Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-08-22
A SENATOR'S views.
Senator Harris Talks Interestingly
About Current Affairs.
Fl. LEAVENWOR1H 1OBE 4 BIC POST
The Future Policy and Issues Of the Demo-
cratic Psrty-Free Silver Settled for the
Time Being-Pressnt System Of
Taxation Unjust.


United States Senator William A,
Harris arrived in Leavenworth yester-
day from Washington and will remain
here several weeks before returning
to Washington. He is stopping at
the Planters hotel, but is looking for
a farm near Leavenworth with a view
of purchasing it and making it his
permanent home. In speaking of Fort
Leavenworth Senator Harris said that
1t was q general understanding in
Washington, amounting to settled
fact, that the war department had
decided to make Fort Leavenworth
the big post Of the country, as the
center of military operations for the
United States army. It is also under.
stood that the work Of improving and
charging Fort Leavenworth will be
begun Immediately and pushed as
rapidly as possible, the preliminary
steps in this direction having already
been taken by Secretary Root and his
assistants, Gen. Corbln and Col.
Carter.
Asked about national affairs, Sem
ator Harris said that public interest
at Washington was confined princi-
pally to the Schley-Sampson contro-
versy, the suffrage question in the
south and the steel strike. The sem
ator said that it seemed to be the
general sentiment in Washington that
there was a clique in the navy de-
partment to crush Schley and elevate
Sampson. Whether 1t would be sue
cessful or not, he said, was an open
question.
Senator Harris was asked his opin-
ion Of what the future policy and is
sues of the democratic party would
be. Generally speaking" he replied,
"the democratic party must continue
to be the party of the people. The
republican party is the party Of the
trusts and concentrated wealth. If
the democratic party stays. with the
people on all questions which arise,
as it has since the Chicago conven-
ton, it will ultimately triumph; but
continued defeat, disaster and disrup-
ton will meet it, if it, discouraged
by past defeats, attempts to drift
away from the people and play to the
moneyed interests. All this talk
about 'reorganizing' the democratic
party, nominating David D. Hill and
flirting with the so-called gold demo-
cratic crowd Of the east is the rarest
nonsense. The democratic party took
a noble stand at Chicago and again
at Kansas City. It must not turn
back. Right will win in the long run.
| have no patience with political
policy or diplomacy unless it be
founded on right.
81 believe" continued the senator,
"that the leading national issue of
the democratic party in 1904 will be
that of taxation, In my opinion that
is the big question now before the
country. The present system of tax
alton is unequal and unjust. To be-
gin with there should be a graduated
income tax. Then the tariff laws
should be changed. The system which
permits foreigners in foreign lands to
buy American manufactured goods
cheaper than we can buy them here
at home is wrong. | believe in reci
procity-reciprocal trade treaties be-
tween the United States and foreign
If we would build up and
extend our commerce it must be fair
and equitable"
Senator Harris believes that free sill
yer will not be an Issue in the next
national campaign. THAT phase OF
the money question: he said "has
been settled, temporarily at least, by
the increase of the volume of the cir
culating medium, resulting from the
discovery of the rich gold fields" He
believes in government ownership OF
the railroads. telegraph and tele-
phones. He thinks that will be an
although not leading is
sue, in the next national campaign.
He said he did not believe W. j. Bryan
would be a candidate in 1904.