The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-12
WHY PoPULIsTs FAIL.
G. C. Clemens Says They are Not Rad
icaI Enough in Belief

ical Enough in Belief
C. c. Clemens says of the bribery
investigation exposures:
The only thing about it which as
tonIshes me is that the investigation
has proceeded so far without revealing
any Wickedness on the part of railroad
companies. There was some a good
deal Perhaps the investigation IS pro-
ceeding by way of climax, and railroad
boOding is to be saved up for the per-
GRAFTON, as it were. l lived in Kansas
a long While, and legislative corruption
does not disturb my nervous system
The Investigation reveals nothing but
that Populist politicians are very much
like other politicians, and that no poll
tician can be trusted. unaccOmpanied
with q seductive temptation. We knew
that before The testimony gives US
some new instances, but does not in
crease our general fund of information
It was not because they were POpulists
that legislators took brides. Every
Populist got his political education as
Republican or a Democrat, and Re
publicans and Democrats are among
the fallen Aye, while a POpuIist here
and there proved false. did rot the Re
publicans as a body stand by the or
CARNATIONS that did the brihing2
I trouble not my brains over the
question whether boOdlng was done
nor by whom. Unfortunately. all that
IS clear enough. 1 am more troubled
about the future prospects of the peO-
pie, for If the temptation remains will
not future legislation be just as cor
rupt? Some may blame the engineer,
some the operator at the last station;
bat the wise man will gather the frag-
ments from the track and see whether
the deceased's head cannot be stuck on
his body. as to give him control of
the apparatus for doing business once
more. Has the Populist party been
so badly sliced up in the wreck that
Gabriel must resurrect it with coffee
sack Has CIlead no balm in stock?
Is there no hope for the people? Is
every mountain stream of reform to
end in mud?
For answer, look al one of the Da-
kOtas The POpulists elected a social
list legislature, and that legislature act
ually did things and left no scandal be-
hind II. Look over our own Legislature.
There were a few socialists in that
body. Has a single zephyr of scandal
yet tOyed with a socialists lOcls2 Has
any socialist vet chosen to any position
by the Populist party ever been found
guilty Of boodGng? This no new
thing under the sun. From the day
Satan tempted on the mountain the
great founder of socialism. how many
socialists to this hour have betrayed
their cause? Socialists have gone to
prison like KrapOtkine; they have gone
into exile like Victor Hugo: they have
deserted the imperial palace for the
poor peasants howell, like Count Toll
stOi; but they have not stood in un-
easy hesitation before the temptations
of aVarice or ambition. You may bride
the champions of a stock yards bill of
a school book bill, or even of a maxi
mum rate bill. These are all the middle
class measures inspired by the pocket
and operated through the head. But
you cannot bride the SOcia list for he
is an enthusiast; his measures are of
the heart and are but the means of re-
alizing an ethical idea.
This investigation shows the I'M
wisdom of electing as Populists any
but proved socialists. I have repeat
~
suffered themselves to become a mere
political party that party would surely
ole have begged them to boldly
make socialism their platform. The
class Of men who have successfully
combatted my views furnished the men
VINO betrayed the people in the last
legislature.
What of the future? I hardly think
these exposures will restore the Repub-
licans 10 power That would be foolish
in the extreme. The people must not
return to the past, but advance to the
future. PCpuIsm must mean social
ism, so socialists of all parties can unite
You remember the long reign of F,ne-
lish corruption under Walpole's admin
istration? What put an end to that?
Green, in his History of the English
People, gives credit where it is due
The preaching of Wesley and of White
field reused the conscience of the peo-
pie so that corruption could no longer
be endured. Preaching arousing the
dormant conscience of the nation-not
practical politics. overthrow WalpOle
And if corruption is to be dethorned in
Kansas it must fall before POpulists
preaching higher truths than free silver
or paper money POpulistS must begin
and vigorously prosecute an ethical
campaign; must strive to bring about
the socialists ideal Otherwise than
as a socialist party, standing for ethi-
cal socialism, with legislation only
means to a moral end, there is-there can
be-no future for the Peoples party,
and there ought not to be-"
One of the Youngest Judges.
E. L. Fischer OF Kansas City, Kan,