The advocate., 1896-10-28
rs THE MIDDLE OF
THE ROAD2

often repeated assertions, however
REOundlesS, may come TO wear go much
Che appearance Of truth that men begin
to doubt the plain teachings Of their own
common sense. The Republican talk
about slack Of confidence" is one illus
tFation, but il Is feeble when compared
with the talk Of certain men against
''RuGion deals" and "the infamous trade
at Abilene" These sage reflections are
suggested by q pePusal Of the alleged
middle -of-the-road" manifesto pub
lished in Sundays Capital.
At every turn the Middle Of-the-road
Populist" ticket has run against me. /
have been the one man il has had to
fight. Yet, while the manifesto abuses
pretty much all the rest Of creation, It
does not even mention me- Why this
unkind silenCeP / think know,
Brothers Willis and SteinberRer were
too we'll aware that it would be . pretty
hard task to make the old-time refoEmers,
whose persecution have shared for
eleven years, believe that could be In
duCed TO fight genuine, honest "Mid-
dle-of-the-road" Populist ticket. / do
not propose to be thus neglected, /
feel hurt to sec abuse being distributed
and not get any Of it. / ann going to
confess my Wickedness to my old Popu-
list comrades and see how it will look TO
them.
What is "the middle Of the road ?" To
uB old-time reformers that phrase has q
sacred meaning. It implies standing for
principle. It's plain meaning is "nO
fusion" We have always understood it
90. II has, however, lately taken on q
new meaning, and stands for demand
for fusion. On the official ballot will be
printed 9 ticket headed "Middle-of-the-
road Populist," with the names Of Bryan
and Watson as the "Middle-oi-the road"
candidates. Who are theyP Fusion
candidates. Is tnot SOP Why was this
ticket put upP In revenge for alleged
Democratic failure to carry out q "PuBion
deal" said to have been made at st.
Louis. Do I jest? Read this extract
from the manifesto Of Brothers Willis
and Steinberger:
Democracy has not kept It's part OF the st
Louis contract, which was 60 give them the
Presidency and the Popullsts the Vice Presl
dency.
Does it not have an odd sound to you
my old Populist friends? To insist upon
Che contamination Of Q "Rusion deal" ID
now to get into the middle Of the road
10 did not used to mean just that. But
OK course, we in Kansas cannot be blamed
for tie failure to carry out the NRtiOna
"deRl." What did these "Middle.of-the
road" brethren demand Of usP Fusion
aDItb The Democrats on the Electoral
ticket; to make 1t half and half That
was beyond our power when the demand
Wes made, for the conventions which hRC
put up the Electors had adjourned anC
no committee had BEEN vested with
power to undo what the peoples dele
(. gates had done. This failure, however
% secure 0 "tusion deal" was the only
excuse for putting up a "Middle-of-the
road" ticket! Are you getting confused
Faculties to grasp. Populists get mao
because they can not fuse, and for thR
reason call themselves "Middle-oe.the
road PopulistsY" Put wet towel or
cabbage leaf on your head, call in an in
sanity expert, and try to think il out.
have had TO give it up. Wait, however
till You get it all. What do you thinl
oe "Middle- of-the-road Populists" il
Texas and Georgia making q ''PusioI
deal" with the Republicans and sup
porting Mckinley and Hobart EleCtor
"a q means Of electing Bryan and Wat
Gonp Do you feel your mind goingH
ana not through yet.
Thoas middle Populists
hav0 fused with the Kansas Republi
cans. Their expenses have been paiI
and transportation has been furnishet
fhDm by Republican headquarters. VIII
hay kindly look me in the eye and den,
thigs When Watson was to come I,
Kensaa, the Republican Mayor Of To