Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23
The State Conventions.

AT meeting held in Topeka on
the 9TH of February, the Populist
State committee decided to call the
state convention for the selection Of
delegates to the national convention
at Clay Center, and the convention to
nominate the state ticket at Fort
Scott.
The reasons which impelled the
committee to take this action were
various. A liberal contribution TO
the committees campaign fund was
something that it could not afford to
overlook; but there were other and
more potent inducements in the case
of the Fort Scott convention. The
Southeast corner of the state is a
Populist stronghold. In that section
is the only congressional district
which elected fusion representative
in 1898, or which is now represented
in Congress by Populist. There
never has been q state convention held
in this section. The way in which
its voters held the fort two years
ago certainly entities them to some
recognition. 1t must not be for
gotten, either, that there is an
immense labor vote in the three
southeastern counties, and that the
miners will be represented in force at
Fort Scott, as they would not be ii
the convention were held IN some
other quarter of the state These
men are naturally with us; and it is
only proper that some concessions
should be made to them in this re-
spect. They will have requests to
make and planks to suggest for our
state platform, and it is we'll that we
should go near enough to them to u.s.
ten to their representations. They
are naturally our allies, but their EN-
ployers and bosses are not, and we
can afford to meet them more than
half way in extending fraternal
hand.
Still another reason for holding the
convention among the friends OF our
cause, instead of going to u city
which, like Topeka, gives bru-
tai Republican IN sj1rity, is to be
found in the political atmosphere OF
the locality At Fort Scott we shall
be in section where Populists pr,.
ponderate. They will turn out to at
tend and the enthusiasm thus devel-
oped will be contagious. We could
DOT afford to let Republican town
wet. blanket our convention. We must
make that gathering the splendid in
luguration of a campaign for human
rights that will kindle blaze of en-
thusiasm all over the state and wake
up every apathetic and dispirited
voter.
In view of these facts, we cannot at
ford to censure the committee for its
action but must the rather commend
it. The objection to the location on
account of the great distance dele
gates from the western counties will
have to travel has bsen largely over
come by the very favorable rates the
committee has been able. to secure
from the railroads-one fare for the
round trip, with reduction OF two
lOlIarS Wnere Ine distance ID oVer 4So
miles This is the best rate ever Sc
cured for any of our state conven-
lions, and it will enabl, the western
delegates to go down and see the east
end of the state at very small eX-
pense. And then it must not be for
gotten that matters are to some ex'
tent equalized by holding the other
convention at Clay Center.
Most certainly the action. OF the
COMMITTEES was taken with u view to
the welfare of the party; and the
more it is considered in all its bear.
ings, the more generally will it be
felt that it has done wisely and well.
With that feeling predominant, let US
go to work to make thsf Fort Scott