The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-05-03
WHY IS IT MILITARY.
Industrial Legion Being Organ
lied All Over Kansas.
1t Has Military Titles and Is
Secret.
MEMBERS NOT ARMED.
In Kansas the Orders Objects
Seem Lawful.
In California the Legion" Car
rieS Guns.

The Industrial Legion, a secret Popu-
list organization of military nature, IS
being revived in Kansas and Rev. ]. D.
Botkin, the well known Methodist
preacher who prayed for the state sena-
tors last winter, is at the head OF the
movement
The Industrial Legion was first organ
lied at Memphis in 1892, when the Ma
tional Alliance was in session, IN that
city.
When it was organized it was pro-
claimed to be the new political club OF
the Peoples party which was to take the
place of the Farmers Alliance.
1t was decided to give it military
character and its first commander IN
chief and the present head OF the Ma
tional League is Paul Vandervoort, ex-
commander in chief of the G. A. X,
who lives at Omaha
Immediately following the organiza-
ton of the Industrial Legion at Mem
phis an attempt. was made to organize 1t
all over the west particularly in the Pop
ulist strongholds
In Kansas the Industrial Legion was
started out with great hurrah and local
legions were organized all over the
state, The local legions in Kansas were
given the privilege of organizing either
as open or secret societies, but most of
the members having been identified with
the Farmers Alliance favored the secret
work and most of the Kansas legions
were organized under the secret order
Soon after the Industrial Legion was
started the Populist leaders in Kansas
decided that they had too much mackl-
neIy and advised the members of their
party to stick to the alliance rather than
1O.,1., 70
too many secret societies of a political
nature. The result of this was the In
dustrial Legion went to pieces in Kansas.
A local legion had been organized in
Topeka, but it did not meet after it or
ganized.
Rev. ]. ID. Botkin has now been made
state commander, and he has undertake
the task of reorganizing the Industrial
Legion, and making it feature in Kan
sas politics.
Rev Mr.. Botkin is now at work in the
two southern tiers of counties, but his
plans are best shown by the fol
lowing announcement which is be
ing published in all of the
Populist papers in the state:
The Industrial Legion.
This is the political club of the Peoples party
Having been appointed stace commander, it i
my purpose to visit as many counties as posi-
BILE within the next three months. For goot
reasons my labors for the present will be con
fined chiefly to the eastern half of the state
My pan is TO lecture at three points in each
county visited upon The Problem of the Tn
employed" County committees are requested
to correspond with me at Neodesha Kansas
for dates and details. Peoples party paper!
please copy, j. D. BOTKIN.
In California and other states where
the Industrial Legion has been more sue
cessful in keeping up its organization, i
is known as a strictly military society
drilled like the knights of Pythias, bu
when armed, equipped with guns instead
of swords
1t is not known whether Rev. Botkir
is urging the legions he is organizing tt
arm or not
John F. Willis was at one time a higl
officer in the Industrial Legion. but b,
is now giving his entire time to the or
ganization of the Aid Degree, life in
surance department of the Farmers Al
lance.