The Topeka state journal., 1900-07-16
P0PULIST FIGURES
Claim to Have Received Many
Converts.
Secretary Curran Says He Has
List of 3, 3,2O5.
OPEN TO INSPECTION.
Names May Be Seen at His
Office.
OPEN TO INSPECTION.
Report to Be Made to POpulist
State Convention.

The Populist state committee claims
that 3,205 new converts. have been added
to the party ranks this year, so that
all of the "flops' are not being made
into the Republican camp.
These figures will be presented to the
state convention at Fort Scott in re-
port by j. H. Curran. secretary of the
Populist state committee
The report which Curran will make
contains the following: Since the Re
publican press began making great
claims of new converts to their ranks
and of Republicans who having voted
for Bryan in SO have returned to the
fold this office has started a systematic
investigation of this matter After eight
weeks of correspondence from all over
the state the result has been as fol-
lows -.--
There have been reported to this
office the names and addresses of 3,205
direct converts to = Democratic pr1n-
ciples of Republicans who voted for
Mckinley in 1896. 1 have on file letters
from 211 of these who were asked in
discriminatory as to their position and
these letters show that the reports of
our various party workers throughout
the state have been authentic. Then the
list shows thirty-five counties yet to
hear FROM OF the returns made by far
the greater part are railroad men and
miners in the eastern quarter of the
state. These lists are on file in this
office and are open to inspection TO any
bona fide Searcher who is after the true
drift of political sentiment in the state.
This compilation is interesting in
many ways. To be sure it represents
only a part of those who have really
changed their views since the election
of Mckinley. An examination of the
names shows a preponderance of the
German with the Irish next in number.
The letters received are rule calm
and dispassionate, showing q result of
reflection and study. Many letters from
old soldiers since the great speech of
Webster Davis at Kansas City have
been received, many of them mention
ing his name, which goes to show his
wide influence
Other features of the report follow:
Organization-State The state Or
ganization, consisting of two commit
teemen from each congressional district
with the chairman, secretary and treas
urer, is full and complete, and there
is not a Iaggard or Indifferent one on
the whole committee.
The committee has met on an average
of once a month since November last
and each member has been present or
represented by proxy in nearly every
instance. Considering the distance
some of them have to come this should
be a matter of congratulation to our
party.
Congressiona1-The congressional or
ganizations are full and complete. The
officers, chairman and secretary, are in
full touch with the state organization.
Five of the committee have been elect
ed, the other two districts having not as
yet held their conventions, the old COM
mittees are still acting, and are SEEM
ingly just as active as the new.
Senatorial-Of the senatorial districts
thirty-six of the forty-four have been
enrolled. 1t is expected, however, that
all will be enrolled as soon as the sena-
torial conventions are held
County, am especially pleased to re-
port full organizations in all counties
in the state except Kearney and Has
kell.
About fifty of the counties in the state
have added to their township organiza-
ton by appointing, at the suggestion
of the state committee, a sub-lieutenant
in each school or road district, all to
report to the township committeeman. |
This strengthens the organizations inn |
mensely, and will be carried out as far |
as possible throughout the state.
epresentative-Of the 125 districts |
there are quite number yet unreported. |
Most of these hold their conventions in |
August and September. after which all |
will be tahulated and enrolled