People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-02-09
POPULISF CIRCULAR.
a Statement Of the Situation, Past
and Present.
WHO MISREPRESENTS The STATE +?
The Legislative Middle Analysed
The Omaha Platform Vindicated-
Money, Men and Measures
Discussed.
To the People Of Kansas

at this time to address you with a
brief review of the political situation
from POpulist standpoint. and in this
manner call attention to the position
our party has occupied in the past. its
present attitude and its future pros
poets, aims ald intentions.
Being without the support of daily
paper having an extensive circulation
among the people of the state, our
party is deprived of the usual means
OF presenting their views to the public
and are, therefore, compelled to resort
to other means Of reaching tie masses
and commanding their attention.
Since the party we have the honor
to represent promulgated its platform
OF principles, many events have tran
Splret IN our state and nation which.
IN our judgment, warrant an express
sion from the committee to the end
that the people may know the true
position occupied by our party and
may be able to judge it correctly, and
while this committee realizes that it is
acting without instructions from the
membership of the party, it feels com
petent to give fair expression of
views entertained and the principles
advocated and supported by the party
and believes that the time is opportune
for such an expression. With this
apology for addressing the public at
this time we would call atten Sion to
re political situation and ask all fair
minded people to answer the question.
which of the three prominent political
parties of to-day has made true pre-
dictions as to the effect of the success
OF either and the probable result of a
continuation of certain policies.
lie peoples party entered the cam
paign OF 1892 upon a declaration of
principles which in strong terms out
lined the condition of our country and
demanded legislation that in its iudg-
ment would remedy the evils that
afflicted us.
Kansas was made the ground upon
which the new party was to fight its
most effective battle, and by reason of
this fact it was assailed on every hand.
its leaders and representatives were
denounced as thieves, demagogues,
rascals and anarchists, its portrayal of
the deplOrable condition of the people
declared to be tissue of falsehoods.
its predictions as to future results Of a
continuation of the then existing
financial policy and its proposed RENE
dies were declared to be the vaporings
OF visionary theorists, indictments and
political imbeciles.
The party was charged with being
composed of bankrupts and repudia-
tors and it was claimed that capital
and capitalists were leaving the state
as result of the existence of our par
ty Voters were appealed to and
urged not to bring disaster upon the
state by placing this party in power.
No argument was presented to meet
the claims of the new party but the
opposition, entrenched in state and
federal positions, fortified with the
support of all leading daily papers
that circulated in our state and sun
ported by the corporations. feeling
secure in its position. reso ted to Will
tication, misrepresentation and abuse
instead of argument. Daily reports of
alleged assertions from our ranks were
circulated through their papers, the
immense audiences which greeted our
speakers everywhere were reported as
dismal failures. while much smaller
meetings of their party were reported
as mighty throngs."
Here and there an individual was
found who could be persuaded. bull
dozed or bought into DESERVING the
party and each case of this character
was heralded'to the world as evidence
that the Peoples party was falling to
pieces and desertions by scores. and
by hundreds and by thousands were
reported for each such case. and finally
every absent voter who would return
to the state and vote the Republican
ticket was furnished free transporta-
ton for the round trip. Many men
who removed from the state with their
families years ago returned on free
passes and voted the Republican
ticket In this manner no less than
$4,000 voters were aided to the opposi-
ton, larger portion of which were
fraudulent and illegal. Loan agents
also contributed their share by refus.
ing to renew farm loans for Populists
without first extorting from them a
pledge of their support for the Repub-
lican ticket But Notwithstanding
this terrible opposition the new party
was successful and the party that had
held undisputed sway for over thirty
years was dethroned and the epitaph
should then have been written
weighed IN the balance and found
wanting" But there was yet chance
to turn defeat into partial victory. II
was discovered that the legislature
1.-THE lower house, would be very close
and there was yet ray of hope. Dis.
carded by the people who were once
proud of the privilege of voting their
ticket and being counted as one of the
$4,000 majority, repudiated at the bal
lot box in the state and nation. VET
goaded to desperation by the loss OF
the "loaves and fishes" this once
grand party coolly and deliberately
determined to accomplish through re-
turning boards and courts what they
failed to accomplish at the polls.
The history of what followed has
been written and we do not intend to
repeat it here, but we beg every true
and loyal citizen of Kansas. every
patriotic individual who loves our free
institutions, to first learn all the facts
in regard to this unparalleled usurpa
ton of authority by canvassing board:
and the court, before condemnino the
action of the Populists in endeavorine
to secure their rights as decreed at the
ballot box.
The position of the Populist party in
this legislative matter was simply
this. That in Ordar IN constitute 49,