The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-27
NOT MATTER OF PARTY
Federation of Business Interest
Demand Its Rights.
FIRST OF REPUBLICANS
viii Ask Democrats to Take
Up Fight.
REPUBLICANS
To the Editor of the Eagle:

ferson?
Nobody doubts the greatness of thes,
men, and the word is used in its fullest
sense The modern definition of greatness
is intellectual strength and political acu-
men, but the word suggests exalted virtues
and patriotism that rises q bove all selfish
interests. These two leaders possess all
these attributes and time will never dim
the luslre of their deeds. One conceived
the plan and constructed. the charter OF
our federal union. He was a strict con-
structionist of that instrument when ii
was necessary to oppose the policy of the
United States bank scheme. The other
was a broad constructionist of the con-
stitution when it was necessary to save
the union. One created, the other preserv-
ed the great charter. All honor TO Jeffer-
son and Lincoln. The glory of their
achievements belongs 10 no political party
now in existence. They have all gone out
of the way
When degenerate son is being tried for
crime it does not profit him to plead the
greatness of his sire. 1t aggravateS,
paliates the offense in the minds Of the
jury. So when the polished elocuti1nist
from Nebraska is made he central figure
a6 Jeffersonian banquar and with we'll
TUNED platitudes traces the pedigree OF
his party through jackson, Monroe and
Madison to jefferson. or when the silver
tongued senator from Kansas is chosen
orator of a Lincoln banquet and with
studied grace and his familiar CONNER
cial smile traces the pedigree of his
party through Lincoln and the Adams s
to Washington, an intelligent jury would
decide that if these are the offspring of
great men and great principles the mod
ern exhibit makes a bad showing for tn.
law of heredity. The Democrats may say
that Bryan does not represent the Dem
ocratic party, which provokes the reply
that the party followed him around four
years and put pen in his hand and
begged him to write what he would and
they would label it Jeffersonian Democ-
racy if he would be their Moses and lead
them out of the wilderness. The Repub-
lican party of Kansas may say that SEN
ator Burton does not represent the party,
but the best proof if his good standing
in Kansas is that he leads a great reform
movement that has split the party In
Kansas in twain, but the willy senator is
on the thick side of The split, and he will
be the choice of the reformers for re-
election to the United States senate if at
that time the legislature has jurisdiction
over him.
Interesting as IL would be to trace
these two parties in their rise and moral
decline, We have only space to remark
that they were both at one time great in
the best sense of that word, and if we
had remained poor in material things,
if our soil had been sterile and our eli
mate harsh as in Switzerland, we might
today have been as virtuous and happy
as that little republic whose government
is by the people in truth as well as in
name
Our ancestors, whether the Puritans of
New England or the cavaliers of Vir-
ginia, whatever their social and political
peculiarites, were honest. They were
also poor 1t seems hard and wrong to
believe that honesty can dwell only with
poverty. 1t is well within the writer's
when there were few very poor
people and fewer still very rich people in
this country. Ane wealth then not so
great was nearly evenly distributed. \
man worth a hundred thousand dollars
then was very rare. now man worth
only that amount is dependent He has
saved this remnant of a larger
fortune, destroyed by the influence of
combine aided by railroad conspiracy,
and he fears to trust it in another ven
lure
In those early days a seat in the United
States senate was a patent to respecta
1ility Few men aspired 10 it and when
/ candidate went before the legislature
IF his state. his party being in control
I was a question of fitness. honesty and
,apaSility being the requisites Now the
prospect of a seat in the senate IS visi-
Die asset upon which to issue debentures
payable in The lobby of the United States
senate Bankers or adventurous capt.
alists advance money upon these securi-
les to be used in subsidising the press
md in controlling the machinery Of leg
station. In all this the railroads. the
lily of all combinations. play an import
mt part The ambitious candidate visits
he leading railroad managers telling
hem his election Is assured, but of
,ourse he expects their help. After dis
using the howl Of the people" and the
Danger OF drastic legislation the new SEN
ltor promises TO look after the railroads
interests and the alliance is agreed upon.
rhe onIy aid at present is transportation
or the candidate and his friends and the
work of fixing members Of the legis-
ature at their homes Is begun. And tins
: = government by the people This was
lot 50 fifty years ago. Venality and
prosperity came together The rapid in
,rease of wealth. particularly the rapid
Of wealth IN the hands Of
he few. have provided facilities for cor
upton hitherto unknown and impossible
n a normal condition OF business All
branches OF our government have felt
he seductive power OF corporate wealth
,ut our legislative branch OF government.
state ard national. has been most Vulner-
,bie. or all the influences that have de-
1auched cur legislatures the railroads
ire the most powerful. IN fact they arc
he father OF all the trusts There would
nave been thousands Of independent OF
now II the railroads had not en-
cred into conspiracy with one con-
any 10 destroy all the others. With the
-ast area OF oil fields constantly being
developed it would have been impossible
or one man 10 have secured absolute
control OF this natural product Of the
,arth Il the railroads had noJ made such
me while running all the others Relief
las been sought at common law and b.
ore the interstate commerce commission Z
,upldity OF railroad lawyers. and ths
federal laws TO regulate commerce 81.
tended by their authors 70 empower the
commission TO fix rates have been -
by railroad attorneys. who