The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-30
ASKING A GREAT DEAL
For a Small Minority Party Are
the Democrats
According to a Carefully Made
Investigation
I5to the Pedigree of Those Who Are
Now Holding Offices by the
Grace of the I opulist
Party in Kansas.

The recent talk in Kansas about a di-
vision Of the Populist state ticket with
the Democrats has caused considerable
ureasiness among the men composing
the present state administration. 1t
has also caused certain prominent
Democrats to take up the cry of .di-
vide"
This latter class. it is alleged. simply
want q share of the sDons.
Si1ce the organization of the Peoples
Party in Kansas the Democrats and
Populists have Joined issues il the To-
cal campaigns in the various counties
and judicial districts. but they have
failed twice to come together in a fus-
ion Of state offices. In 1880, if there had
been combination ticket run
against the Republicans. that party
would have been defeated by 500 600 ma
1Dr4ty- IN 1852 4 presidential year, the
Democrats supported the POpulist
state ard national tickets which re-
suited in the election of LeWelling and
the Weaver presidential electors. Thea
IN 1894 David OVermyer headed the
Democratic movement. and as the par
" candidate for governor received
= 600 votes.
elected. In 1896, another presidential
year. fusion Of all the anti-Rcpubli-
can forces carried the state by from
1000 TO 1900 majority. The question
certain Democrats are now asking. is:
What are we to get out of the deal
in 1882"
The demand made by a few Demo-
Gratis for two places on the POpuliSL
ticket next year has caused friends Of
the present administration to look up
the record to the end that these Dem
Ocrats who are asking for a division CT
the state ticket. may be Informed. The
showing is made, and the vouchers in
the state auditors office bear testimony
that the Democrats share about equal
" he 90 IeT
who hold state offices and in the total
salaries paid.
It will probably not be denied that
a district judge is as much of a state
officer IS the governor, auditor or sec
reIary of state In the matter Of salary
they are on par with the state house
officials. whose average salaries are
$500 q year. True, the governor draws
5000 per year. but the state superin-
tendent Of public Instruction gets only
$1,000. which makes the average So,
500 Including Chief Justice DOster and
Associate Justice Allen, there are eight
state officials who were elected by the
aid of Democratic votes, and their sal
aries average s., 500 per year, a total
of $50. coo q year But this is only one
side of the story What have the Dem
ocrats bagsed out CT the POpulist-Deu- /
ccratic fusiOns during the last few
years?
Two of the appellate and SIX of the
district court judges of Kansas today |
are Democrats. Here are eight stare |
every month the same amount of mon /
ey drawn by the eight state officers IN |
the state house They are:
Judge Mahan of the appellate court, |
Judge schoonover of the same court |
Cfarnett-
These district judges are Democrats |
and were elected by POpulist votes
Judge Mcbride of wellington; Judge
Randolph OF Emporia; Judge Riggs OF |
Lawrence; Judge BurTis of Olathe, |
Judge Myers Of valley Falls,and Judge |
Bland of Atchison.
Among the well known Democrats |
who are feeding at the POpulist crib /
may be mentioned W. p Dilard, mem /
Der Of the state board of railroad com /
Inissioners; Joe Riggs. state account /
ant John Martin. clerk of the supreme |
court; Frank Gable, deputy warden Of !
the penitentiary: 7. J. O'Neil, member |
Of the Hutchinson refO-matOry board, !
besides a number of Democrats in |
minor places in the various state insu-
tutiOns.
There are several Democrats in the |
state house. Major Shreve in the gov
ernor's office; Judge HeTrick IN the at
torrey generals office, Morris Cain in /
the secretary OF states once, ard l.
W. Cafey and J. J. Ryan in the aud
itOr's office.
OF the present state officers, Chief
Justice DOster and State Superintend- /
ent Stryker are the only ones who
formerly affiliated with the Republican
party. Both Of these gentlemen went
into the Populist party as soon as 1t
was organized. but Judge Doster was
an independent several years before the
Farmers Alliance reached Kansas.
Gov. Leedy is an old lire Democrat:
Cant. Norris. the state auditor. never
voted anything else but the Democrat
fc ticket until the POpulist party be
came a factor in Kansas politics. I'm
Gle Dave Hefflebower's political record
is certainly not tainted with RepublI-
canism." he was first a Whig, then
a Democrat, then a Greenbacker, and
now Popuiist. F5e is g. years old and al
though he has voted at every presioen-
tial election since he arrived at his ma
jority. he has never YET voted for q |
candidate for president who was eject
ed.
Attorney General Boyle was a Demo
crat almost up to the time of his nom /
ination at Abilene. Secretary of State
Bush mas fought the Republicans
through his newspaper in Jewell coun-
" for years He was a Greeubacker
before he Joined the Populists. and |
euteaant-GoVeTnor Harvey was ra+s-
ed by d staunch cid Democratic father |
in whose veins courses the straight |
Democratic blood Of Kentucky.
As a state house Populist put it to-