Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1910-07-01
pany for the coal and copper de-
positS of the whole world.

1.-The whole nation Is is favor
of protecting the coal and other
natural resources in Alaska, yet
they are still in grave danger of
being absorbed by the special in
tereStS. And as for the general
conservation movement, Congress
not only refused to help it on, but
tried to forbid any progress with
out its help. Fortunately for us
all, in this attempt it has utterly
failed.
"The loss of confidence in Con-
greSs is a matter for deep con-
cern for every thinking Ameri-
can. 1t has not come quickly or
without good reason. Every man
who knows Congress well knows
the names of senators and mem
bers who betray the people they
were electd to rpreSent and al
so knows the names Of the master
whom they obey. A representa-
tive Of the people who wears the
collar of the special interests has
touched bottom. He can sink no
further.
"Who is to blame because rep
resentatives of the people are so
commonly led to betray their
trustg We all are-we who have
not taken the trouble to resent
and put an end to the knavery WE
knew was going on. The brand
of politics served out to us by
the professional politician has
long been composed largely of
hot meals for the interests, and
hot air for the people, and we have
all known it.
political platforms are not sin
cere statements of what the lead
ers of a party really believe, but
rather forms of words which the
leaders think they can get others
to think they believe. The reali-
ties of the regular political game
lie at present far beneath the sur
face; many of the issues advanc-
ed are mere empty sound; while
the issues really at stake must be
sought deep down in the politics
Of business-in politics for rev
enue only. All this the people
realize as they never did before.
and what is more, they are ready
to act on their own knowledge.
"Some of the men who are re-
SpOnsible for the union of buSl'
ness and politics may be profound
ly dishonest, but more OF them
are not. They were trained IN
the wrong school, and they can
not forget their training. Clay
hardens by immObility- men S
minds by standing pat. Both lose
the power to take new impress
SiOns. Many of the old style
leaders regard the political truths
which alone insure the progress
of the nation, and will hereafter
completely dominate it, as the
mere meaningless babble OF pOllt-
ical infants. They have grown
old in the belief that money has
the right to rule, and they can
never understand the point OF
view of the men who recognize In
the corrupt political activity OF
a railroad or a trust a most dan
gerOus kind of treason to govern
ment by the people.
"When party leaders 60 wrong
il requires a high sense of pub
lie duty, true courage, and strong
belief in people for a man in pol
itics to take his future in his
hands and stand against them.
"The black shadow of party rel
ularity as the supreme test in pull
Lie affairs has passed away from
the public mind. 1t is a great de
Iliverance. The man in the street
no longer asks about a measure o
a policy merely whether it is goo
Republican or good Democratic
doctrine. Now he asks whether
| it is honest and means what Il
says, whether it will protect tht
public interest, weaken Specia
privilege, and help to give every
man fair chance. If it will, i
is good, no matter who proposed
| 1t. If it will not, it is bad, N
matter who defends it.
"k is a greater thing to be
good citizen than to be a gOOC
Republican or a good Democrat.
"The protest against polite
1or revenue only is as strong Il
one party as in the other, TO
the servants Of the interests ar
plentiful in both. In that reSpeC