The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-22
POPULISM NOW.
Democratic "MakeShiftS" and
Mistakes of Policy
Have ALI Been ssDumped' Out
OF the Way
SAYS JOHN I'll. CURRAN
Who Has Re-Opened POpulist
State Headquarters
To Organize For the Battles of
the Future.

Secretary J. H. Curran of the Peoples
party state committee arrived today
and will at once reopen headquarters
He says the large Republican majority
given at the recent election was sur
prise to all. even to the Republican
managers. Mr.. Curran said:
1T has been the habit of the Fusion
managers for several years to let the
I work drop after an election until time
/ to call another convention. By that
1 time on account of this neglect, the or
ganizatiOn had deteriorated to such an
/ extent that an immense amount of work
was necessary TO strengthen the weak
places and bring it again into good
/ working condition.
1--WE were handicapped by these con-
ditions during the recent campaign and
/ am determined it shall not occur soon
again. After consultation with many
of our best people have determined to
/ reopen headquarters in Topeka and
commence work on the organization at
once
but for more and better organization.
The best men in the party must be
brought to the front to plan and exc
cute. More workers must be enrolled.
New methods and a more thorough sys-
tenn must be adopted. The ties that
bind reformers together are the strong
est and tTuest in all political life and
they must be drawn tighter than ever
in the dark days that are sure to come.
party of education and it will continue
TO be so in the futre. 1t is proposed to
keep this work up in systematic and
thorough manner. our best writer's VIII
prepare literature on special topics EV-
cry class of labor win be given a chance
to become thoroughly posted on ecOnO-
mic questions so that when the time
comes the laborer may vote intelligent
~. The country press will be mater
tally assisted.
Every announcement will be given
to metropolitan newspapers which up
hold the cause Of the people. These are
the best of all educators. The news of
the day, presented properly and read
periodically, will enable any man with
Independence OF thought to vote intel
ligently.
The campaign just finished has been
an exceptionally clean one and leaves
naught but a feeling of respect for the
opposing party mana gers, but l wish to
serve notice on the Republican bosses
now that the campaign Of 1902 is on and
that We shall try to make it consid-
srably hotter than the last. We have
no excuses to make. The Fusion forces
pOlled over 100, 600 votes In the face of a
campaign which was calculated to buy,
bully or bamboozle every voter who
could be bought, bullied or fooled. A
change of less than 5000 votes or one
quarter of l per cent of the total vote
would have given us the governor and
state ticket, and had it not been a pres
idential election wherein mistakes Of
policy had weakened the Democratic
cause, we would have carried Kansas
hands down.
There is little use specializing over
the causes of our defeat. The Republi-
cans made their canvass on prosperity
and it was certainly in evidence. The
refoTmer who had made money in the
last two years regarded Bryan as an ex-
peTime nt-the dollars in his pocket were
a sure thing and though he was and is
still a Populist, believing in Bryan and
all the principles which he represents
voted al fo4a
of old Man Good Enough and old
Woman Well-Enough,' two personages
which had all to do with the election Of
the Republican ticket. Rumors of an
impending panic were in the air and
like Hamlet, they all wondered long
whether it is better to endure the ills
we had than to fly to others that we
know not Of Enough chose the former
to defeat Bryan even in places where
they loved him best.
THE nerve of the Populists however
is astonishing. Letters from all over the
state indicate that there is as much
fight in the Peoples party as ever, and
though there are many confusing and
confused situations which time alone
can straighten out, one thing stands out
bold and clear: our people will never
give up until that for which they fought
has been given them. We were right
when the party was formed and we are
right now, though temporarily defeated.
Those who have sacrificed before will
sacrifice again; those who have fought
before viii fight again. Some of the
best brains. the stoutest hearts and the
greatest thinkers in the world are with
us and viii be with US until we see the
triumph of our principles.
The general cleaning up of platforms.
the dumping of free silver and other
Democratic makeshifts by an over
whelning vote clears the way for Popu-
list measures. Even the Republicans
will have direct legislation and govern
ment ownership in their bonnets by 1904.
I am not issuing any appeal to Pop
ulists. They need no appeal. I know
their metal. They have been tried over
and over again and will come up this
time smiling. though defeated, ready to
carry the war into the very citadel of
the enemy and fight to make every inch |
of ground on Gods footstool fit for free |
mems feet to trod upon. There IS no
quarter in their rules of war, no peace |
or aTmistice with those who would dare
to bind the peoples hands They stand |
as they did in the Greenback DAYS. in |
the Union Labor days in the Alliance |
days, like rocks far cut from shore, /
beaten by the waves and often sub |
merged. but always steadfast and ever /
a pledge TO humanit that government |
by the people shall not perish from the |
EARTH