The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-23
COBBLE IT UP.
Taylor Riddles Idea of Treating
Democratic Party.
Ex-Populist Leader Says He is
Opposed to Fusion.
WHAT'S In A NAME?
Would Not Be Frightened If
Called Democrat.
Big Battle of the Factions lis i'm
Prospect.


come up before the Populist state CEN
tral comm ittee at it's meeting next Fri
day is whether or not it shall recon-
mend that the Populists go bodily into
the Democratic primaries and capture
that party or maintain their own or
ganization and run a ticket of their
own.
As a matter of fact, the rank and file
OF the Populist patry will probably do
as the individual members see fit, re-
gardless of what the state central COM
mittee recommends. That is a peculiar
ity of the Populist Every one of them
is a leader and he dislikes to be led.
John W. BreidenthaI and Chairman
Ridgley favor going it alone and put
ting up a separate ticket next year.
Secretary Curran, favor the Democratic
proposition. The two factions will be
lined up against each other in the meet
ing OF the state com mittee-
Riddles home is at Marion, but he is
now interested in a Kansas City COM
mission firm. Last year he was in
favor of the Populists taking possession
of the Democratic party. In discussing
the same proposition at the present
time he said:
Il am still heartily in favor of the
Peoples party taking possession Of the
Democratic party in the state This
has been my idea all along and / am
glad to see that the Democrats also are
willing that the thing be done. Their
action in reapportioning the state on the
fusion vote showed that they were in
earnest and sincere in their wish to
make the party in the state a party of
the people and to unite all the oDposi-
ton under their banner without asking
any questions of previous affiliations.
But it is practically useless to sit
still or straggle into that party or any
other in a haphazard manner. The
Populists must do what they are going
to do in a body, if they wish to carry
their force and purposes with them and
be effectual.
1.-The Peoples party has always been
a party of principles. They have never
cared much for the name if the prin-
ciples We're right. believe that you
could m owe the Republican name over
the Populist principles and vote ninety
per cent of the Republicans on it with
out a kick. / also believe you could
move the PopuliSt principles under the
Republican name and vote ninety per
cent on it without a kick The matter
of name is great only among people
who are extremely prejudiced- Many
Populists have successfully voted the
Greenback, the Union Labor, the AL
lance and PopuIist tickets. Ed Little
once said that a law ought to be passed
compelling a party to change it's name
once in eight years. + believe he is
right about it
''The greatest fight of the Bryan
Democrats will come in the convention
sive ideas against the conservatism of
the east and south. The place for Bry-
an Populfsts in that fight is by his side,
not standing off while there is fighting
for principles to do. And If we expect
to do any good for the western idea,
we must not be like the foolish virgins,
we must have some grease in our lamps
or we will be minus quantity. If it
SO happens that we are beaten out by
the reorganizers, I for one used
to bolting and can bolt again. But if
we bolt as Democrats we can take the
whole state with us, which will be much
more effective and the knowledge that
we may do this will be a great weapon
in our hands.
'Since the generous action of the
Democrats IN fixing the appOrtiOnment,
they have much or more right to say
that we are insincere in our platforms
than we have to say that they will go
back on theirs which they have had for
two campaigns. The Democrats have
a. magnificent national organization
while all our people admit that nation-
ally we are of little or no force
In any event, there will be no more
fusion. The people are tired to death
with makeshifts- They are sick of sub
terfuges and the fixed-up jobs of fu-
sion They will have no more of it.
They will either have a straight ticket
under one name or go it alone. / feel
that the Populists will see the wisdom
of taking possession of the Democratic
party.
However, am not welded to this
proposition. If anyone has anything
better to propose, 7 will gladly adopt
it. But unless there is something better
suggested, I will stand by and fight
for this PLAN Everyone can criticize, let
those who do suggest better way
John w. Breidenthal, the other
hand. comedies that next year will be
a Republican year, and he is in favor
of the Populists maintaining an organi-
zation cf their own.
1.-THE Democrats may capture a good
many Popu1ist votes,'' said he, "and
our vote may look mighty small COM
pared to election returns in the past
But that will not discourage us. We
are used to that. The Populists who
vote the Democratic ticket next year
will not stay Democrats long. They
will come back to a reform party,
whether it bears the name Populist or
something else. The fight next year
for the offices will be at the Republican
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