The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1896-10-16
GET INTO THE ROAD.
If You Cannot Travel In the Middle, Then
Either Side VIII Do Equally as Well

If You Cannot Travel In the Middle Then
Either Side VIII Do Equally as Well.
Even as sometimes satan steals the
livery of Heaven in which to compass
his nefarious purposes, just SO, to my
mind, certain enthusiastic marplots
are doing the cause of humanity
grievous injury in the name of the
principle exemplifed in the admoni-
ton, Keep in the middle of the road. "
To all such I feel privileged, from
my past record, to offer an honest ex-
hortation A middle of the road man,
of the straightest sect, a radical of the
radicals and a full grown man in pop
ulism, fought step by step, and with
all my energy the successive acts in
the comedy of errors that left the peO-
pies party, green and attractive, with
no alternative except to gracefully
submit to being swallowed by the
democratic organization. I faithfully
sounded the alarm and pointed out the
inevitable consequences of the course
our so-called leaders were pursuing,
which virtually pledged US to support
democracy's candidates, if they adopt
ed certain portions of our principles.
I now realize, as strongly as can
any one, that we have been buncoed
again and beaten in the game of
politics. But, mark this, instead of
being captured by the old time corrupt
democratic organization, we have be-
come the, shall 1 say property" no, I
will say the allies of the rank and file
of the democracy, who captured their
party's organization from the Cleve-
Observation-Disclosures syndicate, This
was neither intended, or expected, but
altogether unattended and unexpected
and foreign to the programme.
By the nomination, by the democ-
raey, of Bryan, upon the platform
adopted at Chicago, the populists were
not only morally and logically COM
PEELED to also nominate him, but were
placed in such a position that their
only alternatives were either the nomi-
nation of SeWan also, or the nomina-
ton of straight candidates for both
the presidency and vice presidency.
The democrats made mistake in not
nominating Judge Walter Clark, of
North Carolina; Joseph c. Sibley, Of
Pennsylvania, or some other democrat
of known alliance or populist symps-
thies, The populists made confusion
worse COMPOUNDED when they nomi-
mated Watson, at the same time nomi-
mating Bryan. With both Sewall and
Watson in the field, neither could be
elected, even though a division of elect
ors were effected, with a joint set of
electors in each state for both tickets,
all for Bryan and part for Watson and
part for SewaIl. With separate and
distinct electoral tickets in each state
Mckinley would have won by a plu-
ralIty vote and the populist voters
would have assisted in defeating their
own candidate. So far as the preserva-
ton of party autonomy and identity is
concerned, that could have been ae-
eomplished as easily without Watson
as with him, 10 the only way it can be
done anyhow, to-wit; By the-placing
in the field of separate and distinct
populist state tickets in each and every
state. Looked at from every stand
point, the nomination of Watson, with
Ervau WAS q mistake
With the exception of the coin re-
demption fallacy and the omission of
a declaration on toe land question, the
platform adopted at Chicago is as good
and more radical than the platform
adopted by the populists at Omaha in
1892, or at St. Louis in 1895. On many
points it is much mora outspOken and
clear, and in grammatical construction
it clearly excels the others,
The candidate standing upon this
platform is a populist in all save the
name and he escaped bearing the name
only by the mere accident Of the masses
of democracy capturing the party or
ganization and declaring for silver,
He has now made since his nomination
some 200 speeches and has plainly and
explicitly defined his attitude and ex-
posed his symps thies, so that we may
know where he stands. And now /
solemDly and without any reservation
whatever declars that aside from Lin
coin, William Jennings Bryan is the
ablest, truest and noblest representa-
tive of the common people-the masses
that ever stood as a candidate for
the presidency OF the United States.
and I consider him--Bryan-the ban
.ner around which the toilers-the OPP
pressed and distressed-the disinher-
tied and disconsolate must rally for
the political battle Of ArmageddOn--
for the face to face struggle be-
tween the masses and the classes-ths
aristeereis and The proietariat-the
people snd The PsUt0crass. BrysH is
the RECONCILIATION and eloquent advoe
cate o. the vital principles Of Liberty,
Fraternity and Equality he IS plat
form Of and by himself de Is NOT the
nan whom certain eonspirators in and
ont Of the peoples party intended
should be nominated at Chicsgo. But
be whom the builders rejected has
again become the chief corner stous
aud We must not fail to assist in erect
lag thereon the temple oflIberty. Be-
fore the tremendous and vital issuaa
.personiEed BY 5FysE and Mckinley
there Is nothing worthy g g. womsut's
confederation, sad SITTER taem comes
.sezl ID lmp1Fgaaes ths zalseti9a e
sang ssslgHal esadisstss sad esasis