Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-02
The PEOPLE ON Top
The Peoples Party Proves It's Ability to
Cope With the Two Old Parties in '9e

Ano feOpieS farIy RrOVeS Its ABILITY to
Cope With the Two Old Parties in '92.
The associated press dispatches fol-
lowing election day were extremely
discouraging to those friends of the
peoples party not thoroughly versed in
plutocratic tactics The daily papers
and telegraph lines are in the enemy's
hands. Everything was distorted and
colored to suit the desires of the money
power. To believe their reports would
be to admit the annihilation of the
peoples party. So we bided our time
and set to work to get reliable reports.
The result has been much better than
our most sanguine hopes While the
returns are not yet all in from Kansas.
Nebraska and South Dakota, we know
that we have held our own and cast
largely increased percentage over last
year of the total vote.
Last year there were three tickets in
the field in Kansas for state officers.
Taking the head of the ticket for a
basis, the peoples party cast thirty
nine per cent of the total vote In
great majority of the counties last year
the democrats voted with the peoples
party for county officers. This wear.
the democrats as party voted with
the republicans.
The peoples party stood alone and
made square fight for principle. It
carried many counties completely, and
in many others divided honors with the
fusionists We know at the present
writing that the peoples party have
elected from one-third to one-half of
the county officers in spitesof the fusion
of the two old parties, and have elected
two circuit judges to seven for the
fusionists.
In many counties where the fusion
lists elected every man the maiorities
were very small and comparison of
votes shows that the peoples party
were able alone to cast from As to al
most so per cent of the total vote. In
less than ten counties of the state, all
republican strongholds, do the peoples
party cast less than 33 per cent of the
total vote. In Wyandotte county, one
of the most populous counties of the
state, the peoples party increase their
vote nearly 800 per cent.
The average vote of all the counties
very small percentage of the counties
did the peoples party cast less than 45
per cent. of the total vote, in many
counties it cast over SO per cent. of the
vote and in some cases 80 to 20 per cent.
Summing up for Kansas we find that
the peoples party has not only held its
own but has increased it's vote from
seven to ten per cent more of the total
vote of the state. 1t is entirely safe to
say that the peoples party in Kansas
this year has cast Al per cent of the
total vote as against 80 per cent last
year. Next year the two old parties
cannot fuse in Kansas, and the peoples
party holding its own as it has for the
past year will cast large plurality
over both. old parties.
In Nebraska the result has been
more surprising still We don't know
for certain yet who has been elected
supreme court judge, but the majority
is very small either way. East year
there were three tickets in the field for
state officers, and each party polle6
about 33 per cent of the total vote
This year the democrats put no ticket
in the field and the democratic leaders
did all in their power to help elect the
republicans. The results show that
the peoples party cast but very small
fraction If any less than so per cent. of
the total vote, or gain of II per cent
in single year.
In South Dakota the returns are
very meager, but enough is known to
warrant the statement that in spite of
the small vote cast by the farmers, the
peoples party cast much larger per-
centage of the total vote than last wear.
In Iowa the peoples party vote is in
creased from 300 to 400 per cent over
the vote of 1889. and Uncle Dan Camp
bell, 'the grand old commoner," has
been elected to the state senate by
large majority.
In Michigan, where there was no or
ganization, the peoples party nomi-
mated a candidate for congress in the
Fifth district to keep up appearances.
Fully 5000 votes were polled in that
one district, showing that at the same
rate for the state, there are 80, 900 peo-
ple's party votes in Michigan.
Even in monopoly-cursed Colorado
the peoples party poll twenty per cent
OF the total vote, and carry one county,
at least, with sweep.
We not only have no reason to feel
discouraged, but we have every reason
to feel jubilant- We have held our
own; we have made big gains on the
total vote; we have compelled the old
parties in Kansas and Nebraska to fuse:
we have given the lie to the reports
that the party is going to pieces; we
are in better fighting condition than
ever The people will learn how badly
they have been lied to by the old party
press concerning our vote. Lies don't
win In the long run. Grid on your
armor and continue the fght.-Non-
conformist