Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-09-21

equivocal terms.
sanction of the executive and the repub-
Hcan members of the house and senate,
5usti tie the warnlnS given by the ns demo
dicted that the republican party would
attempt to retire the greenbacks: al
though the party and its leaders studious-
ly concealed their Intentions. That pur-
pose is now plain and the people must
greenbacks, issued and controlled in vol
ume by the government. and national
bank note currency issued by banks and
controlled In their own interests. If the
national bank notes are to be secured by
bonds, the currency system now support
permanent and increasing debt. and. so
long as this system stands, the financial
win be the to ae Of
measure which will contribute to the size
and permanency OF national debt It is
people will deliberately. turn from the
debt-paying policy of the past. to the
dangerous doctrine of perpetual bonds
Election of Senators by the People.
ment providing for the election Of SEN
ators by direct vote of the people, ap-
pears for the first time in a democratic
national platform. but a resolution pro-
posing such an amendment has three
times passed the house of representa-
opposition. Whatever may have been the
reasons which secured the adoption of
the present plan. a century ago. new con
people be permitted to speak directly in
the selection of their representatives in
resentative of the state because he Re-
ceives his commission from the people
h tnemse Sc t rather saan from the men, men,
is competent to vote for a member of
congress, for state officers and for pres
resentative in the senate. A system
which makes the senator responsible for
his election to the people, as a whole.
+
sents them, must commend itself to those
who have confidence in the intelligence
and patriotism of the masses
Direct Legislation.
The platform Endorses the principle of
direct legislation. This is already applied
to the more important questions In ma
sound theory. that the people can be
trusted. and that the more responsive the
the more free it will be from misuse and
abuse.
Labor Question.
Several blanks of the labor platform
are devoted to questions in which the
laboring classes have an immediate inter
est but which more HI remotely =, affect our
is is at ' present directed Chiefly against the
a disagreement mt Between them and their
employer, it involves a principle which
hs 9t ene
by judge for trial by jury, and is covert
blow at the jury system. The abolition
of government by Injunction is as neces-
sary for the protection of the reputation
of the court it is for the security of
the citizen. Blackstone in defending trial
by Jury says:
1.-The impartial administration of JUS
tice. which secures both our persons and
our properties, is the great end of civil
society. but if that be intrusted entirely
to the magistracy, select body of men.
enjoy the highest offices of the state. their
decisions. in spite of their natural integ-
sy @ nat tSoae nf fber an OWN ranK anS
dignity. 1t is not to be expected from
human nature that the few should be al
ways attentive to the interests and good
of the many"
If the criminal laws are not sufficient
for the protection of property, they. can
charged with crime must have his case
tried before jury of his peers.
The Blacklist.
The blacklist as now employed in some
employee under practical dureSS. for the
skilled laborer. loses his independence
charge him. but prevent his securing any
similar employment. The blacklist en-,
fha 0 the
earners which a private monopoly exer-
cises without contract
Arbitration.
The platform renews the demand for
arbitration between corporations and
| their employees. No one who has observed
the friction winch arises between Sreat
corporations and their numerous en-
ployes can doubt the wisdom of estab-
fishing an impartial court for the Just
and equitable settlement of disputes. The
demand for arbitration ought to be sup
ported as heartily by the public, which
suffers Inconvenience because of strikes
and lockouts. and by the employers them
selves. as by the employees. The estab-
lishment of arbitration will insure friend
ly relations between labor and capital
and render obsolete the growing practice
of calling in the army to settle labor
troubles.
Department of Labor
I cannot too strongly emphasize the i'm
portance of the platform recommends tion
of the establishment of a department OF
| its head. When we remember how i'm.
| portant position the laborer fills in OuI
economic, social and political fabric. il
being made to this recognition of his
| services. Agriculture is already repre-
sented in the presidents official house
hold; the army and navy have their rep
resentative there; the. state department.
ury department. with its close connection
| with fiscal affairs, keep the executive in
touch with the business and commercial
sentative of the wage earning class would
be- of invaluable aid, not only to the
| tOilerS, but to the president
Chinese Exclusion.
The Chinese exclusion act has proven
an advantage to the country. and its con
| tinuance and strict enforcement, as wei
are impera lively necessary. The Asiatie
| is so essentially different from the Amer
| lean that he cannot be assimilated with
| our population. and is, therefore. not de-
| sirable as permanent citizen. His pres
ence as temporary laborer, preserving
his national identity, and maintaining q
| foreign scale of wages and living. must
ever prove an injustice to American pro-
| ducers as we'll as a perpetual source OF
irritation
| Pensions.
The party expresses its pride in the sol
diers and sailors of all our wars, and de-
clares its purpose to deal generously will
them and their dependents. A liberia
| policy is natural and necessary in a gov
eminent which depends upon either
sold1ery, instead of a large standing army
| Self-interest. as well as gratitude. com