Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-08-23
10 McDILL'S MUSINGS.
KEY-NOTES.

1t is claimed that the Democratic and Repub-
lican state conventions in Ohio have, in thtir
platforms, sounded the key notes of the next
presidential campaign. 1t is little early tor
key-notes The drouth has to be reckoned
with, and it is not probable that Mckinley is
long -winded enough 20 run the race of two
presidential terms without break.
TO common man, it would seem that the
bubble is about to burst. Hard times follow
drouths, just as panics follow booms and wild
speculation. Then there are labor troubles
which promise so much friction as may gener-
ate good-sized conhagraton
There is time for startling changes that will
raise such din as the Ohio politicians have
not yet dreamed Of.
But, suppose the key-notes are sounded.
What is there IN the music? The Republican
platform contains lot of high.soundne praise
of Republican principles and McKinley's adj
ministration. The Democratic platform is an
empty vessel, sun-dried and worm eaten
Que thing is plain, and that is that the Re-
publ can party in Ohio is not ashamed of its
principles Another thing is equally plain,
is ashamed of its latest national platform and
its candidate for president 1t has resolved to
repndiate what it formerly seemed to favor. II
the party generally repudiates "Bryanism'' as
it has done in Ohio, we will then have two par
ties favoring the same conditions.
With two parties favoring the same condi
tions, the fight resolves itself into struggle
t,r the Offices; and so far as l can see, that is
the situation in Ohio; and if there is no change
contemplated but change in the office holders,
what difference to the common people who
wis? The "outs'' only are the losers, and
the "ins' only the gamers. In either case,
the robber combines will still be on top. Hocus-
pocus money will still continue to be part Of
the medium of exchange. Watered stock will
still pay dividends, and labor will cry and
struggle for the right to live and be happy
and there will he none to hear and respond
To pu' it plain, the Democrats Of Ohio are
either towards or they have betrayed the cause
of labor as stood for in the Kansas City plat
form, and as fought ior by William Jennings
Bryan.
If there are great uphearals i'll the COM
mercial and industrial woru between this time
aud the next presidential campaign, it is not
improbable that the parties i'll Ohio have sound
ed the key-notcs of the "ins' and the 'outs";
and if so, what will tecomc of the Bryan wing
Of Democracy?
Men who have fought for principles will not
fight for spois.
The Bryan wing of the Democratic party
seems to have been very much in earnest, and
Bryan can certainly be credited with all the
sincerity with which men endowed. That
wing of Democracy is not IN the next struggle
to the Ohio keynote.
The Populst supporters OF Bryan will not
hesitate as to their course. If the Ohio key
note is Democratic, the Populist party is sep
IF lie organization, and will be as full OF the
war spirit as if it had never known Bryan and
there had never been Kansas City platform
If is we'll known that there are but two polit.
ical forces in the United States, and that be.