Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-08-01

We, the representatives of the Peo
pies party of the state of Kansas, in
state convention assembledin TT. Scott
on the 25th day of July, 1900, do here
by reaffirm the declaration of princi-
pies promulgated by our national con-
ventfOn held at Sioux Falls, South Da-
kota. MAY Q, 1900, and indorse the
nominees of That convention.
We commend to the favorable con-
sideration of the people of Kansas a
comV arison between the last Popuhst
state administration and the proceed
ing and succeeding Republican state
administrations, believing that such
comparison Will everywhere inure to
the credit of Populfsts.
The spirit of miftarism, imperialism
and the desire for foreign conquest
which now prevades the dominant po-
htical organization is the direct out
growth of the spirit of greed. which
is the chief characteristic of modern
commerciaEsm as embodied in trusts
and private monopolies. The modern
industrial commercial transportation
trust is monarchical in its tendencies,
and absoiutism i'm commercial life
leads 10 political absolutism and inn
peIIaIism. There is no affinity be-
tween political democracy and COM
nercial aTistocracy. The spirit that
compels men to accept the price which
private monopoly may place upon
their labor or its products, or upon
the necessities. of rheir Fife, will utter
ro protest at the despoilment of our
political liberties at home, nor at THE
imposition of unjust ana undesired
governments upon the people of other
lands. We are unalterably opposed
10 abSolut6sm- whether practiced upon
the people of this nation by imperial
commercial trusts and private monop-
olistdc corporations, or whether prac-
ticed upon politician subjects either of
Queen Victoria in South Africa or bv
VIM. Mckinley in Porto Rico and the
Philippines. The spirit of Imperialism
is everywhere the same. whether eX-
Mbfted in commercial or political
World, and Us inimfcal no n democratic
form of government. Either the spirit
OF greed which now dominates our
commercial and national life must be
overthrown or the republic will be de-
stroyed. We therefore call upon all
patriotic citizens of Kansas, lrrespec-
tive of present or past patty affilia-
t1olBS, to join with us in carving to
effect the following principles of civil
and political government, confident
that our reliance on their patriotism
and love of liberty and Justice will
not be misplaced.
We favor the election of United
States senator's by a direct vote of the
people, and we ask that our next leg
lSlai:ure pass such resolutions as will
promote this amendment to our ma
tlonal constitution; and we appeal to
other states to join us lin such action.
we dcnounce the present illiberal
and unjust administration OF the pen
Aon bureau by II Republican commits
sooner, mt the d1ctation of the organ
NED wealth of the country, instead of
ia the interest of the veterans of the
war for the Union.
BeheNGnS that n genuinely demo-
cratic form of governments, free from
the control of the lobbyist and cor
ruptionist, Us and will be impossible
until the people have the power to in
itaate Legislation and compel n subnls-
SION of legislation enacted by their
representatives to a popular vote we
demand that the initiative and refer
endum be embodied in our state con
stdtution.
The Peoples Parity enacted IL rail-
road law to protect the people of this
state against the extortions of the
transportation corporations. A re-
publican administration made the law
OF non-etfect by failing to enforce it,
and the Republican majority of the
supreme COURT followed this up by de-
stroying 1T. We are in favor Of furth-
er Legislation to control these corpora
tlons as far as possible. but we
reg~.d the conflict between incorpor-
uted wealth and the interests of the
people as irrepresSible, and we look
for no permanent relief except in gov
ernncnt ownership of railroads.
We demand the withdrawal of al,
special privileges now granted by law
To corporations or individuals. and the
application of the principles of gov
eminent ownership as a remedy fol
monopo.ies of every kind. Believing
the public work ought to be done by
the people in their own interest; we
favor the municipal ownership and
operation of plants for the supply Oh
water. light, heat and power, and also
of all street car lines and telephone
systems.
We congratulate the people of Kan.
sas upon THE steady spread of Populist
principles along these lines, which arr
now le2vening all parties, and poin,
with qualification to the erection of q
plant for the manufacture of binding
twtne by the state. which has checked
the eXtort6ons of one monopoly, by
compelling nj to reduce it's prices, and
has Already saved thousands of dollars
to the farmers. of Kansas. We also
call attention to the successful opera
ton of the state law reducing the
price of school books and the result
ant saving of hundreds of thousands
of dollars TO the people.
We believe that the people can, with