The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-17
Say 1t Would Make Populists a
Democratic Annex.
COULD GET NO SPOILS.
Would Have to Take What Dem
Ocrats Gave.
But Alliance ON Electors Would
Preserve Identity.

nenI POpu1StS and silver men from
different parts of the country the con-
census of opinion seemed to be that the
conventions which meet here on the
22nd will not work in unison as was ex-
pected. They will not be able to agree
as to the selection of a presidential
candidate. Silver men seem to be
unanimous for the nominee of the Chi
cagO convention, while the Populists
now here want a distinctiveIy Populist
candidate. However, it is too early to
predict what the convention will do,
for only a. few of the large number of
delegates expected are here.
The middle of the road Populists
are making a strong fight against either
the Endorsement of Bryan or the Chi
! cago platform or the nomination of the
| Nebraskan on a Populist platform.
They are much encouraged over the ac-
ton of the Arkansas POpulist conven-
ton which yesterday refused to en-
dOrSe Bryan and they propose to crys-
| taiize the anti-Bryan sentiment by
a public meeting of the middle of the
road followers Sunday afternoon when
the campaign against him will be open
ed. All delegates and POpui1StS who
want a separate ticket and an indie
pendent POpulist organization are ex-
pected to be present.
Chairman Taubeneck of the Peoples
party national committee heads the
middle Of the road section of the
party and with him are associated
those who signed the manifesto issued
after the Republican convention de-
claring for Teller for president
Sergeant-at-ArTns Mcdowell, who
went TO Little Rock to present an ar
gument against the Endorsement of
Bryan, has returned and reported his
! success. The proposition presented by
/ Mcdowell to the convention was in
! the form of an address reviewing the
two sides of the question of indOrse-
ment of the Democratic ticket.
1t is stated that in order TO restore
silver to its lawful place and make
combination with the Democrats the
POpulists must do one of two things:
| First-IndOrse the Democrat nOmi-
mated at Chicago and merge into the
Democratic party; or second, nominate
a ticket of their own and enter into an
| agreement with the Democrats on one
| set of electors. The address then says:
/ IF the first policy is pursued the Peo-
pies party will lose its identity and
! become an annex to the Democratic
| party.
| whenever one party indorses the ma
| tiOnal ticket of another it has no fur
/ Their excuse to exist.
All the state congressional legisla-
! tive and county candidates in the PeO-
/ pies party with the exception of a. few
/ western states will have to resign be
/ cause it would be impossible for the
] POpulist candidates to make a fight for
/ their local ticket, when the party ma
| tionally endorses the Chicago noni-
nees.
THE Populist and silver parties will
/ lose their organizations, as they will
| go to pieces after the November cleo
| ton and become part of the Demo
| cratic machine.
The Populist press which is a pow
! erfUl factor with an organization be
/ hind it would disappear and be dis
! placed by a Democratic press and the
POpulist editor turned down
! Should the Populist party indorse
! the Democratic nominees and the ticket
be successful at the polls next Novem-
Der, the POpulists would not be in
I position to demand anything except
! what a Democratic administration may
dole out to them.
IF the Populist and the silver par
ties merge into the Democratic party
the Democratic administra ton Will
carry out the Democratic platform as
regards paper money redeemable in
coin. and more, While other reforms
demanded by the POpulists will have
to wait until another new party forces
an old one to make them. as the Popu-
list party has now forced the Demo-
cratic party to take up the money
question.
IF the Populist convention indorses
Mr. Bryan it cannot deliver more than
Sc per cent of the Peoples party voters
to the Democratic candidate. The dis
affection caused by such a course will
keep a large number of POpulists who
are bitterly opposed to surrendering
the Peoples Party at home on election
day. This loss alone would be suffi-
cient to elect Mckinley electors in
many states.
ION the other hand, suppose the Pop
ulist and silver parties consolidate and
pursue the policy of nominating a
ticket of their own and unite with the
Democrats on electors What will then
be their status before the country? In
the place of an annex to the Demo-
cratic party they will become an ally.
1T will preserve the Peoples Party
organization for future use, and by
making an alliance with the boiling
T2ar h1icqnG the PnnlIfiSfE will r
number the Democrats and make them
the third party at the polls next No
vember.
IF the combination ticket is success
full the Populists will have either the
president or the vice president and will
also be in position to demand an equal
share of the federal patronage, includ-
ing the cabinet and foreign appoint
ments.
Every Democratic newspaper, espe-
cially the daily press will be compelled
to treat the Populists on equal terms
with the Democrats. This will give
the POpuIists a daily press in the south
and west.
'.The Populist party has the best lit
erature on the silver and money ques-
TONS which will be in great demand,
and the Democrats will have to help
circulate it.
In the south the Democrats will be
compelled to give Populists fair count
and a representation at the polls; be-
cause, if an alliance is made between
the two parties, ballot stUffing and
counting out will not go.
1T will preserve the -POpulist press
and make it much more powerful than
at the present time This alone ought
to appeal to every POpulist paper in
the land to oppose the idea of becom-
ing an annex in the place of an ally.
When that portion Of the POpulist
platform upon which Democrats agree
is enacted into law the Populists can
continue to educate the people on the
other demands of the platform"
Mr.. Taubeneck, Mcdowell and others