The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1897-02-05
KEEP STRAIGHT AHEAD.

i
| Old Party Organizations VIII Be Like
Trying to Mix Oil with Water.
Just now there is raging with fierce
ness the irrepressible conflict between
| what are known as the ''middle-of-the-
road and the fusion" forces of the
! peoples party. The chief centers of
conflict have been, and are, the meet
| ing of the Missouri populist state COM
mittee, which was held on January %
and 23. and the meeting of the Ma
tional Reform Press association, which
is called to meet at Memphis, Tenn,
on February %. At the first named
meeting the fusion forces seem to have
obtained a victory, though by very
narrow margin of "a to 81. But the
victory of the fusionists was won only
| at the cost of riding rough shod over
minority which only lacked two of be-
| ing majority, and the expulsion from
party councils of two as true blue pop
ulists as there are in the state, whose
only crime was bitter opposition to
everything savoring of fusion. If
other states follow Missouri's mode of
procedure, the peoples party is now
in the throes of disorganization and
dissolution.
| The place of meeting of the Reform
| Press association being so far south, is
said to be favorable to its domination
by the middle-of-the-roader the south
ern populist editors representing con-
stituency that is unalterably opposed
| to fusion with the democrats and
which, being very largely composed OF
ex--epublicans, has no desire to form
an alliance with the republican party.
The southern populists form the only
| organized opposition, of any conse
quence. to the democratic party, which
exists in most of the southern states,
and the conflict between these forces
has been SO fierce and unrelenting
and the feelings engendered SO bitter
and intense that d successful union is
well nigh impossible. In the south
where there is, virtually, no republic
an party, the policy of fusion simply
resolves itself into a practical aban
donment of party organization and
renewal by populists of former party
affiliations.
In the north and northwest, the po
litical situation is vastly different, and
an amalgamation of the populist and
democratic forces seems to be the natu.
raj and easy way to defeat the repub-
lican party and secure the spoils of of
fee for an equitable division between
the two wings of the allied forces.
Viewed and considered from the
standpoint of policy, or practical
politics. aside from any consideration
of principle, or party honesty, fusion
would seem to be the best and most
practical method of securing victory
and-offices.
But fusion must always result in con-
fusion. Glance for moment at Mis-
souri, politics: A fusion upon the cleo
toral ticket was effected. which re-
suited in each populist who voted cast
ing thirteen-seventeenths of his vote
for Arthur Sewall and four-seven-
teenths of it for Tom Watson. and a
falling off in the populist vote of so
per cent, more or less. At the last
moment the populist candidate for
governor withdrew in the interest of
the democratic candidate. As a result
of this policy, the peoples party has
lost one-half its hitherto officially re-
corded voting strength in the state,
while in some counties the populist
ticket will have to be COTTON on to the
official ballot by petition. And yet the
populists of Missouri probably did the
very best they could do under the cir
cumstances, and in the face of 4 situa-
ton which was the legitimate and
logical result of series of blunders on
the part of the populist national com
mittee and the so-called LEADERS" of
the party. And what is the aftermath
of reward and recompense? Merely the
appointment, by democratic govern
or, to the position of state labor COM
missioner, of the chairman of the popu-
list state committee; presumably for
services rendered the democratic party.
Incidentally, few more populists will
be allowed to fill minor positions,
which lie within the gift of the state
labor commissioner.
Now take Kansas as an example: In
that state the populists captured the
control of all the state offices and state
courts and a majority of the county
offices. Thus all the state patronage
falls to the lot of a populist governor,
who has been guided in his appoint
ments, so far, by what9-by loyalty to
the cause of silver. And so it is that
many of the appointments are given to
silver democrats and silver republicans,
which is eminently just and proper,
when viewed in the light of the fusion
deal whereby the populists were given
control of the executive and judicial
branches of the state government and
the legislature is dominated by the flu
sionists.
But what has been the result nation
ally? In the first place, the peoples
party in Kansas has lost it's identity,
the populist state ticket having been
headed by Bryan and Sewall and hav-
ing been voted by all silver democrats
and silver republicans, as well as by
populists. In the second place, the
populists have lost United States SEN
ator from Kansas. w. A. PETER, who
understands and believes in and ever
fearlessly advocated and defended the
populist theory of absolute, inconvert-
IDLE, legal tender paper money, is to be
succeeded by w. A. Harris, a specie
basis. specie redemption man, who rep
resents not the populist, but the silver
democrat platform, so far as money and
transportation are concerned.
In his speech of acceptance, made be-
fore the Kansas legislature, Mr.. Har-
ris said:
| SIN the great work of distribution