Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1896-03-11
NATIONAL LEGION.
CIRCULAR NO. 2.

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
with 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. 1t is possible between
now and July 22d to convert the great
mass of the people who are dissatisfied
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-
ciIct 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; and we should at once, without a
moments delay, organize. 1t is no use
quarreling with each other; no use re-
Wiling at the faults and frailties and
mistakes that may be made. What we
want is perfect unity and organization.
1t is useless to criticise the action at
ST. Louis. We must without sacrifice
of principle hold out the olive-branch
to those who believe as we do on fun
damental questions, and keep our
doors open to the North, South, East
and West" if we expect to win and re-
lieve the oppressed people. 1 have ever
upheld the Omaha platform, and will
loyalty do so until the st. Louis con-
vention establishes it's creed. I be-
lieve that we will agree without the
loss of our self-respect or the abandon
ment of our principles. In order to
hold cur faith we should organize into
a compact, united band. And If the
two million who have voted our ticket,
and the loyal following associated with
them in their households. will organ
ize and individually and by force of
perfect organization go into earnest
missionary work. we can convert
enough voters before July to win the
fight
From every quarter come the glad
tidings of great accessions to our ranks.
In some localities 1t amounts to a land
slide. We can never gain in this grand
contest If we are divided ourselves. l
have had many grievances and have
been burdened with a heavy task. /
have resented bitterly unfair treat
ment, but 1 am willing to bury it all
and labor 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 re-
member that no great cause has ever
triumphed unless martyrs trod the hot
plowshares and unselfishness was ever
uppermost. We have adopted a new
form Of membership for those who de-
sire it and who wish to swell the fund
for propaganda work.
We send the certificate of member
ship, beautiful token, and Legion but
ton to all sending 81 90: and with 1t we
enclose full set of supplies and COM
mission as Legion Scout If desired; and
a sample copy Of The Nation, which
prints all orders and circulars. There
is no red tape. Send for papers and
organize at once.
We want you in line now; and the
moment you read this go out and drum
up ten people and organize and send
for charter. Always enclose stamps for
supplies. We draw no salaries, and
labor as freewill gift. We are al
ready burdened with load Of debt in
Cured in this work. We want to es-
tablish a lecture bureau, and we urge
your active cooperation. Our mail Is
constantly increasing and we need a
typewriter for this great work. We dc
not appeal to or beg of the people. II
is their work and they should help sus-
tain it.
This is a great struggle for human
rights. No more sacred contest was
ever wsged in all the ages. II We are