The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1894-06-15
A NOTABLE CONVERT.
Frank Wilkeson, the Well Known News
paper Correspondent, Becomes . Popu-


paper Correspondent, Becomes . Popu-
list.
Thousands of people will remember
to have read in eastern papers for a
series of years racy western letters,
signed Frank Wilkeson." They were
at one time one of the most attractive
features of the New York Sun, and
afterwards the New York Times. His
home is at Salina, Kan. In looking
over our exchanges this week we are
pleased to find the following in the Sa-
lima Union over Mr.. Wilkeson's sigma
ture:
In your last issue you said that you
did not know which political party
would identify myself with. unhesi-
tatingly answer your implied question.
1 shall vote and work with the popu
lists, because I desire to increase the
value of my property by obtaining a
sharp reduction in eastbound railroad
freights; because l believe it to be to
my interests to have the people cease
to highly protect American manufact-
uring industries, and because l believe
the necessities of the people demand
free and unlimited coinage of silver at
the ratio of 16 to 1.
believe that the present deplora BILE
financial and industrial condition of
our country has sprung from the un-
wise economic and financial legislation
that has been enacted by republicans,
aided by eastern democrats. The laws
that these political parties enacted to
protect the American manufacturing
industries from Wholesome competition
have wrongfully extracted billions of
dollars from the lean pockets of Ameri-
lean la Dor, and stuffed the pockets of
American manufacturers with ill-got-
ten wealth. The same parties allied
themselves with English bankers, for
the purpose of demonetizing silver and
contracting the currency of our people,
and through the demonetization of sill
yer and contraction of currency they
have more than doubled the wealth of
the money owning class of the United
States and of England, by causing an
enormous increase in the purchasing
power of gold, which is accurately
measured by the decline in the value,
measured in gold, of farm products of
over 50 per cent. since 1866.
1t is true that the rank and file of the
republican voters in Kansas are honest
in their political convictions; no intel
ligent man ever doubted that fact; but
it is also true, that the leaders of the
Kansas republicans have always been
the corrupt and survile tools of the trans
portation corporations that operate in
this state. From these corporal tions,
that have ever engaged in predatory
raids on the scanty earnings of Kansas
agriculture, these leaders have drawn
money to control primary elections and
nominating conventions, and money to
use on election day to bribe voters to
cast their ballots against the interests
of the state. They have used money,
which the railroads extorted from US,
to secure legislation which was dis
astrous to our interests.
We have trusted the nation into the
keeping of the republicans since 1860,
save for four years of democratic rule,
and the present conditions of affairs is
the legitimate outcome of the class leg
islation they have enacted, The demo-
cratic party, with which 1 arduously
worked and for whose candidates l
have voted for twenty years, and in
which and thousands of other western
democrats, who faithfully support it,
and who had confidence in its pledges
to right these iniquities, has failed to
fulfill its pledges, and has betrayed us
into the clutches of our enemies, who
are apparently resolutely determined
on our destruction. The interests of
the democratic and republican leaders
are identical. The old parties have
been tried by the working people and
found wanting.
1t is now time for the hand workers,
who create all wealth, and the busi-
ness men of the nation to gather into
a new party, which shall have for its
motto: ''Favors for none; equal chances
for ALL" and to vote for the ad-
vancement of their material welfare.
Therefore am populist.
FRANK WILKEsoN.