The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-22
NOT IN HIS YARD.
Mr.. Curran Widens Breach Be.
tween Democrats and Allies.
Bourbon Leaders Look With
Disfav0r ON Plans.
1T MEANS DOWNFALL.
They Won't Submit to Being
Pushed Aside.
j. Mack Love Gives an AvOwal
of His DisfavOr.

Some of the Democratic leaders in
Kansas are viewing with alarm" the
proposed movement of the Populists to
capture the Democratic party, and any
great emigration from the Populist to
the Democratic camp will not be en-
couraged by them to any great extent
for the present at least.
1t has been openly talked by many
Populists for months that the best plan
open to them is to walk bodily into the
Democratic primaries and capture the
entire party, including both county and
state organizations. They have argued
that they were numerous enough to do
this, and it would be virtually continu-
ing the Populist party under the Demo-
cratic name The plan has been gain
ing in favor as the months have gone
by.
But the Democrats who have been
steering their party in Kansas do not
look with favor upon the proposed
capture. 1t means that they will be
deposed and if there should happen to
be any patronage to be dispensed in the
future they will not be up next to the
pie counter. AS a result they say the
Democrats are not talking about fusion
TINS year but prefer to go it alone.
John Curran, secretary of the Popu-
list state committee. after a vain en-
deavor to hold the pieces of the Pop11-
list party together. got behind the
movement to go bodily into the Demo.
cratic party, and he has been doing
everything possible to ''shoo" the Popu-
hsts into the Democratic coop. He ex-
pected that his efforts would be appre-
clated by the Democratic leaders. that
MS recruits would be received with
open arms, and that he himself would
in due time receive his reward
A few Democrats have been helping
Curran. David Overmyer is one of these,
but MI Overmyer has no job to lose
by the accession of the PopuliStS to
power in Democratic councils, and he
mas immense prestige among the Popu-
lists as well as among Democrats In
iact, If Mr.; Overmyer wants anything
1t is doubtful if a Democratic conven-
ton would give it to him as quickly
as Fopulist convention would.
But there are other Democrats who
are not situated in this way Their
prestige depends upon the present
Democratic state organizat ton. If the
Populist leaders should come in and get
control of the state committee they
would be counted only among the rank
and file and the Populist crowd would
run things.
Therefore Curran finds that the Dem
ocratic state organizat ton is not second
ing his efforts to secure whole battal-
ions of recruits for the Democratic
ranks In fact, it is ruthlessly over
turning his plans and putting a stop
to his proposed stampede of Populists
to Democracy. 1t has laid down rules
and regulations by which Populists may
be admitted to the ranks of the DEM
ocracy, but it must be as individuals
and there must be no crowding The
recruits must renounce allegiance to all
theories and swear to support
r fn +k,@%
Ocracy.
This Is the reason why Curran's pro-
posed big Democratic banquet on Jack
son day has fallen through. He had
everything ready and was about to lay
plates for a thousand guests" Ar
had even been made to in |
vite Mayor Tom Johnson, of Cleveland |
to make the principal speech. Curran |
anticipated no trouble in getting sew |
eral hundred Populist leaders from over |
the state into the banquet and through /
them he expected to land the entire |
Popul1St party in the Democratic ranks |
so that when it came time to call the |
primaries and select delegates to the
state convention, practically every
Populist in the state would be ready to
swear he was a Democrat.
But j. Mack Love, chairman of the
democratic state committee, saw
breakers ahead. He realized that there
n9lght be too much of a good thing.
90 hastily. Therefore he has been
little backward about endorsing all of
Currans plans. He did not see the
necessity of taking in a lot of people
Who would reward him by turning the
party leadership over to somebody else,
10 he refused to put his O. K on Cur
ans banquet scheme. He was afraid
Curran might overdo the matter of Sc
.uring recruits.
Curran has tried several times to
make an appointment with Love in or
Ter to complete the details for the
banquet, but every time Mr.. Love has
allied to show up. Now he announces
hat the Democrats don't want a ban
uet and that the Democratic state |
ommittee will have nothing to do with
banquet scheme. Mr.. Love says there
would be nothing to talk about if the
anquet should be held as no one
nows what Roosevelt or congress pro-
oses to do, and until the Republicans
how their policy the Democrats won't
now what to oppose. Furthermore, he
avs the principal idea in the banquet
7as to promote fusion, and the Demo-
rats are in no hurry about fusing just
t present.
For these reasons there will be no
banquet on Jackson day
Turner's as Ministries.