The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-08-17
CLOVER'S LETTER.
The Former Populist Leader and Con-
gresham WithdraHS from
the Party.
He Writes a Vigorous Letter in Which
He Arraigns the Populist Lead.
ers in Scathy
Terms.

Hon. 3 e. Glover, who was the pres
ident of the state alliance in 1889 and
1890, when the great campaign was
made and it was organized into a polit-
ical party; who was probably the most
influential man in the great state con-
vention held at Topeka when John +.
Willis was nominated for governor;
who defeated ex-senator Perkins for
congress by majority of about 5000,
has withdrawn from the present peo-
pies party and gave his reasons in a
very forcible letter which is as follows:
SIN 1889 1 became dissatisfied with
the political conditions and existing
political parties. l believed that re-
forms were necessary and that in order
to accomplish these reforms it was nee
essary to have a new political party. /
did everything l could to organize the
Farmers Alliance as an industrial or
ganization, and as president of that or
ganization in 1889 and 1890, and vice
president of the National Farmers AL
lance at the same time, l worked in
dustriously to organize the great farm
ing interests of the west along indus
trial and political lines. From this or
ganization, as is well known, sprang
the peoples party. became one of its
most enthusiastic members and con-
tended for its principles in private and
public life.
''As the president of the state alli-
ance and organizer and manager of
the campaign of 1890 threw my whole
soul into the cause of reform. l had
great hopes for the party which we
had organized. Its opportunities were
great and its prospects bright. 1 ex-
pected then assistance from the demo-
cratic party in bringing about the re-
forms which, as populist, was advo-
eating, especially on the questions of
finance, but the action of the demo-
cratic party since it came into power
has caused me to utterly despair of
anything of that kind. The southern
democrats are advising us to stand firm
as populists and to make a glorious
fight, but they continue to vote as
democrats and to be controlled by the
democratic organization, and still con-
tinue in the unwavering ranks of the
democratic party.
THE question presents itself to the
minds of thousands of Kansas farmers
and ! have been farmer all my life:
What is the best thing for us to do this
year? In order to determine this we
must first consider the conditions that
surround us and the political parties
as they now stand, and examine into
their methods and the methods and
policies of their political managers
THE democratic party has no new
idea. 1t is crying for free silver and is
bowling down and kissing the feet of
Grover Cleveland, who represents, and
is, the absolute servant of Wall street
gold-bugs and the head of the gold
monometallist idea in this country.
The democratic party is afflicted with
it's old inconsistencies. IT is controlled
by the same old tyrannical methods.
and it never has and never will become
the champion of reform.
What is the condition of the pop
ulist party, to which we have adhered
since it was first organized, and which
we helped make? We find to-day that
it has fallen into the hands of dicta-
tor, whose power is absolute; who in
the practice of corrupt and disreputable
political methods has out done all other
political managers that have ever risen
in Kansas; whose sole motive is plumber
and spoil and political honor for him
self. The party to which thousands of
honest farmers in this country have
contributed their money and their time
to organize and build up has now be-
come the prey of political freebooters.
A monthly stipend for campaign or
or personal purposes is exacted from
the gambling dens and liquor dives of
our large cities. 1t has organized the
police into revenue col
lectors, who visit the disreputable
and loathsone places and compel these
dealers in vice to divide the profits of
their unholy business. This is done
now by the leaders of our reform move
ment.
Every public institution has been
disgraced. They have become the SUBJ
ject of the vilest scandals. The condi- |
tons at Winfield are too revolving to
print Quarrels and brutal physical |
fights have frequently taken place in
our penal and eleemosynary institu-
tons. The warden of the state peni- !
Tertiary has been accused by the en-
ployes of that institution. members of /
his own political party, of corruption.
The accusations have been filed with |
the governor according to law, under
path. yet he refuses an investigation
IS the statute provides. Indeed, l |
nave not space in this letter to present
n detail the disgrace that has been
upon our state and party by |
his administration.
What did we promise the people? |
We promised them railroad reform and |
denounced officials who accepted favors
from the railroads and rode on free |
passes and allowed the corporations to
dictate to them their policies. but to-
lay the representatives of the peoples
party which we helped to build up,
every single one of them. are riding
1pon pass and are counting the favor
If the railroad corporations
1--WE declared in favor of honest |
in politics and denounced the
corrupt use of money in political cam
,aigns, yet the chairman of the COM
nittee now issues an appeal to the
members of the party and asks them
% raise a campaign slush fund of 5000