The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-23
MIGHTY INDEPENDENT.

| G. c. Clemens says the Populist party
has no leaders. The true Populist, he
says, can not be led but goes it alone to
suit himself. He believes that uotwith-
standing the statement of some Of the
so-called leaders of the Populist
party. PopuIists cannot be herded into
the Democratic party. True Populists
will not go to the Democratic party" he
said, "tilI there Is a real Democratic
party to go to-
In speaking OF the Discrimination of
the POpulist party to be led Mr.. Glenn
ems said:
IF the Democrats have been building
hopes upon the promises of Populist
leaders as seems to be the case, the
Democrats are victims Of misplaced
confidence, and are entitled to all the
gentle sympathy usually bestowed upon
the purchaser of a gold brick. Talk of
a POpulist leader always reminds me
of a procession once enjoyed. During
the campaign of 1872, Sydney Clarke
spoke In North Topeka one night and
then came over the river to speak IN
the wigwam. Dan Adams was detern-
ined that sgd. should come over and
enter the Wigwam in hurrah style, and
SO had secured a number of torches to
be carried by the faithful. The process
sion formed and proceeded, Clarke and
Adams walking side by side in front,
your deponent and Bob Frederick, now
United States marshal OF Alaska, next,
and some others, to the number of fifty
or more. behind. But the torches were
in a worse condition than Spanish ra-
tons in Santiago, and as we neither
wished to buy new clothes nor call the
fire department to put us out, we be-
gan throwing the old things away
and betaking ourselves to the sidewalk
until, by the time we had crossed the
bridge, Clarke and Adams constituted
all that was left of the procession. They
were great chums and were so busy
talking that they did not once look
around until they were near the old
court house, when Adams, who had
been keeping careful step with the pro-
cession he supposed was behind him,
wheeled about to shout to the following
hosts to dress up
Then he and Clarke advanced hastily
to the sidewalk before somebody should
laugh. have seen alleged Populist
leaders with Just such an imaginary
procession behind him. There are no
POpuliSt leaders. Necessarily, the dis
senter in politics as in religion is al
ways a man of independent judgment
and individual vOlitiOn, and the old
time POpulist is built Just that way.
Were you to ask him Where is your
leader? he would doubtless answer YOU
as in speeches have advised him to
answeT-by pointing to the sky above
him. The true PopuliSt recognizes no
leader but God, and hope he will never
recognize any other. He needs no hui
man leader. He is amply able to take
care of himself-as the late election
made clear to all who tried to lead him.
Neither has he any idols. 1t don't take
him long to tear leg off his new doll
and spill out the sawdust; then he asks
for another. If you will look about
among the people who have become
famous as Populist idols and who don't
work at it any more. you will see plenty
of dismembered PopuIist toys. The
Democrat who puts his trust in Popu-
list leaders had better put it in princes.
The man who attempts to be a Populist
leader is likely to find himself in the
midst Of a vast solitude. If the Demo-
cratic party gets the old-tine PopuIists
to join it, it must go after them one at
q time ThaY can1f - harda11