Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1913-03-07
SEVEN WEEKS OF KANSAS DE.
MocRAcY.


the recent Democratic victory. They
say that Wilson and the Democracy
took judgment by default, because tn
Republican party divided and destroy
ed itself. They declare that there Is
no real strength in the Democracy
and thai as soon as the Republican
party rallies its scattered forces oul
apparent empire will dissolve at a
touch.
Well. let us look at the way this
country's newest democracy is using
its victory in order to test this propt
ecy. We can think Of none fewer
than that of Kansas, where, for the
first time since the states admission
Democratic governor was elected
and the legislature made Democratic
In both branches. Gov. Hodges went
In by a narrow-though sufficient
plurality of 29 votes. We beg leave
to submit a brief catalogue Of the leg
islative achievements of seven weeks
Of Sunflower Democracy.
The Democrats were given power
in Kansas after a campaign based on
certain definite platform promises.
VI the reforms td which they pledg-
ed themselves, the following have
been embodied in appropriate legis.
lation:
The approval of the constitutional
amendment providing for direct .elec.
ton Of senators.
Statutory provision for the State
printing of school books and their dis
tribution at cost.
The fusion of various boards in
charge OF educational institutions in.
to single organization.
The provision of a single Board of
Correction for all penal institutions.
The consolidation of all state labor
bureaus.
Repeal of an obnoxious inheritance
tax law.
The passage of law laying a tax
OF lilo of l per cent on the incomes
of corporations.
Various economies. Here are a few
items: $16,5OO saved in the Execu-
tive Department; $14,5OO in the Bank
Department; $4,000 on the force of
the Public Utilities Commission. In
the oil inspection department alone,
this promise-keeping legislature re.
morselessly legislated 135 Democrats
out of their jobs. The total saving
to the State by the abolition of USE
less offices is upwards of 5000, 900.
This kind Of fidelity to pledges is es-
pecially worthy of notice, because of
the moral cost of it.
Has any reader of The Republic
ever heard of a period OF seven
weeks-or a dozen weeks, for that
matter-in the history of any other
legislature that has surpassed this
showing the concrete results? The Re-
public has not. AS outlined in. the
Kansas Democratic platform and
championed by Governor Hodges and
his associates during the campaign,
practically every item has been car
ried out, with the exception of the
pending initiative and referendum
bills, which will soon be acted upon.
Now this plain tale has a signifi-
canoe which should be pondered by
every Democrat in the United States.
The Democracy of Kansas came into
power without experience in the con-
duct Of state affairs. 1t has conduct
ed itself like an army of veterans, to
the admiration of all beholders. The
strength of the party turns on two
things: intelligent comprehension of
party principles, and sheer, down.
right moral earnestness. It is these
which have given the Kansas legisla-
ture, under the leadership of Gov.
Hodges and Speaker Brown, the SOL
idarity which has turned promises in
to facts. Let the pessimist and the
anxious inquirer into the future of
Democracy look at Kansas.-St. Louis
Republic.
Charles Davis and sons were here
from Cleveland township Monday Wis