Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1891-12-22
v ATCH CONGRESS.
The Final Test of the Old
Parties Has Begun.
7G NORfNG THE PEOPLES DEMANDS

Gam recognition tOr REFORM Measures
It Will Fail, and the Great Party ~
the People Will Result from the Failure
copyright, 1891, by Reform Press News Asso
citation, New York.
Congress has opened, and now has be
gun the great final test of the old partie
to show just how genuine are their pro
fessed desires to do the peoples will
This winter at Washington will de
cisively answer the question. Most o.
the friends of reform know in advance
what that answer will be, but there are
Others, hoping against hope, who viii
make final effort to wiring recognition
of the real interests of the people fron
the sordid politicians who control the
Democratic and Republican parties
Many southern Alliance men will see
nome encouragement in the election OF
Jdr. Crisp, of Georgia, us speaker, but the
liopefulness in that selection is more
imaginary than real. MI. Crisp comes
from state where the reform element
is in complete control Of his party, and
he cannot fail to have convincing knowl-
edge of the power and significance of the
peoples demands. But he does not and
cannot control his party. Far from it.
The very fact Of the election of Mr..
Crisp will make the moneybag end of
the Democratic party all the more en-
phatic in demanding complete control OF
ticket and policy next year. Cleveland
and his followers will argue that the
election of Crisp is recognition enough
of the southern and reform wing of the
party. They will claim absolute con-
troll as the price of this trifing conces-
sion. And they'll get it tool 1t is dol
lars to doughnuts that the Democrats
nominate northern man for president,
and northerner in complete sympathy
with and control of Wall street The
Republicans will do just the same thing.
The question is, how long will it take
our good friends who expect to accom-
plish genuine reform through the old
parties to find out that it is utterly use
less and foolish to look for such a thing?
No doubt great many will come to "a
full realization of the fact by the time
the great conference is held at st. Lonis
Feb 90. There will be others who will
q hope on in the thought that the people
will get their demands in the national
platform of one or the other party in
June OF course they will be disap-
pointed, grievously so. But there's no
harm that can see in allowing them
full liberty to go through the experience
of being spurned with contempt by the
platform committees of the national
conventions They will be all the more
enthusiastic third party men when they
do join the movement.
hope, therefore, that the Peoples
party Will not hold it's nominating con-
vention until the old parties have placed
their candidates and issues fairly in the
field. All the necessary routine work
can be done just the same, and arrange
ments can be as fully perfected for a
great campaign as though the ticket
was to be nominated in May instead
of in June In June all the bonds
connecting the friends of reform with
the old parties will be absolutely severed,
cut off by the parties themselves The
allegiance of all its followers to the Peo-
Pies purity will then be complete and
perfect harmony Of purpose and action
will be gained.
So say give to our friends who are
inclined to temporize yet little longer
all the liberty they want. We can afford
to do it. We shall be stronger for it in
the end Men are not all alike. Because
one man is not us quick to sever old
political associations as another, is not
evidence that the first mans motives are
IL