The Topeka state journal., 1897-03-30
POPULISTS
IN CONGRESS.
Twenty-Five Congressman Be-
long to That Party.
Largest Third Party in Con-
gress in Forty Years.
&c. BELLOF COLORADO
Is in Charge of the POpulist
Party Members.
First Sketch of the New Men,
berS Ever Printed.
J.C. BELLOF COLORADO
CFrom the Rocky Mountain News)

Washington March 3O.-The Populist
party in the new congress has de-
clared membership of %, according to
the new rolls which were completed by
the clerk of the house directly after the
vote on speaker at the opening OF the
session. This vote is considered as the
one determining the attitude and polit-
ical affiliations of members of the
house for the session of congress. Sew
eraI members, who were elected either
as Populists, or with Democratic as
sistance, did not vote for Mr.. Bell, the
Populist nominee for speaker, and few
did not vote at ALL The status of these
gentlemen, politically, is difficult to de-
termine But many congresses have
contained three or four mem bers whose
status could be said to be in equal
doubt
The Populist party in the new con-
gress has more votes than any third
party has had at any time in 40 years
The % Populist votes We're cast for the
following officers of the house:
For speaker-John c. Bell of Color
ado.
For clerk. A. Edgerton of Nebras-
ka-
For rgeant-at-arms-J. F. Gilbert
For postmaster-W. E. Fountain of
North Carolina.
For doorkeeper-C. w, Cooper of
Idaho.
of the District of Columbia.
All these gentlemen are active and
well known Populists and have long
been participants in the third party
movement. The best known among
them are Mr.. Bell who is serving his
third term in congress; Mr.. Edgerton,
who is the secretary of the Peoples
National party committee, and Rev.
Alexander Kent, who is the pastor of
the Peoples church in this city, and
was one of the most eloquent cam
an1 rf7n 11n crt11 fOVa
Bryan in the campaign of 1896.
The third party compares in the abil-
ity and strength of its membership
very faVOrably with the old parties. Its
two most prominent leaders, Bell and
Simpson, rank with the most expert
enced representatives in the house, each
having had several terms of service.
Several others of the old members who
acknowledge fealty to the POpulist
party are well known throughout the
country.
Representative Harry Skinner of
North Carolina has become celebrated
as the rival Of Marion Butler for the
leadership in North Carolina, and while
his attitude has been open to some
question from Populists, who do not
like anything that even hints at an al
lance with gold Republicans, it is con-
ceded that Skinner himself has always
been loyal to Populist tickets and the
third party movement.
These are the first sketches of this
group of new members that have been
compiled for publication.
Representative Charles A Barlow of
California is an Ohio man by birth and
was 80 years old on the day of the Cor
bett-FitzsimmOns mill. His father was
an old-time Republican and quarter
master general under the Buckeye war
governor, Brough. He received a COM
mon school education in Cleveland, and
after his fathers death removed with
his mother and family to Ventura, Cal,
in 1875. There he learned the harness
makers trade and afterwards engaged
extensively in fruit shipping and farm
Ing. He has been state lecturer of the
Farmers Alliance and was a membe
of the California assembly in 1893 He
is one of the publishers of the San Luis
Obispo Reasoner, which is one of the
leading party papers of southern Cali
fornia
Rev. jeremiah D. Botkin, the new
ngressman-at-large from Kansas is
a well known clergyman of that state,
and was an Old-time Prohi bitionist. He
is now AZ years old. He is a native of
Logan county, Illinois, and received a
country school education, followed by
a year at De PauW university a Green
castle. Ind. He entered the Methodist
ministry at the age of 21 years and has
since followed that profession. He was
formerly presiding elder of his confer
ence, and has been d delegate to the
general and ecumenical conferences. He
was the Prohibition candidate for gov
ernor Of Kansas in 1888, but has since
become an outspOken and ardent Pop
uliSt- He was the candidate of his
party for congress in 1894. Last fall he
was nominated at large and elected by
more than 10000 majority over Mr. Blue
(Rep.), who has just retired.
DR.. Curtis H. Castle of California is
of the same age as his ministerial col
league from Kansas. DIR. Castle grad
uated from Knox college, Galesburg
Ill, and the Northwestern university at
Evanston, III. He afterwards received
a diploma from the Keokuk college of
Physicians and Surgeons, and has been
in the active practice of his profession
for many years. He was long chairman
OF the POpuliSt committee of Merced
county. He represents the extreme
southernmost district of California
which has hitherto been supposed to be
Overwhelmingly Republican.
John E Fowler of North Carolina is
one of the youngest members of the
new house. being 80 years old. He is
native of the Tar Heel state and a pro-
duct of her common schools. He taught
school two years after leaving college
and was admitted to the bar in 1894 He
was formerly a free silver Democrat
Dut Identified himself with the PopuliSt
party four years ago He was elected
TO the state senate before his admission
10 the bar. He received a majority of
gress last fall.
From Nebraska come some of the
most interesting new members of con-
gress, all outspoken Populists and ar
Qent silver men. The venera BILE Judge
samuel Maxwell, who will be one of the
Oldest mem berS of congress- is a native
" New L Ork ana has lived in Nebraska
50 years he was for many years
prominent Republican and a delegate
TO the first Republican territorial con
VentiOn of Nebraska. For nearly a
quarter of a century he was a RepubIi-
can judge of the supreme court and has
neid many other positions of distinction
IN the state He is a well known writer
of legal books. His Identification with
the Populist party is of only three
years duration, although he saws he
has for 20 years been an active advo-