Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-09-23
Must be a Tight Fusion.

central committee Ill this campaign Will be 10
scatter the Democratic vote to the corn-helds on
election day, while on the other hand, the fus-
ion committees will make an energetic effort to
bring it out. Indeed, this is the fight OF the
campaign. II the Democrats go to the polls
that is, the Democrats who voted for Bryan IN
1So6-the fusion ticket will be elected. VI
course, this being an 'of year" the total vote
of the state will not be so large as in presiden-
iia vears--;t never is; but figures and observa-
non prove tnat since 1890, more Democrats
save been staying away from the polls in the
"oif years. han Republicans or Populists
That the Republican is regular in his voting
habit seems to be proved by the almost UNIFORM
total of the party's strength in the two pres'
dental years of 1892 and 1896, when it was
157, 900 and 10000 respectively; whereas, the
fusion vote climbed from 10000 III 1o92,wheh
the Populists had the electoral ticket, to ILL.,
600 ~ 1896, When the Democrats had it,
THAT the Popuists have voted the full pro-
portion OF their strength in the "off years IS
proved bv the very nature of the Populst cha1-
j, ,ler--men who talk politics every day OF the
year are not likly to miss the one day when
they may vote. They may become weary OF
speakers and meetings; they may dodge their
share Of the ordinary drudscry of the local
campaign, but they never mss chance to ar
cue,n and when they are not talking, they are
reading. The Populists are the best-intormed
people in American politics--tlat is u say, the
Western Populists. They know all about the
tariff and the money questions--acqulred 1t by
patient reading. Two years ago, by their ques-
tions, they drove lot of Mark Hanna's kim
dergarten speakers from the stump. The kids
had learned their "pieces" all right, but could
not tell the doubling Populsts "wly."
Even J. B. Foraker, of Ohio, who made the
best speech on the Republican side III Kansas,
that year. was sometimes put to flight by unex-
pected questions from his audiences.
''What kind of a trip did you have out
West?" Mark Hanna asked Foraker when they
met afterward.
"Got along all right, except in Kansas
"What was the trouble in Kansas"
"They ask too many questions out there"
Men of the Populist type, therefore, are not
is not Republicans who stay away, 1t must be
Democrats.
The highest vote cast by the Democrats OF
Kansas was in 1888, when Grover Cleveland
was given 1o2 ,73o. The same year, the Ke-
publicans gave Harrison I82,34.i. The Union
Labor and Prohibition tickets rec eived, respect
lively, 37,787 and 6,77o. The total OF all par
ties was 33o15o.
In 1890, the Farmers Alliance appeared IN
politics for the first time, reducin. the Demo-
cratic vote to 1885 and the Re publican to
115,oa5 taking from all elements Iol 1919. The
total of all parties, including less ban 1880
Prohibition votes, was 2o4, ,568.
After the election of 1890, the Democrats
became wanderers. Some went into the fusion
of 1892 and fragment disappeared wholly tor
tine--took to the woods. In 1894, David
Overlnyer rallied 10000 OF the faithful to his
standard, but that still left great gap IN the
partys 1900 votes of 1890. Many OF the
$4,000 certainly voted with the Populi sts-in
fact, had become Populists. Some, no doubt,
votedp with the Republicans, and an unknown
quantity remained in the woods. That they
were still on earth and still Democrats was
proved In the election of 1896, when Bryans
Democrat, nominated by the Democratic ma
tional convention, rolled up fusion vote OF
171,677 out of total poll in the state OF 1885,
700, being 1882 more than the total poll OF
1862, and $500 more than 1888, which, until
that time, was the highest the state had ever
polled. The increase of the fusion vote of 1896
over that of 1892 was $4,000, Some were free