The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-02
CLEMENS REVOLT
POpuIist War Horse Kicks Up
the Dust.
State Committee the Victim Of
His Sarcasm.
WOULD GO IT ALONE.
Says He Is UnsOphisticated and
Has Been Fooled.
Wants to Know Where Is the
POpuIist League.
WOULD GO IT ALONE

bued with the idea that that is Clemens
normal condition, since he refused to
| line up in opposition to expansion. He
has taken delight in going on a revolt
every time a new issue has beer hunted
up to make a campaign on next year.
His latest revolt is because of the re-
| fusaJ of the Populist state committee
to adopt a resolution favcring a
straight out Populist league. instead of
| encouraging the Populists to join the
Deunocra tic SunfiOWer league. He thinks
the Sunfiower league is simply a chute
to shoot the Populists into the Demo-
era tic party, and he doesn't propose to
be shot.
His present revolt is so great that he
threatens to leave the Populist xeserva-
ton entirely and take the socianstic
wing of the party with him. At the
rece 1T meeting of the state committee
he asked that a resolution be passed
favoring the organization of q PopuliSt
state lea que. but the committee for
got'' 90 pass it, in the interest of fusion.
Today he issued the following mani
festo."
II am an innocent young thing, en-
| tirely unused to the wi1es of the world,
and I scarce know what to make of the
Conduct of the Populist stale commit
| tee The request 1 mace was so easy
| to grant and the reason for it was made
very plain and was undo 4ied.
About two weeks ago, the Kansas
| Democratic executive committee held a
meeting at Kansas City hotel. Mr.
| Johnson, chairman of the national ex-
| ecutiVe committee jOurnayed from Chi
| cago to attend that meeting. General
| Weaver, of Iowa, that distinguished
| Democrat who wears himself out work
| ing at the job of a Populist war horse,
| also attended. Rumor says the Popu-
| list state committee was not unrepre-
| sented. Evidently it was deemed an
| important conference. Yet its only ap-
| parent purpose was to give out to the
| Kansas public that the Sunf1ower
1 league was considered an orthodox and
| highly respectable organization. and
| that Populists and Free Silver Republi-
| cans, as well as Democrats, were ex-
| pected to join it.
1T Is fair to as sumo that even poll
| ticianS have reasons for what they do,
| and / thought l could see a reason for
that manifesto. I thought the object
| might be to have the delegates to both
| the Populist and Democratic state con-
ventionS chosen from the membership of
| the Sunfower league, into which only
| Democratic Populists would go, and
| thus both conventions could be controlI-
| ed by that league which would, in turn
| be controlled by the two state commit
! tees. AS the state ticket would be split
| by an alleged Populist convention, the
Populists who really believe in some
| thing would be xpected to partAke of
| the crow provided for their refreshment
| and make no disturbance
1.-THE reckless Willingness which GER
! tain members of the committee express
| ed to leave everything to the state con-
vention, confirmed me in my suspicion
| that Inoccasin tracks We're visible in
| the sand. So asked the committed to
/ do something to allay a not unreason-
| able suspicion among Populists that the
! Sunf0ver league is intended as a pO-
| litical cellar-door down whose gentle de-
| clivity Populists are to e tobogganed
| into the Democratic party. My sled be-
| ing of the old style, I do not feel like
| risking myself on it in the present pre-
carious condition of my political health.
| 'All I requested was Some resolution
| providing for the organization of a
| straight Pooulist league. the test of
/ membership in which should be IN
! equivocal Endorsement of the Populist
| state platform of 1898 Nc, action of this
| kind was taken. Nearly every member
! has privately assured me that the COM
mittee were practically unanimous in
| favor of my idea They have also pri-
| vately informed me that the very thing
wished done has been going on for a
| month or longer; that the secretary,
| Brother Botl1in, and perhaps others,
| have been organizing Populist clubs I'M
der the committees direction, and that
| the work of organization will be Wig
| orously pushed.
In my Sissy Jupes stupidity. asked
! why this mighty missionary movement
! had been so cautiously concealed from
had not been given newspaper publicity
| so we could know a revival was coming
| and be getting ourselves in a proper
state of mind before the evangelist
| would strike the town. But have not
| been told.
q had seen in the press that the sec
| rotary had a plan for raising money
| by ten cent monthly contributions, but
for Some res son the newspapers had
| failed to inform me that the ten cents
| per month was a sort of premium
| stamp TO be given with a profession of
| faith in any particular set of principles.
| 1 think we need clubs to raise some
| thing else besides money. But if the
! organizations are really straight Pop
ulist clubs, why hide this beautiful
| Populist light under a bushel? I in
quired what overwhelming: reason could
| be offered for the committees unWill-
ingness to mention its organization in
a resolution to be published in the press
! and go out to the political graveyard as
a kind Of Gabriel blast to call the Pop
ulists from their tonbs. If the thing
was actually going on, why not public
ly say Sc and explain the whole mat
ter?
Il have not even yet had exemplified
for my admiration the secret work OF
this wonderful missionary organization
All I know is that every month you
are to drop two nickles il the slot.
have not been shown the organization's
creed. The only test of membership
know OF is that the evangel inquiries OF
the candidate Tor initiation: Wilt thou
! my dearly beloved brother, cough uI
| to the state committee ten cents pei
month Of the lawful coin of this realm?
If the candidate wilt he is to so sig
| Nifty by extracting two street car fares
| from his trousers and placing the treas
ure in the district deputy's' extended
and interrogative palm. Whereupor
the evangeI and his associates exclain
in unison: This dime thou hast ex-
| perforated shall DE pledge and witness
of thy solemn obligation Cold water is
| then thrown in the candidates face t
revive him and the ordeal is over.
Beyond this impressive but briei
part of the ritual I have no authentic
!. | information of the work Brother BotxiI
is doing for humanity and the STATE
. / cnrnrniffee have been told. but