The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1900-08-31
WHY HE QUIT popuLIsM.
The Former Populist Kansas Sena.
tor Leaves His old Party and
Joins the Republicans.


A special from Topeka, Kansas, says:
Former United States Senator w. A.
PETER, one of the founders and ALWAYS
national leader of the populist party.
makes the following signed statement
as to why he will vote and take the
stump for the reelection of Presid ant
Mckinley:
II am often asked why favor the
reelection of President Mckinley.
Here are my reasons:
I'm the first place, vehemently urg-
Ing on war with Spain, and after an
unbroken series of victories of our
arms ON sea and land an energetic and
successful conduct of the war, termina-
ting in treaty placing us at the right
OF the front rank OF the nations of the
earth, with new and grave RESPONSE
bilities attaching-after all these splen-
dld achievements, the democratic
party, aided by its fusion allies, has
raised q hue and cry charging all man
ner OF public crimes against the admin
lstratlon, despotic use of power, usur-
patton, fraud, corruption, perfdy, call
Ing on the nations to bshold our ma.
tlonal shame and beseeching their own
oountrymen to aid them in their wick
ed onslaught on the good name, the
honor and dignity Of their people.
look on this brazen assault on the
honor of the republic as little less than
treason, and the success of the republi-
can party alone can prevent the At
talnment Of the end sought for by the
unholy alliance. If there were no
nthar This o11 \
my vote for the republican candidate
for the presidency,
10 my mind, the presidents course.
from the beginning of the war to the
present time, has been remarkably
free from mistakes, He has been vii
igant, active, patriotic, and in all things
American. In the government Of the
Philippines he has not only followed
the law and the precedents, but he has
done the work efficiently and humanely.
He has treated the situation iust "A
Washington did in the Northwest
Territory, as Jefferson did in the Louis
lana purchase, as Monroe did in Flor
ida, as jackson did in the Seminole
country, as Polk did in Mexico. New
Mexico and California, and as Lincoln
did in the states of the southern CON
federacy. All the preceden,s are on
the presidents side.
Secondly, the democratic party ia
not fit to govern this country under
modern conditions OF universal freedom.
Look back upon the second administers
tion of President Cleveland. Upwards
of $3.50, 900, 900 in United States bonds
were sold without special authority of
congress to procure gold for the re-
demption reserve. Most of the bonds
were sold to or through syndicates of
spectators at enormous profits.
"The republicans were wiser. The
war with Spain made large expendi-
lures necessary; congress authorized
the borrowing of money, aud S2OO,OOO
900 of 3 per cent bonds were sold TO
our own people in sums of S25 to $500.
This is the fourth year Of the McKin-
ley dministration, and not one dollar
OF gold mas been bought or borrowed.
The treasury now holds nearly if not
quite $3.50, ,000,O0 in gold coin and bull
lion, for the transaction of the peoples
business.
"Our exports are larger in amount
and value than ever before, and the
condition of the country, as whole.
was never better than it is now.
Economy, justice. good government
and humanity, every good impulse and
every just and righteous consideration
demands that we do not change the
policy of the administration"