The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-30
.COL.HARRIS' IDEAS
Letter of Acceptance From DEM
Ocratic Nominee for Governor.
Insists on Enforcement of All
Laws for All the People.
------~---.
FOR TARIFF REFORM.
FavorsPunishment of Unscrupu-
lOus railroad Men and Shippers.
-----~----.
Suggests That Party Stand for
Nominating Primary Law.
FOR TARIFF REFORM.

ocratic state central committee, who
is in this city today, has received the
letter of acceptance from former Sen
ator William A. Harris, the nominee
of the Democratic party for governor.
The letter is as follows:
of your letter of May 81. formally no
fyour letter of May 21, formally no
tifying me of my nomination by the
Democratic convention for the Office
of governor.
feel deeply the honor conferred
and in accepting can only regret that
I cannot bring to the service of the
party ability worthy of such con-
hdence. When I read the platform
1 feel most earnestly the appeal which
1t makes to the great principles upon
which our government rests. Prin-
4 ciples which must be held sacred and
which must be vitalized and applied
/ religtously in every direction If we be-
lieve that the greatest good of the
greatest number is the test of good
government.
A Question of Privilege.
It has been wisely said that "the
/ fundamental idea of a monarchy. the
principle that most sharply distin-
guishes it from a democracy, is priv
lege- The fundamental idea of pure
democracy, the principle that distin-
guishes 1t most sharply from a mon
archy is equality"
Hence the democratic axiom as the
foundation of our constitution and
plan OF government, equal rights for
all and special privileges for none"
Special privileges handed down from
general ation to generation are at last
claimed as the divine right of kings
and an aristocracy, and yet hardly had
independence been won by our faith
ers before privilege began its subtle
aggression upon the common welfare
and the first century of our history
/ closed with privilege we'll intrenched
/ by our legislative folly Pleading
now grown so great and arrogant that
/ It throws off disguise and, fortunately,
the danger is now seen by the people.
I The privilege of taxing the many for
the benefit of the. few, the privilege of
controlling the finances of the nation,
/ the privilege Of owning the highways
! of the country, the privilege of mo-
] nopolizing the bounties of nature, the
privilege of immunity and of free
dom from all responsibility to law
human or divine, are all alike now
demanded as ancient and established
rights
Our constitution was framed to es-
| ablish justice for all, to promise the
| general welfare of all. to secure the
| blessings of liberty for all. When We
now see on every hand individual or
ganizing into fictions Of the law. which
defy the law, which go unwhipped or
| justice. which scorn legislative folly
and the judicial casuistry that have
brought us to this pass. Well did your
convention say that time and events
have justified every contention and
fulfilled every prophecy of the Demo-
cratic party
Opportunity for Evil.
The abandonment of fixed constitu-
tional principles and following the
ignis fatuus of mere opportunism. has
given the advocates of special priviI-
eyes the opportunity for every cunning
subversion of law to the organized
greed of an era that will be forever
m memorable for the exaltation of all
that Is sordid and base in humanity
Your call to the people to uphold
the majesty of the law indicates the
way and the only way to safety. Be
fore the law all men are equal. The
multi-millionaire lodging the sum
mons of the law or treating with con-
tempt the orders of a court may anus.
the careless, but unless they are visited
with the same punishment that would
overtake the pauper. then 1t is time for
the thoughtful citizen to tremble.
When the officials of corpora tions are
held harmless and violations Of law
are regarded merely as misplaced
switches when the treasures of the
state are plundered when millions of
the most sacred trust funds are stolen
and used for legislative bribery
judicial corruption and the control OF
elections and yet no man wears the
felon's stripes, then verify the Amer
lean people need but one issue=fEn~
force the law" On this issue-'sWhO
dallies is bastard, who doubts Is
damned
Discusses the Tariff
The convention did well in speaking
of the tariff to remind the public of the
attitude of the late President Mckinley.
This great teacher of the doctrine of
/ protection had the courage to announce
that we must not repose in fancied Sc
curity that we can forever sell every
thing and buy little or nothing if such
/ a thing were possible it would not be
best for US or for those with whom we
deal, and that what we produce bevCnd
our domestic consumption must have a
vent abroad; that the period of ex-
clusiveness is past, that the extension
of our trade and commerce is the press
ing. problem; that commercial wars are
unprof1ta bic and that a policy of good
will and friendly trade relations will
prevent reprisals; that measures of re-
| tanation are not and that If perchance
some Of our tariffs are no longer needed
for revenue or to encourage and protect
our industries at home. why should they
not be employed to extend and promote
our market abroad.
The present law known as the Ding
ley act, was prepared by and with the
advice of President Mckinley. The
rates were admittedly higher than were
necessary for any fair and honest pro-
lection and thus there was inserted in
the bill section 4. which provided for a
reduction Of 20 per cent from the sched-
ule named where equivalent concessions
could be obtained from foreign nations.
Acting under this authority President
| Mckinley negotiated various reciprocal
treaties with foreign nations. in none
| of which were more than a Few items
! reduced even to the 20 per cent limit