Addresses: by John A. Martin. Delivered in Kansas.

by John Alexander Martin

THE LAWS OF KANSAS TOUCHING THE LABOR QUESTION.

In this State, one of the first acts of the Republican party was of vast importance and general benefit to workingmen. The Wyandotte Constitutional Convention, which assembled early in 1859, was the first distinctively Republican official body ever assembled in Kansas; and one of its most notable actions—and as novel and beneficent as it was notable—was to adopt a constitutional provision exempting from forced sale, under any process of law, the homestead of every citizen. Years ago, too—long before labor questions were much discussed—Republican Legislatures of Kansas enacted laws protecting the wages of the laborer, laws providing for a mechanics’ lien broad enough to fully secure all demands for work or materials, and laws making liberal exemptions from taxation to small manufacturers and dealers. And these beneficent acts have been supplemented, during later years, with laws authorizing the incorporation of associations of workingmen, and providing for the safety and health of miners; while during the legislative sessions of 1885 and 1886, an act establishing a Bureau of Labor Statistics, charged with the duty of collecting facts and statistics concerning the moral, financial and educational condition of the laboring masses, and a law providing for the legal arbitration of all differences between employers and employés, were enacted.

Thus from its first accession to power down to the present time, the Republican party of Kansas has been enacting laws to protect workingmen against the encroachments of capital, and to provide remedies for wrongs done them, or threatened to them. The statute books of no other State of the Union contain so many laws designed especially to protect workingmen, and to secure justice for them. Claims for labor take precedence, under our laws, over all others. No contractor can, in Kansas, cheat a mechanic out of the wages he has earned, for his wages constitute a first lien on any structure he has aided in building. Every home in Kansas, no matter how humble, is protected by the constitution against forced seizure or sale for debt, and any body of workingmen believing themselves aggrieved, can now appeal to any judge in the State for the appointment of a board of arbitration to consider and adjust such grievances. In brief, the Republicans of Kansas have, for a quarter of a century past, been enacting law after law to protect the laboring-man, to shield him against wrong or injustice, and to secure for him a just proportion of the proceeds of his work. Such a record of steadfast devotion to the interests and rights of workingmen is the best pledge of justice for the future. But the platform of the party, adopted in July last, speaks on this question with an earnestness and frankness that leave no room for question or doubt. It does more than this. It draws a wide distinction between the honest, law-respecting, intelligent workingmen of this country, and those noisy, turbulent and vicious demagogues and loafers who muster under the red flag of the anarchist and communist. To the interests and rights of the real workingmen, no matter how poor or humble they may be, the Republican party of Kansas pledges its constant and unfaltering support, while to the doctrines and aims of the anarchist and communist it pledges unalterable hostility.

REVIEW OF THE ISSUES.

And now, my fellow-citizens, I have presented for your consideration, fairly and correctly, I think, the principal issues and interests involved in the approaching election. I have established the wisdom and beneficence of Republican administration in Kansas, by presenting facts and figures from the census, and letting them tell the story of the marvelous growth and development of the State under the fostering influences and wise direction of the Republican party. I have demonstrated that the Republican party is the party of the constitution, and is, therefore the people’s party; that it has honestly accepted, and is endeavoring honestly to enforce the decision of the people of Kansas on the question of prohibition. I have shown by the facts of the census, that the assertions of our opponents that prohibition has hurt or harmed the material growth or prosperity of Kansas, is without foundation. I have presented facts and arguments illustrating the hypocrisy and falsehood of the assertion that drinking and drunkenness have not been largely diminished since the prohibitory law went into effect. I have shown, by citing historical facts, and presenting the record of Republican legislation, National and State, that the Republican party has always been the real and helpful friend of the working-people, and has constantly and faithfully labored to improve their condition and protect their interests. In brief, I have maintained, and fairly and conclusively shown, I think, that the Republican party of Kansas, by its acts, its policy, its clear and honest administration of public trusts, its steadfast and courageous devotion to the best interests of the people, and its loyal and consistent respect for the constitutional law of the land, has deserved the confidence the good citizens of this State have always reposed in it, and deserves their confidence and support to-day, as fully and fairly as at any time during the past quarter of a century.

PERSONAL.

As for myself, I am the candidate of this great party for reelection to the office of Governor. Two years ago, after a campaign of remarkable interest and excitement, I was elected by a majority of nearly 40,000 votes. I have been unspeakably proud of the confidence thus reposed in me by the patriotic and intelligent people of Kansas, and profoundly grateful to them as well. I have endeavored to deserve their confidence and regard by a faithful, impartial, honest discharge of my official duties. In addressing the convention which renominated me, I said: “I have never cared, I never shall care, whether any person says that my official life was brilliant or distinguished, so that all good citizens are compelled to say that it was clean, just, safe, honest, and industrious.” I repeat this statement, with earnestness and emphasis. I came to Kansas nearly thirty years ago, and have lived in the full blaze of public life ever since. I have served the people of this State in many capacities—as an editor, a soldier, a legislator, and a public officer. And although painfully conscious that I have made mistakes, I can stand up here in your presence, or in the presence of any audience of Kansas people, and challenge any man to say wherein I was ever unfaithful to a public trust, or guilty of a corrupt or dishonest action.

OPINIONS CONCERNING QUESTIONS OF STATE POLICY.

As to my opinions concerning questions of State policy, no intelligent citizen can be deceived or misled, for they are fully and fairly set forth in the two messages I have had the honor to transmit to the Legislature. The questions of prohibition and labor I have already discussed at some length. Other questions discussed in my messages may be briefly summarized.

In my first message to the Legislature I called the attention of that body to the enormous aggregate of our municipal indebtedness, then aggregating nearly $16,000,000, and now perhaps nearly $20,000,000. I cited the fact that while our State debt was very small, the debts of its local subdivisions were enormous, and I earnestly urged the passage of a law limiting and restricting the debt-creating and tax-levying authority of counties, cities, townships and school districts, to the end that the tax burdens of the people might be reduced.