Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1906-10-19

lance; as long as it is the law il must
be treated with the reverence attach.
Ing to all law, and a faithful obser.
vance and an honest discharge Of du
ty requires the same efficiency and
zeal in enforcing this as all other
laws. You charge, and Justly
charge, our opponents with accepting
favors and campaign contributions Of
the lawbreakeIs with that gratitude
which is lively sense Of favors to
come.
For q Nominating Primary.
You declare in favor OF the inilia.
tive and the referendum to the end
that most perfect self.government may
be realized, and | would add further
that we should stand for nominating
primary laws-which will put the
power OF election OF senators, state
and county officials in the hands Of
the people. ! believe in the demo.
cracy of Patrick Henry, and that all
political power should be vested in
the hands of the people, and that
they, directly, should have the power
and the privilege Of selecting their
representatives in every direction.
Assessment Of Property.
Proper assessment Of property for
taxation is an indispensable requisite
to just government, and every inte.li
gent and efficient meals should be
taken to bring about this as a mere
matter of jastice. 1t is another illus
tration Of the unjust working Of spe.
cial privilege that so much Of the cor
poratlon property in the state should
be allowed to escape its fair proper
ton or burden Of the pubic expense
Campaign Fund Publicity.
desire to say also that l believe
we should have a law requiring the
utmost publicity as to campaign con-
trlbutlons and expenditures. Both
state and county campaign committees
should keep open books, showing
from whom they receive contributions
and how they are expended, and at
the close OF every campaign a state.
ment under oath should be made to
the proper authority, giving an item
lied statement Of all these matters.
and | trust that your committee will
not wait for legislation to do this fair
and honest duty. l hope you will
keep book which will show every
dollar contributed, by whom given
and how expenditures were made.
Let US have light on every transac.
ton. Sunlight is the greatest disin.
tectant, and so with the light of pub.
llclty, no wrong can exist when it can
be seen by the public.
AQuOtatiOn From Burke.
In conclusion let me say that | re.
gard the utterance Of the great COM
moner, Burke, in defense of Wood.
fall, the publisher of the letters of
unlus, as containing the essence of
true Democracy. "In the decision of
great constitutional questions the wis.
dom of the whole nation can see
further than the sages Of Westminster
hall. The collective knowledge and
penetration of the people at large are
more to be depended on than the
boosted discernment of all the bar.
The season is clear. Their eyes are
not dazzled by the prospect Of an op
posite interest. The crown has 40
lure sufficiently tempting to make
them forget themselves and the gener-
al good"
Trusting tnat l have made myself
clear upon questions which we are to
discuss and that our attitude upon
these great principles will meet the
approval Of the people of our glori-
Gus state, l have the honor to be,