Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1895-03-08
NEW YORK POPULISTS CONFER.

NEW YORK POPULISTS CONFER.
A SPICY LETTER FROM DR.. FooTE TO THE POP
ULISTS.
Capt Geo. w. Lloyd, of New Rochelle, N
NJ, sends us the following report of meetin,
of Populists on Washington's birthday
Yonkers. Feb. 22.-The conference of tn,
Peoples party of Westchester county was hele
here to-day. David Rosseau presided Letter.
were read from Senator PETER of Kansas, Gen
Fields of Virginia, ]. H. Vandergrift of Ala
bama, G. A. Sweetland of Conn.,, DR.. E. B.
Foote, of L,archmont, James Wright D. M. S.
Zero, John Cahll and other prominent Popu-
lists.
Following is DR.. Foote'S letter.
New YORK, N Y, Feb. 22, 1895.
My DEAR CAPTAIN ~
1t is unnecessary to take time to explain to
you why cannot be with you and our Populist
friends to-day. 1t is quite impossible, and that
is sufficient l would like to take you and all
our friends by the hand and join with you in
your banquet. While it is quite fitting that the
anniversary of Washington's birthday should
be chosen for an event like this, 1 could almost
wish that it were the end day of April instead
of the 22nd of February, and that we were Gel
ebrating the anniversary of the birth of Thomas
Jefferson.
do not by any means overlook the debt that
we owe to the great and good man who is styled
"Father of His Country" but for these times
when official positions are degraded for the pur
pose of money making, and when plutocracy
rules the land, it would be we'll if we could have
little of the old Jeffersonian doctrine revived
and vividly presented to our people.
Thomas Jefferson said, 'When first entered
upon the stage of public life came to reso-
luton never to engage while in public office in
any kind of enterprise for the improvement of
my fortune, nor to wear any other character
than that of a farmer. l have never departed
from it in a single instance, and l have, in
multiplied instances, found myself happy in be-
ing able to decide and to act as public servant
clear of all interests in the multiform questions
that have arisen, wherein have seen others EN-
barrassed and biased by having got themselves
into a more interested situation. Thus" he
adds 81 have thought myself richer in con-
tentment than l should have been with any in
crease of fortune"
With disposition always to shrink from in
flicting pain upon my fellowmen could almost
stand calmly and see those words of Jefferson
branded with letters of fire upon the bodies of
those senators and members of congress who
have sold themselves to the sugar-trusts, and to
the railroad kings, and who are ready to support
any monopoly which will improve their person.
al fortunes by their so doing. These words of
Jeffersons should be written in electric light on
the walls of the senate chamber and the house
of representatives at Washington.
Hence, it seems to me quite appropriate even
on this occasion, when the mention of the name
of Washington will awaken your patriotism and
your applause, to revive also the memory of
Jefferson, and to remind you and the American
people of the glorious political doctrines which
he inculcated.
At your conference to-day trust you may be
able to devise some means to further the cause
of the Peoples party in Westchester county
but it looks very much at this time as if we
should have to look to the west and to the south
for a happy deliverance from the clutch of the
Shylock The people of the east are joined
unto their idols, and these idols are. gold and