The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-10-17
POPULIST COLONIES
Formed in Certain Close Eastern
Kansas Counties.
BREIDENTHAL A DEEP SCHEMER.
simply Wonder I'm the Political
VvOrId-3Aaybe the story Is a Fake


VvOrId-RAay be the story Is a Fake.
Chairman Breidenthal Of the Populist
state central committee, neither confirms
nor denies the truth of an interesting
story told by the Topeka correspondent
Of the ST. Louis Republic as to how the
POpulist chairman has figured the Re-
publicans out of several members of the
legislature this year
Chairman Breidenthal has according
TO this story, been for several months
working an original scheme to pull the
legislature through and also save his
state ticket, If possible.
When It was known that a complete
failure Of crops IN western Kansas was
inevitable, Chairman Breidenthal as ear
~ as July last. commenced laying his
plans to ahOld the Populist voters who
wOnld be compelled to leave that cOun-
try. He recognized the fact that two
thirds Of the voters who would have to
leave were members Of his partv-rent-
ers and poor men, who naturally absorb
the Populist ideas. He did not wait
till the streams OF emigrant wagons be-
gan to line the highways.
He commenced business early and
turned his committee into a bureau of
Information and an employment agency.
His plan was to hold the Populist voters
in the state until after election, although
he was willing that all the Republicans
who wanted to GO back to their wifes
people might move into Missouri or
Arkansas.
Chair nan Breidenthal addressed a let
ter to the chairman Of the Populist cen
trail committee in each Of the drought
stricken counties, asking for the name of
every POpulist who would be likely to
havs TO leave the state.
At the same time he prepared a letter
which was sent to the Populist chairman
OF each 1ffnra in FIN a Of
ern Kansas, acquainting them with the
situation of their western brothers To
these COMMITTEES men he appealed for
names Of well-to-do Populist farmers
who had land for rent stock to feed, corn
TO gather, or work Of any character that
the unfortunate farmers Of western Kan
sas could do.
Letters soon began pouring into Brei-
denthals Office from both directions and
he lost no time in putting the wealthy
farmers of eastern Kansas in CORES pond
ence with their starving brothers out
west, and the result was that when the
FopuIlst farmers we're compelled to move
out Of western Kansas in August and
6eptember they had a place to go and
most OF them were soon settled IN some
eastern county whore their votes will
help out on election day in one Of the
several close Legislative districts.
This colonization OF western Kansas
Fopullsts IN the eastern counties is like
ly, It u said, 20 turn several heretofore
republican legislative districts into the
pOpulist column.
The Republic correspondent in ex-
planning the colonization scheme, SAYS:
For example, in Anderson alone 225
western Kansas POpulists have been colo
nlzed They are living on farms or in
me towns and villages, and are generally
employed By the Populist farmers of the
county. Two years ago the Republican
member Of the legislature was elected
IA Anderson county by 20 plurality. The
western kansas Populists who are colo
nlzed there will insure the election Of a
Populist member.
Linn county. on the Missouri border.
elected q Republican by one majority in
1892 Ninety western Kansas EXODUS
tiers" are temporarily camping in that
county till election day, when they will
proceed TO the Ozark region Of southern
Missouri
Then In Allen county, q colony Of
1eO voters from the dry lands are wait
ang to vote the Populist ticket before