The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1896-02-28
NATIONAL LEGION.
Stirring Circular from Paul Van Dervoors
The Year 1900


Stirring Circular from Paul Van Dervoors
Tho Year 1896.
The legion is now rapidly growing
among the people; it is growing faster
than any organization in the nation.
The peoples party must thoroughly
organize. If it will not, it will meet
the fate of the greenback and labor
parties If they want to preserve the
faith they have battled for on many
fields, it is of the highest importance
that they should unite at once in the
legion and seek converts in a regular,
systematic way. It is possible between
now and July % to convert the great
mass OF the people who are dissatified
with the two old parties We must
provide plan to educate and instruct
them in the faith we hold. If we had
a legion in every state, county, pre-
cinct and school district in the land, as
has been constantly recommended,
there would be no misunderstanding
about our platform and vital principles.
What we must do is to educate the peo-
pie, at we should at once, without a
a moments delay, organize. 1t is no
use quarreling with each other; no use
reviling at the faults and frailties and
mistakes that may be made. What we
want is perfect unity and organization.
1t is useless to critic the action ut St
Louis. We must, without sacrifice of
principle, hold out the olive branch to
those who believe as we do on funda-
mental questions, and keep our doors
open to the north, south, east and
west" If we expect to win and relieve
the oppressed people. have ever up
held the Omaha platform, and will
Loyalty do SO until the St. Louis con-
vention esta blishes its creed. l believe
that we will agree without the loss
of our self-respect or tie aban-
donment of our principles. In
order to hold our faith we should or
ganize into a compact. united band.
And if the two millions who have voted
our ticket, and the loyal following as
ISOLATED with them in their households,
will organize and individually and by
force of perfect organization go into
earnest missionary work, we can con-
vert enough voters before July to win
the fight.
From every quarter come the glad
tidings of great accessions to our
ranks. In some localities it amounts
to a landslide. We can never gain
in this grand contest if we are divided
ourselves. I have had many griev-
ances and have been burdened
with a heavy task. 1 have resented
bitterly unfair treatment, but 1 am
willing to bury it all and labor on
to organize for victory in 1896. The
people should sustain their committees.
They should build up and encourage
their newspapers. They should cheer
the overworked, lily paid editors
They should be willing, one and all, to
''divide their last blanket and last
crust" with each other, and remember
that no great cause has ever triumphed
unless martyrs trod the hot plowshares
and unselfshness was ever uppermost-
We have adopted new form of MEM
bership for those who desire it and
who wish to swell the fund for propa-
ganda work. Send for papers and or
ganize at once.
We want you in line now; and the
moment you read this call go out and
drum up ten people and organize and
send for charter. Always enclose
stamps for supplies. We draw no sal.
aries, and labor as freewill gift. We
are already burdened with a load of
de bt incurred in this work. We want
to establish lecture bureau, and we
urge your active cooperation. Our
mail is constantly increasing, and we
need typewriter for this great work.
We do not appeal to or beg of the peo-
pie. 1t is their work and they should
sustain it
This is great struggle for human
rights. No more sacred contest was
ever waged in all the ages. If we are
alive, if we will awake, if we will
arouse from slumber, and each one do
his whole duty-if we are band of
freemen, united in fraternity--we can
restore liberty and bring back pros.
perity. We are in the ruthless hands
of aliens and traitors to our nation
who sell our birthright daily. Our
rulers worship the golden image. and
humiliation and shame are the lot of
our patriotic people.
A new declaration of independence
is demanded, and on our shoulders
rests the sacred work.