The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-08

mitted to the principles of civil serv-
ice reform and we demand their hon
est, just and impartial enforcement
We denounce the Republican party
croachments upon the spirit and OPP
Grafton of civil service rules whereby
it has arbitrarily dispensed with ex-
animation for offices in the interest of
favorites and employed all manner Oh
devices to over-reach and set aside
the principle upon which the civil
service was established
Condemnation of PoIygamy.
We demand the determination of
polygamy within the Jurisdiction OF
the United states ana complete sepa-
ration of church and state in political
affairs.
Reclamation of Arid Lands.
We congratulate our western citi-
zens upon the passage OF the measure
known as the Newlands irrigation act
for the irrigation and reclamation of
the arid lands of tn ewest-a measure
framed by a Democrat, passed in the
senate by a non-partSan vote, and
passed in the house agaist the opposi-
ton of almost all the Republican
leaders by a vote the majority of
which was Democratic. We call at
tention to this great Democratic
measure. broad and comprehensive as
it is working automatically through
out all time without further action of
congress until the reclamation of all
the lands in the arid west capable of
reclamation is accomplished, reserv-
ing the lands reclaimed for home
seekers in small tracts, and rigidly
guarding against land monopolies, as
an evidence of the policy of domestic
development contemplated by the
Democrat party should it be placed in
power.
We favor preservation, so far as we
can, of an open door for the worlds
commerce in the Orient without I'M
necessary enlargement in Oriental
European affairs and without arbi-
trary, unlimited. irresponsible and abb
solute government anywhere within
our realm
We oppose as fervently as did George
Washington himself an indefinite, ire
sponsible, discretionary and vague abb
solutism and a policy of colonial ex-
ploitation, no matter where or by whom
invoked or exercised, we believe with
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, that
no government has a right to make one
set OF laws for those "at home" and
another and a different set of laws alb
soIute in their character for those lin
the colonies"
All men under the American flag are
entitled to the protection of the institu-
lions whose emblem the flag is; if they
are Inherently UNFIT for those inStitu-
ton then they are inherently unfit to
be members of the American body po-
litic. Whenever there may exist a peO-
pie 1QCapaDlS Oh DSllS governed under
American laws, IN consonance with the
American constitution the territory of
that people ought not to be part of the
American domain.
We insist that we ought to do for the
Filipinos what We have already done for
the Cubans. And it is our intention
and soon as it can be done wisely and
safely for the Filipinos themselves. and
after amicable arrangement with them
concerning naval stations, coaling sta
tions and trade relations and upon suit
able guarantees of protection to all
national and international interest to
settle the people upon their feet free
and independent, to work out their own
destiny.
The endeavor of the secretary of war
by pledging the government endorse
ment for promoters, in the Philip
pines islands to make the United States
partner in speculative exploitation
of the archipelago which was only tenn
porarfly held up by the opposition of
Democrat senator in the last session,