The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1904-11-04
PLEDGES NEVER KEPT
REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS DELCD-
Ed THE FARMER.
legislation Asked for BY the National
Grange Promised but Not Enacted
Reasons for Voting for Demo
cratic Candidates

The National Grange at its annual
meeting in 1902, decided on the fol
loving lines Of national. legislation:
General rural free delivery; postal
savings banks; election Of United
States senators by the people; a con-
stitutiOnal amendment giving Con
gress power to regulate and control
trusts and other combinations; en-
Iargement Of the powers Of interstate
commerce commission; regulation OF
the use Of shOddy; pure food laws;
provision for the extension Of markets
for products equally with manufac-
tured articles; enactment Of an anti
trust law clearly defining what acts
on the part Of any corporation would
be detrimental to public welfare;
speedy construction Of the Nicaragua
canal; speedy construction OF a ship
canal connecting the Mississippi river
with the great lakes and the latter
with the Atlantic ocean"
Nearly all these reforms have been
brought forward by the Democrats in
Congress and voted down by the Re
publicans, the exceptions being rural
free delivery, which both parties fay
ored, and the partial enactment Of
pure food laws. Both parties favor
ed the oceanic canal, though the sub
stitutiOn Of the Panama route for the
Nicaraguan by the Republicans has
been a source Of scandal and will
probably delay the attainment Of that
much desired Improvement.
The Grange this year again de
mands similar legislation as it did in
1902, but the prospect Of obtaining
it viii be still further postponed if
the Republicans succeed in electing
their ticket At the Congressional
election Of 1902 the farmers in the
Northern states evidently believed
the pledge Of the Republican eandi-
dates, that they would enact the leg
islatiOn asked for by the Grange, but
although the Congress then elected
has had nearly two years to show its
gOOd faith and redeem the pledge
made to the farmers no such legisla-
ton has been accomplished.
viii these farmers, who must feel
they have been deIUded, continue to
rely upon Republican promises, or
will they kick ever the traces and
vote for the candidates who they
know viii carry out the Grange pro-
gram2 The record shows that the
Democrats introduced bills for the leg
islation demanded, but it was either
smOthered in committee, or voted
down by the Republican majority. To
obtain legislation, such as the Nation
al Grange suggests it is utterly use
less 10 rely upon the pledge Of a can
didate whose party does not favor it.
The candidate, if elected, may hon
estly intend to redeem his promises,
but when he takes his seat in Con
gress he finds the three Republican
members OF the Committee on Rules
a barrier over which he cannot climb
unless a majority Of all the members
OF mis- party are on his side Even
then If the leaders decide that the
/ legislation is against the railroads,
or other combination Of vested inter.
ests, they postpone action until the
/ corporation lobby have had time to
convert" a minority into a majority.
Enere are other ways that are dark
and tricks that are vain for which the
/ Republican machine politician is pecu-
/ iiar. The moral Of it all is, to vote
I Tor the candidates Of the party who
will not throw these extraordinary
| obstacles in the way Of legislation the
1 PEOPLE desire.