which you suffer the greater
will be the honor conferred upon YOU.