The Mena weekly star., 1916-05-04

Bryan. the illustrious DICK blaid, Governor Duboise and Pitchfork Ben Tillman. and on down to the town shin committeeman were all yelling free silver as loud as they could, but the people would not forget their broken pledges for free silver, so in 1900 they switched to anti-iin- perialism with no better success, Tn i9Oi they practically denounced free silver to please Alton B Parker, their candidate for president, but still they got no pie. Thus things moved on until 1912, when some or the old people had in measure for gotten their suffering and young ones had grown up that knew noth- ing of them. They nominated and elected Woodrow Wilson as presi- dent.
 The people generally know the things which have taken place dur ing his administration-how we came pretty nearly saluting the flag in Mexico, and how in the early part of the Wilson administration MT. Wilson declared we were fully pre- pared for any emergency, and then changed his mind and has stumped the country in the interest of pre- paredness. They also know how the so-called tariff bll placed sugar on the free list, to take effect, l believe, in May, 1916, and and then changed their minds and repealed the clause before it went into effect.
 This is a brief summary of my recollections of the workings of the party in national way
 Now we turn to the state of Ar kansas and, to be as brief as pos |sible, will only notice few acts of our recent legislature. First. we mo- tice that the liquor question was submitted to the people of Arkansas. They declared in favor of the saloon. How state could do so that claims majority of it's citizens are Chris tians is more than can tell but 1t is a fact, nevertheless, that it is so. Then our representative and sena- tors. large majority claiming to be Democrats. passed a statewide prohibition bill, the very thing a majority of the people had said they did not want That these so-called Democratic lawmakers of a so-called Democratic party q say so-called because I understand democracy to mean the rule of the people or gov- ernment of, for and by the people and this does not look like that to mel, that these were not prompted to pass this bill by their love of righteousness and Christianity, is proven by the fact that the same bunch that passed the prohibition bill also passed the Hot Springs tracing bill
 We could name other bills that seem 10 us very undemocratic. but it is not necessary. We might name some acts of Democratic judges that also seem to oppose the people rule. but will leave them and come nearer home.
 Just before the last quorum court the question of farm demonstration and tick eradication became very live issue. Some people opposed them and others were for them. Ii was finally decided to try to get the sentiment of Big Fork township or these questions, and a meeting was called for that purpose. This meet ling, not being very largely attended it was decided that the sentiment oi the people could be more accurate ly obtained by placing petitions foI and against these measures ir charge of our postmaster, MT. Ed wards and let him call the atten- tion of the people to them and lei them sign the one they favored, anC when the petitions were completed they were to be given to our justices of the peace to be presented to the quorum court. As our justices art both Democrats, and Big Fork town ship is also Democratic, it looks like this should have met general ap- proval. but just as the meeting was adjourning one of the justices o1 the peace came in and inquired the object of the meeting. and when in- formed he asked what we expected to accomplish by said petitions. and when informed that we expected him to do what a majority of tho people wanted, he calmly told us that if % per cent of the people were to sign a petition against these measures that he would still vote for them.
 Now. if these things are Demo- cratic. my God deliver me from be- ing a Democrat.
 These petitions were circulated and I am sorry to say that a ma iority of the signers were opposed to farm demonstration. but I think our men both voted for it and have been informed that the petitions were not presented to the court
 Yours for a government of. for and by the people.
 J. NJ. Taylor