The advocate and Topeka tribune. [volume], December 28, 1892, Page 6, Image 6

About The advocate and Topeka tribune. [volume] (Topeka, Kan.) 1892-1894

Image provided by: Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, KS

                
IMPKOVEMEIT OF THP E7BLIO
HIGHWAYS.
We have been for some time past
receiving numerous circulars, and
marked copies of newspapers from all
parts of the United States in which
the improvement of the public high
ways was very enthusiastically advo
cated.- To all outward appearance
this widespread agitation was the
spontaneous outgrowth of a great
.pubho necessity, and yet the very fact
that the subject was taken up at about
the same time in all parts of the coun
try, and was favorably treated in the
papers irrespective of party, tended
to excite curiosity, if nothing more,
in the mind of the reader as to the
character of the prime motive behind
it all.
We have not thus far participated
in this discussion, and, for some rea
son, we have failed to imbibe any of
the prevailing enthusiasm. We have
been watching for developments and
fully expecting that time would re
veal the motive power behind this
movement, and at last the light be
gins to dawn.
A few days ago a petition to con
gress was presented to us for signa
tion, asking for the creation of the
office of national road commissioner,
and the establishment of a bureau of
public roads with a retinue of na
tional officials, to whose tender care
these great pubho improvements
should be committed. We noticed on
that petition the names of some per
sons who have heretofore manifested
considerable dread of paternalism
men who believe the government
ownership and operation of the rail
roads would be dangerous to the pub
lic interests, and who, under no cir
cumstances, would consent to such a
thing. There is no doubt that the
country has been flooded with these
petitions. There is no doubt that
they will be signed by a great many
people, and that a great pressure will
be brought to bear upon congress to
establish this bureau and create the
offices required to carry out the pur
poses of the promoters of this move
ment. It is important, therefore, that
the people shall understand just what
is believed the scheme.
Of course it will not be difficult to
discover the incentive for the creation
of the new offices demanded. The
increase of the publio patronage, and
the additional sinecures to be pro
vided are a sufficient object to secure
a large support to this part of the
program. But what are these officers
to do, and how are they to do it? The
revenues of the government are in
sufficient to undertake the vast system
of improvements contemplated with
out special provision for the expense.
What prevision is proposed to be
made?
Since the widespread discussion
that has taken place upon this sub
ject has awakened some publio senti
ment in favor of it, some of the news
papers are beginning the discussion
of details, and in doing this they have
let the cat out of the bag. The same
old devil-fish that for years has been
sapping the life-blood of the people
is behind all this agitation for the im
provement of our publio roads. The
scheme contemplates the issne of new
interest bearing government bonds
which would at once be purchased by
the same sharks, both in England
and America, who have controlled the
financial policy of this government
through the treason of our national
egislators for nore than a quarter of
a century. The following from the St
J oeeph Herald upon the subject of the
bonds is sufficiently explicit to be
understood:
If issued continuously, and to the extent
thy probably would be, they should at
once settle the question of the life of the
national banking system, supposed to de
pend upon the life of the present govern
raent bonds, as they would be equally as
valuable and aooeptable as security for the
notes of national btnks as the government
bonds now are, which is a most important
consideration; indeed, it would seem second
only to that of the improvement of the
roads.
Here, then, is the real meat in the
cocoanut The issue of new govern
ment bonds, the continual interest
drain upon the industries of the coun
try that would go to further enrich
the favored few, the perpetuation of
the national banking system, and the
increase of the public patronage, are
the real motives behind all this agi
tation, and not the improvement of
the public highways for the general
good. Let the people understand it
and be governed accordingly. The
reform press should proceed at once
to turn the lights upon the scheme.
of
THE WAIL OF A LUNATIC.
Four years ago to have spoken of organ
izing a secret oath-bound military political
organization would have been madness.
Now the thing is being done. This shows
how mightily we have fallen and empha
sizes the necessity of redeeming Kansas.
The Populists of Kansas are following in
footprints of the French revolution!. Self
government will not have vindicated itself
until this new politioai disease has been
stamped out. The time for mild measures
is passed. The very foundations of the
government are being undermined. Law
rence World.
It may be true that the Populists
Kansas are following in the foot
prints of the Frenoh revolutionists.
If it is, it is because they are being
subjected to precisely the same con
ditions to which the French revolu
tionists wero subject, and it will be
found that the consequences of
tyranny and oppression are about the
same in all ages of the world. Peace
able citizens never revolt against
equitable conditions, and when their
rights are ruthlessly trampled under
foot as they have been in this coun
try they would disgrace their man
hood by tame submission. The
World, like many of its compatriots,
mistakes the republican party for the
government, and hence the present
uprising of the people against that
party is looked upon as treason
against the government It is a plain
case of mistaken identity.
The organization spoken of by the
World is simply a political organiza
tion patterned partially after the
military order like the Grand Army
of the Republic.
Its sole purpose is to accomplish a
more systematic organization of the
anti-plutocratic forces of the nation
than has formerly existed. It is not
surprising, therefore, that it should
excite the opposition of plutocracy
and its sycophantic apologists.
The World thinks the time for mild
measures in dealing with such things
is passed. It is apparent that this
opinion was shared by the republican
canvassing board that has so recently
attempted to steal the legislature
and right here we wish to remark
that whenever any of this outfit is
ready to try other than mild means
in the settlement' of the issues now
before the people they can undoubt
edly find accommodation; but would
it not be as well to discard a little
the blind partisan prejudice that pre
vents a fair investigation of economic
conditions and, looking facts squarely
in the face, try to discover a remedy
for the evils that beset us all?
This would seem to be the proper
course for rational patriotic men and
women to pursue. He who can see
nothing wrong in this country is
more to be pitied than blamed. The
disability is a defect of the intellect
and it can never be remedied.
If there is something wrong, what is
it? Let those who cry out with so
much vehemence against the vision
ary ideas of the calamity howler,
point out what they conceive to be
the difficulty and indicate the remedy
for it. When they make an attempt
in this direction their ideas will be
treated with all the respect to which
their merit entitles them, but it will
not do to denounce the best citizens
of the state as revolutionists simply
because they revolt against oppres
sion and wrong.
Tbx greenback party elected fourteen
representatives to the forty-sixth congress,
and then went to pieces. The People's party
eleoted seven representatives, five from Kan
sas, to the flfty-seoond congress, just half as
many as the greenbaokers, and it will go to
pieoes just twice as quick. The considera
tion of these historical facts will not tend to
inspire Populists in any large degree with
hopeful enthusiasm. Topeka Capital.
The People's party has gone to
pieces aDout once in twenty-four
hours for the last two years, and still
it continues to grow and prosper. The
republican party has run the govern'
ment for the last thirty years until
such statesmen and philosophers as
the editor of the Capital came to re
gard the party as the government
The people took exception to this
view of the case, and now that party
is shattered into smithereens, and the
scattered fragments have not been
able to find a nucleus since election
big enough to rally to.
1IX3IFHIS ROUTJB.
Half Rates for the Holidays.
On December 24, 25, 26 and 31, and
January 1 and 2, the Kansas City, Fort
Scott & Memphis railway will sell round
trip tickets between all stations on its
lines at rate of one fare, with minimum
ot 50 cents; tickets (rood until January 3
for return. J. X. IjOckwood,
Oenl Pass. & Ticket Agent
M inter Bros., one of the oldest commis
sion firms at Kansas City, was established
in 1879, do a strictly commission business in
grain, seeds, hay and mill produce. Con
signments given personal attention and sold
by sample on their merits; also make liberal
advances. Have one of the best wheat
salesmen on the board.
You should have the Advocate this
winter, to be posted on political affairs.
110 JETAST (X)2fflK3IOX
Beport of the United States Hcnatary
Granmiaaion, Appelated by Act of Ocs
gtm August 15, 1876.
HO. XXVI.
The resumption of coin payments (con
tinued). Under any plan of resumption there
wiH be hardships and benefits, and they
will be unequally distributed. But the
plan selected should be such a one only
as would subject existing equities and
interests to the least possible disturb
ance. A transition from a standard of
paper to one of gold will hardly be
claimed to be such a mehod of returning
to coin payments as would best mitigate
the unavoidable hardships incident
thereto. And so far as it aggravates
them, it is an aggravation called for by
neither honor nor duty. When the sus
pension of specie payments took place
all obligations were payable in either
of the two metals, gold or silver, at the
option of the debtor. It would be mani
festly inequitable to resame without an
option and in one metal. Resumption of
specie payment under the doubl stand
ard is the utmost that can be claimed by
creditors at home or abroad. Even suoh
a resumption would not preserve exist
ing equities, but would impair them less
than a resumption in the more straight
ened standard of gold. Even if it were
conceded that a gold standard is ab
stractly tlje best, and ought ultimately
to be adopted, the present time is most
badly chosen far such a measure. The
sufficiently difficult step from paper to
coin should be first taken, to be followed
by the step from coin to gold, at seme
opportune moment to be indicated by
subsequent events.
The restoration of the double standard
seems to be the most efficacious, and, for
the present, the indispensable measure
to bring about a resumption of specie
payments. To convert all the vast and
ramified paper debts of this country into
gold debts, and to do this when a similar
change in the monetary system of Ger
many is still uncompleted and in prog-
gress, so that we must be forced into a
contest for gold with that rich and popu
lous empire, will involve such ruinous
hardships when it is seriously attempted
that it is impracticable under insti
tutions that rest upon the popular will.
England was able to do it fifty-six years
ago, but the government of that country
was then far less a representative one
than it is now; and strong as it was, it
was substantially revolutionized by the
reform bill of 1832, which was forced
upon the government by the people,
made desperate by the suffering and mis
ery inflicted on them by the gold policy
of 1821. The government of Germany,
essentially military, and flushed and
strengthened by successes in many re
spects without a parallel in a recent war,
seems equal to the task, but even there
popular discontents are threatening and
portentous. Neither the English nor the
German experience justifies the belief
that the policy of an arbitrary and un
called for contraction of the currency is
practicable in this country. When the
law of January 11, 1875, was enacted, re
quiring coin payments on the 1st day of
January, 1879, it was known to but few
persons in the United States that silver
had been demonetized. The general
knowledge of that fact is, indeed, much
more recent than January 14, 18 5. The
people of this country were in no way
consulted in respect to this transcendent
measure of making debts solvable only
in a single metal, the control of the value
of which rests substantially with the
three banks of England, France and