Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-01-18

"
fore any attention win be paid tosthelr !
pretenses of interest.
Rights Of Party Management.
Those who are within the party lines
have a right to a voice in the making of
the platform, and are entitled to make
such change in the organization or ma
chinery of the party as they please, but
honesty and good faith require that any
desired change shall be openly proposed
and fairly presented. Party organiza tons
are framed for party governments and
derive their just powers from the consent
of the governed. Party platforms are of
no value unless they reflect the purpose
of and the policy desired by a majority
of those who belong to the party. Those
who are really devoted to democratic
principles will neither practice deception
themselves or permit others to practice
deception in writing platform or in
curing control of the party machinery.
II hope that in this and other states
the party may be able to avoid these
fierce factional contentious which some
times distract attention from party prin-
ciples and waste in personal fights the
energy that should be directed against
the common enemy.
Undismayed by Defeat.
1.-The defeat which the party recently
suffered ought not to discourage anyone
who believes in the principles set forth
in the Kansas City platform, for IT those
principles were right when the platform
was written and when they were in
dorsed by nearly 6,5O0,OOO of voters, they
are right still. The democratic party has
been defeated before. but defeat has
neither destroyed it's hope nor its tenets.
In 1872 the defeat was overwhelming and
yet we won in 1876. In 1880 we thought
that the people would rebuke the count
ing out of Tilden four years before, but
we were doomed to disappointment.
I'VE in 1884 and lost in 1883. We
won in 1892 and lost in 1896 and 1890. If
anyone is inclined to attribute recent de-
feats to the platforms adopted or to the
organizations in charge of the fight, let
him remember that the defeat of 1896 came
at the close of an administration entirely
satisfactory to those who are most anX-
ious to reorganize the party and that the
defeat of 1894, which occurred under a
similar administration, was more disas-
trous than any that has taken place
since.
mo one can foresee the conditions
which our party must meet, but we can
face the future with the determination
to apply democratic principles to every
emergency and to make the party a
faithful exponent of the views Of those
who believe in equal rights to all and
special privileges to none.
Future of Financial Question.
Whether the money question will fig
| ure prominently in future campaigns will
depend upon circumstances which no one
can measure with certainty. What Is de-
sired is a sufficient quantity of money to
keep pace with the demand for money.
If an unexpected and unpromised In
crease in the output of gold restores the
level of prices and protects the producers
of wealth from the evils of an appreciat-
| ing dollar, those who have labored for BIZ
metalism will rejoice more heartily than
| the fnanciers who advocated the gold
standard at a time when gold was Scarcer
and the dollar was becoming dearer.
''Monopolies will ultimately become SO
hurtful that the republicans will no long
| er be able to defend them. Even to-day
| their defense is more secret than open.
| A colonial policy when put into full oper-
| alton will prove so repugnant to Amert-
| can principles that 1t must finally be re-
pudiated by the American people. If
| in the cases now pending the supreme
| court holds that the constitution follows
a flag, large portion of the republican
party will oppose the retention of the
| Philippine islands. If. on the contrary.
| the court holds that president and con-
gress can govern colonies without regard
| to the restrictions of the constitution.
many republicans will be able to realize
| what Imperialism means.
| Fight Not i'm Vain.
"But If fate decres change In the ideas
| and ideals of our nation, and we are to
! witness a return to the brute force doc
trines upon which empires rest. our
| struggle will still have answered pur-
| in history and inspire the lovers of lib
| erty in future years. when mankind again
takes up the fight for the principles of
| self-government. We are advoca ting
! truths that cannot die. and we ca. af-
| ford to share in temporary reverSes that
may come to them. The love of freedom
| will live while the human race endures,
| and those who suffer for the right will
| receive their reward in history even If
| their eyes do not behold the victory.
I'm defeat those who support the prin-
| ciples set forth in the declaration of indie
pendence can take courage from the hero
ism manifested by those in South Africa.
| who are giving their lives in defense of
the same doctrines. Cronje suffers in
| loneliness on ST. Helena, but his name
will live in poetry and song when the
name of Roberts Is forgotten and Kruger
| will wear a crown of deathlesS fame
| when kings and emperors are known no
| more"