The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-16
Is DOUBTFUL OF OHIO.
Annie Diggs Says the Demo-
Gratis May Lose.
Nominated the Wrong Kind of
Man For Governor.
Discusses the Character of Eugene v.
Debs, Whom She Thinks is
Too Sanguine of Imne-
diate Results.

She found that the political s1tua-
ton varies somewhat in different 10
calities, but on the whole, it is encour-
aging to Populists.
In discussing her trip Mrs. Diggs said
to the Journal reporter:
I'm Minnesota there are two about
evenly divided factions in the Popul1st
party. One faction adheres SteadfaStly
to the policy of the Bryan campaign
declaring for silver as unifying IS
sue and for the federation of reform
forces, at the same time industriousiy
pushing the propaganda of anti-monop-
oily. The other faction led by Ignatius
Donnelly is consecrated to middle-of-
the-roadism. This division in the ranks
comes at a fortunate time-it will spend
it's force and demonstrate it's weakness
in good time for reunion on a common
policy in 1900. Both factions are laying
much stress on direct legislation so
you see the common basis is all ready
for future use.
Charles A. Towne is immensely pop
ular in Minnesota The prevalent dis
appointment and disgust over the dis
astrous failure of Republican campaign
promises have sent thousands of Min
nesota Republicans into the free silver
camp. The brazen and monstrous fraud
of tariff legislation has outraged the
conscience and inSulted the Intelligence
of the people. There isn't a wheat
grower in the country intelligent
enough to transact business of market
ing his crop but knows that he is get
ting better price for his wheat be-
cause of the failure of crops abroad, and
not because of Republican administra-
ton. The newspapers may print all
the stuff about tariff prosperity and
consequent rise of the price of wheat
which their columns will hold but the
farmer just laughs in his sleeve, or else
is indignant at the assumption of the
city chap editors who attempt to i'm
pose, on the farmers credulity. More
over the farmer knows that the foreign
conditions which just now tip the beam
In his favor may not continue another
season, then down will slump wheat.
Nothing short of a revival of industry
along many other lines than wheat will
bring him or the country continued
glances over into the coal mining re-
gions, into the closed silver mining
camps and at the constantly encroach-
ing trusts and combines and he doesn't
wear out his voice hurrahing for the
Dingley tariff or Secretary Cages cor
poration banking system. Minnesota
will go into the Peoples column in the
next presidential campaign.
Iowa is in the most beautiful situa-
ton imaginable. 1 am thoroughly
delighted and enthused over the pros
form forces this fall. Their candidate
for governor, Mr.. White, is quite ideal
as a citizen, a candidate and a cam
paigner. Democracy in Iowa is honest
ly for reform and for popular govern
ment You remember that the Demo-
Gratis, the Populists and the Free Sill
yer republicans held their state con-
Ventions on the same day. There was
wen-nigh unanimous sentiment for fed
Grafton. The middle of-the-road ele-
ment in Iowa is infinitesimal and in
consequential. The small contingent of
dissenters aids rather than Injuries the
canvass, as 1T is composed of men like
Calamity Weller, who though good and
true and vastly useful as pioneers in
the long ago, have rendered themselves
so obnoxious by inevitable antagonisms
that it is less difficult to win converts
to cause which does not involve aff1Ii-
alton with them. 1t is often the penal
" winch the braveSt and best of pio-
neer reformerS must pay for their I'M
selnsh service. There comes time when
their personality and their advocacy
are hindrance rather than a help It
IS OF course an injustice and a hunilia-
ton to the idealist but it is one of the
minor hardShipS which the political sit
uation entails. The pioneer reforrner
must take his bitter dose of ingratitude
as part of the sublime service he elects
70 70 Iend lt3T me new men and the half
gods Will reap the rewards and secure
the honors and it's no use to protest
Let the pioneer satisfy his soul in that
profess ..9s1,e IS made and humanity served.
ent from that in Iowa. Ohio Democ-
racy is dominated by an element that
desires to serve corporations and uses
a Semblance of loyalty to the rerepar
ated national Democracy, hoping to get
control and repudiate Organism and
REFORM L am more familiar with the
situation in Ohio than any other state
IN the union except Kansas. 1 made
a continuous three months CAMPAIGN
there in the fall of 1891, and again for
prefer season two years ago.
1t makes me smile to notice the
credit given to Abe Steinberger for the
middle of the road victory at the state
convention. Why, nothing on earth
could have induced that convention to
support the Democratic candidate, Mr.
Chapman. If any power could have
done so, it would have been t1ugh Cav
anaugh and Hugo Pryor, two of the
strongest, most trusted and best men
in the Populist ranks. There are very
few Populists in the state who see
things from the federation point of
view as do MessrsA Cavanaugh and
Pryor: and do not wonder. I would
have to toss pennies to know what to
do were in Ohio, and then 1 would be
sure that wisdom did not lie wholly on
either side. Mr.. Chapman is corpora
zionist, mine operator and a National
banker, and Ohio Democracy has no
business to expect Populists to carry
so heavy load in order to win a vic
tory over Hannaism. If Democracy
wants Populist votes in Ohio or else
where it must deserve them by gem
uine, hearty and full espousal of the is
sues of national Democracy as enun-
ciated in the Chicago platform. De-
mocracy must bid for Populist votes by
sincere intention to serve the people,
not by political antics behind which
turks the knavery which would lure
the party back to the gold standard
and to the dead and gone regime of
Hill, Palmer, Breckenridge, ct. al More
over. Democracy must put up men of
the right sort as we'll as platforms of
the right ring. We will have no more
Sewall business. There are abundant
thousands of good, strong men in the
ranks of Democracy as we'll as among
Populists and free silver Republicans
from which to choose candidates.
do not mean to say that a man is nee
essarily bad or corrupt because he is a
mine owner or a bank president. 1t
il not at all criminal To he rich, Tyrs-c,