Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1902-10-08
THE SILENCE is BROKEN.
The Boss Comes off His High Perch
And Tries to Get Right.

E. II. Nixon has at last come out in
the open and defined his position on the
Barber county printer law and makes
an attempt to define himself on the tax
alton question but fails.
The following communication was
delivered to US the first of the week:
ED. INDEX: My attention has been
called TO all inquiry in recent number
of your paper as to my position on Ger
tain questions. Wnile [ do not recog-
nlZe them as proper issues in this cam
paIgn, L am perfectly willing to satisfy
your consuming anxiety by stating my
position.
In regard to the county printer law 1
am In favor of its repeal for two
reasons:
1st. Because the biennial election
law makes an amendment of the print
er law, changing time of election, i'm
perative If it is retained.
End. Because majority of the vo-
ters of Barber county have signifeu
their desire for It's repeal, and I am in
favor of government by majority.
Concerning the TAX law my action
will be governed by what consider the
best interests Of the taxpayers of Bar
Der county if [ am elected as their rep
Iesentatiye. L have only seen a synop-
sis of the law and therefore cannot say
whether the proposed law is good or
bad. If | am elected, | shall give the
bill careful examination, and if 1 find
that it requires all property owners to
pay their just and equitable proportion
of taxes l will favor it; otherwise, [
shall earnestly oppose it,
E. Fl. NIXON.
The Index is perfectly willing to give
Mr.. Nixon all the credit to which he is
entitled for taking the position he has
on the printer law, but his first reason
assigned is the merest twaddle. SO far
as the special election feature goes,
Mr.. Nixon need give himself no uneasi-
ness even though the law should be re.
tanned for there is an amendment to
the constitution pending, which, if car
ried, will make the printer elected On
even years, the same as other officers
There is no doubt of it's prevailing, but
but If it does not we will still have to
have an election every year for town
ship officers and one commissioner.
Mr.. NIxon's second reason is a good
one, however, and it over balances the
weakness of the first. We congratulate
him on his recent change of heart but
feel like chastising him for his tardi-
ness. He has been candidate since
the 14th of June and this is the first
time he has had the courage to come
out openly and say that he was in favor
of obeying the will of the people. His
party platform is entirely silent on the
proposition and his official organ has
been defending the law and upholding
it with might and main. Hence the
people were rejustified in believing that
Mr.. Nixon would stand for the law.
But now that he has renounced his par
ty paper en- that proposition we will
give him credit for getting right even
if it was done with reluctance and un.
der public pressure.
His reference to the tax matter
sounds like the chatter of children. 1t
is his duty to know the provisions of
that law and to define himself positive
ly. If he does not know that this pro.
posed law is in conflict with the best
interests of the people and in the inter-
est of corporations and eastern Capt.
talists he is behind the times and is
not worthy to represent the people of
Barber county in the legislature. The
people are not in q mood to trust
this matter to the judgment of one
man. They KNOW that the law is OBJ
noxious and they want it defeated, and
Mr.. Nixon and every other republican
boss in Kansas knows that If q repub-
lican house of representatives and re-
publican governor are elected, that
measure will be forced onto the statute
boOkS.>
Now is no time for lodging. Be for
it or against it. This is even more
important than the printer law, and
unless you take apositiye stand against
it the voters will conclude that you are
for it. You can't be 'alf and 'alf.
n n