Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-09-22
TWELVE PROMISES
WHAT THE REPUBLICAN PLAT.
FORM STANDS FOR.
gssnemy In Public Expenditures, De-
pssitory Law, Necessary Amend
ments to Strengthen Railroad Law
and Other Things Of Importance
to Kansas People.


Political platforms have been some
what aptly described by q gentleman
sufficiently known to fame as some
thing to go in on" In justification OF
the gentleman's conclusion, 1t should
be stated incidentally that 1t was
voiced in Democratic gathering. af-
ter he, had made careful study OF
the record of his own party.
However frequent broken political
promises may be, the broad statement
that platforms are but bait Is both
irresponsible and untrue. A political
platform may be correctly described
as a contract in which a party binds
itself to the people to do certain
things, and 1t is Of worth only as are
contracts in private business.
It is the man who puts his name
on tbs note whR endows a valueless
slip Of paper with worth-the note in
itself is still valueless. 1t is the po-
liticAl party behind the platform that
makes the platform promises depend.
able.
There is only one political party In
this country that has, year after year.
been able TO 60 back to the people.
holding up Its platforms Of all pre-
vious years and pointing to its clear
record of redeemed promises. 1t is
hardly necessary to name that party.
1t has made the history Of the nation
since 1860, and it has been the con.
sistsnt champion Of good government
in Kansas since the beginning Of the
state. Kansas has never taken sin.
gle step forward but that the Repub-
lican party has been a moving infiu.
ence In starting her. No law Of &C.
knowledged wisdom is today ON the
statutes that Republican hands did
not help to frame. A great majority
of Kansas people have been and are
honest, Incidentally a majority of
Kansas people are Republicans. The
record Of the Republican party in
Kansas is clear because a majority
of Kansas people believe in keeping
their promises.
Kansas Democrats realize the i'm.
potency of effort to carry the state
for Parker They know that the Re
publican party's record Of redeemed
promises, 30 far as national govern
ment is concerned, does not offer OPP
portunity for q campaign against
Roosevelt. But they pretend to en-
terrain hopes Of electing their state
ticket, attempting no disguise Of the
fact that success can only be gained
through Republican assistance.
In carrying out their plan these
Democrats propose to ABANDON ma.
tional Issues as far as possible, hopins
to blind Republicans to their duty to
party by a false cry concerning state
issues.
Have you read the Democratic plat.
form? In reading 1t have you remcm'
bered the record of the party? Can
you have faith in promises, the keep
ing Of which would be directly in con
fiict with the interests Of the men
who made them?
And then, have you read the Re-
publican platform? Do you miss any
thing that should have been incorpor'
ated therein? Is there an issue now
before the voters Of the state that Is
not honestly handled? II the plat
form Is not complete, have you as
eertained the position Of the Repus
lican candidates on the questions not
dealt with? Unless there Is some
thing wrong with the platform, thers
Ia but one thing that should influence
a Republican to vote against his
party's candidates. That is the con-
viction that the candidates will not
carry out the party's promises.
The Republican party is Offering
no candidates for whose official rec
ords apology is necessary. The usual
campaign lies are In circulation. As
usual they are prompted by malice
and snmity, but the fact remains that
the party's promises to the people
have been redeemed, 30 far as posi-
bic, by those Republicans who ara
candidates for reelection and that the
paxty's record is behind the pledge
that all will work toward the keep
ing Of Republican promises. There
can be no better guarantee Of good
faith than the word of the Republi.
can party.
This year the Republican party Of.
feFs a. q candidate for Governor =
man Of whom 1t has been truthfully
"a