The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1902-05-30

for disposition. 1t would be neces-
sary, he said, for the convention to
continue its life until after the COM
pletion of the full ticket. The pop
uhsts, if the democratic programme
for the remaining places on the
ticket, and their action must be rati-
fed by the formal Nomination by the
democratic convention of the candi-
dates they select. This action will
make the ticket democratic really
and legally.
Kansas Democratic Platform.
We hereby reaffirm the platform of the
national democratic convention held at
Kansas City in 1900, and the state plat
form of the democratic party OF Kansas
adopted at Fort Scott. Kan, in 1900. and
we declare our unfaltering devotion to
the great and abiding principles of Amer
lean democracy, by which alone popular
rights can be defended and maintained.
We denounce the trusts, which. under
the protection of the republican party,
are continually growing stronger, more
insolent and aggressive, and have within
the last few years advanced the cost OF
living at least 40 per cent and have lately
made enormous eXactions in arbitrarily
fixing the price of food products at I'M
natural figures as to soreley Cypress all
persons not in aff1uent circumstances.
We remind the voters that we have for
years pointed out these dangers and have
demanded the suppression of these arti-
fetal, unconscfonable and monstrous COM
binations which are net only depressing
the present generation. but are threaten
ing to enslave and disinherit posterity.
The perfidy of the republican party in
declaring in its platform for an elective
railway commission and then passing a
law establishing an appointive commits
sion is without parallel in the history Of
the state and is such an insult to the in
telligence, integrity and self-respect Of
the people at large as should be resent
ed in no uncertain manner by the voters
of the state, and we favor the election of
railway commissioners by the people.
We denounce the action of the last re-
publican legislature in passing an cleo
ton law by which one of the existing
political parties of this state has been
wholly disfranchised and the right of the
people to express themselves in an I'M
trammeled manner at the ballot box has
been ruthlessly violated and trodden I'M
der foot by a statute at-once unconsti-
tutional, revolutionary and infamous.
The record of the repr blican party OF
Kansas shows that they have always
stood for corporations and trusts, and
against the people. We pledge our cam
didates, if elected, to protect the material
and political rights and liberties of the
people, whenever and wherever unjuStly
aSSailed by corporate power.
We favor reform in the tax laws of the
state and such changes in the law as
will reach the trusts and monopolies and
give to municipalities the right TO de-
termine as to methods of taxation re-
specting local matters, provided that no
law shall authorize any violation of the
constitution.
We stand for the ownership and opera
ton of all public service functions by
and in the interest of the people. Wher-
ever municipal corporations inaugurate
efforts to own and operate their own
water or light plants or transportation
facilities, we commend to the voters OF
our party the support of such measures
as being in line with the principles of
democracy and we will welcome the day
when the entire interstate transportation
system of our country can be acquired
and operated by the people, thus doing
away with these gigantic monopolies in
private hands which discriminate unjust
ly between trade~centers and constitute
the real basis for the greatest trusts ever
organized.
In the interest of the people, we plead
for a state administration and fora leg.
islature free from railroad domination.
The proposed republican tax law, which
will be adopted if the next Legislature
is republican, leaves, by command of the
railroads, the valuation of all railroad
property in the hands of a subservient
state administration. Attention is called
| to the fact, in this connection, that in
democratic Missouri the Burlington road
pays taxes on a valuation of $15,225 pei
mile, while in republican Kansas it pays
taxes on a valuation of $1,000 per mile;
the Missouri Pacific S19,011 in Missouri
$7,492 in Kansas; the Rock Island S167a
| in Missouri, S7.064 in Kansas, and the
Santa Fe $17,057 in Missouri and S6,749 IL
Kansas; and that the general VALUATION
| of railroad property in Missouri for the
purposes of taxation is 60 per cent. highei
than the same property is valued in KaE,
saS.
Of all the evils of the railway dis,
elimination none are so insidious, so cor,
slant and so powerful as the free or com,
plimentary pass and other like discrim,
nations among the travelling public
| There can never be any progress MAIDS
| toward correcting the abuses practiced
| by transportation companies until all
| discrimination in passenger travel is alb
solutely abolished
| We therefore demand the immediate
| abolition of the free pass and all othe,
/ like devices.
| We indorse the position taken by the
| democratic members of the national con-
/ gress with respect to the duty Of the
| government of the United States toward
| the Philippine islands and their people.
| In the interest of the government by the
| people we stand for direct legislation and
for minority representation in our legis.
| lature.
| We congratulate the republic of Cuba
| upon her admission to the sisterhood Of
| republics, and we congratulate the United
States upon the same suspicious event.
| We condemn the official action and
| hypocrisy of the republican state admin,
| istration for cowardly lodging the pro-
| hibitory question to satisfy the unreason.
| able demands of radical prohibitionists
| and in making no effort to enforce the
/ law for the purpose of drawing to THEFT
| support the liquor power outside of Kan.
i sas and those who violate the law with
in the state in order to perpetuate them
selves in political and official power.
We, therefore, believing in the princf
j pies of the initiative and referendum in