The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-25
SENATOR FOR I'LL
J. R. Burton VIII Not be a
Sectional Advocate.
FOR FOREIGN COMMERCE
And All the Other Things
That Make a Country Great.
OR FOREIGN COMMERCE

Gentlemen Of the Legislature: In &C
coping this high honor I pledge you the
devotion of my best ability to the dis
charge Of the duties of the Office. Allow
me to commend the action of the R9pubIi
cans in naming a candidate in caucus.
and the action Of the opposition in DONG
likewise You have more respect for one
another in thus voting for your princi-
pies. Fusion is corrupting. Partisan
politics is the better politics. No great
reform in politics has ever been enacted
in this country but through the agent Of
party.
Among my kilograms OF congratulation
is one from personal friend of opposite
political faith, a man who last week was
elected senator from western state. The
closing words of the telegram were: we
VIII have our say for the west In the
light Of the last two national campaigns,
these words have a special significance.
While 1 shall never forget that 1 am a
senator from Kansas and that Kansas is
a part Of the west 1 shall always be
lieve that the interest Of my state ls in
dissolubly linked with the general welfare
of my country. That national policy or
that national legislation which inures to
the benefit Of one state helps every other
state, and what is injurious to the one is
injurious to all. So deeply rooted in me
is the sentiment Of nationality that l be-
Heve every measure coming before cen
gress should be considered and decided
from the high plane of the general vel
chr Ia -o1r ID
local legislatures. You gentlemen are
here, legislating alone for Kansas; you
send me to Washington to make laws for
the whole country. secdonalism, when
applied to local affairs, is right, but sec
tionalism carried into national legislation
is wrong. II should never be allowed 10
lift its head in the national congress. If,
then, I have my say for Kansas and the
west, my words must have a neaning
broad enough to cover all the land.
with the silver question settled and
with the wild vagaries respecting eco
no1nics and finance fading fast away and
the idea Of changing the republic into an
empire transformed into q well-nigh for
gotten campaign pleasantly, one of the
foremost questions for solution is the ex-
tension Of our foreign commerce. This is
not the time, nor here the place. to dis
cuss this question, but surely it is not
improper to say that since by wise laws
we have gained control of our domestic
commerce we viii press on toward the es-
Enlistment of our supremacy on the SEA.
Some there are who fear that this ag-
gressive spirit. Of commercialism VIII
make commerce OF our politics. Mr.
Bryan has said that the Republican
party has exalted the dollar above the
man Bishop Potter has recently called
US a dollar-ridden people, The most
eloquent of all the opposing orators in the
last campaign, BoTke Cochran, declared
that the American people are lace to
face with choosing between profit and JUS
tice' But they take counsel Of their
prejudices or their fears; they seem to see
the evil and ignore the good. The dollar
may have a bad side but it also has a
good side. The dollar has opened Up our
farms and mines; it has lighted the 4res
at every forge: it has built the school
house, church and home; it las carried
the gospel to heather lands. L mas Civ
en- man competency and made him fee
free In mind as free in body. The purity
Of the dollar has been preserved and
made the greatest Of all servants 10 man.
Instead Of being forced to choose between
profit and justice. commerce, inspired by
our higher civilization, is beginning to
realize that the greatest profit is the most
exact justice
disguise it as you may, the real Issue
IN this state and in the nation for the
past two political campaigns has been the
conservatism of property rights against
spohahon- The acquisition OF property IS
| conducive to virtue rather than zee. For
every wrong that st done 81 aolIiring
property there are a hundred benefits.
Commerce, however legitimate and
fair. should not enter the domain CT POLL
tics-to this we al agree Political COM
mercialsn IS not growing in this coun-
! try; on the contrary, it is on the decline.
/ The controlling men in Our politics are not
milionaires. Rich men 60 not dominate
/ either in national or state affairs. George
! Washington is the only rich man who has
/ ever been elected president The leading
men in both branches of congress are
| mostly men of moderate means
AS to our own state, in the early DAYS.
/ political commercialism was sometimes
/ seen In the selection OF high officers. That
/ time has happily passed away. rs 1t has
/ in most Of the states. Commercialisn in
! politics everywhere has grown to he the
! exception, and not the rule
Permit me q word 10 the Republican
members Of the legislature our party
has been returned to power. The people
+ have again turned ~ Us II we show
+ ourselves worthy Of this confidence. cur
/ power viii De perpetuated. If we are false
p