Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-06-28
WON'T PLAY IN OUR BACK YARD.

WON'T PLAY In lux BALM YAkD.
The Democratic state committee met in To-
peka last Saturday, to discuss the union prop
osition made by the Populist committee. The
Democratic committee very soon disposed OF
the matter. In fact, it had been disposed OF
long before the committee met, but formal action
was necessary, and the committee met to turn
down the Populist proposition-the very thing
that was decided upon directly after Chairman
Loves return from the East, whence he had gone
to receive his orders from the Hillites
Yes; the Populist proposition was turned
down, and we were told, in effect, that the
Democrats don't care anything about the sue
cess of principle; that they prefer to hang to
their party name to the success of the princi-
ciples which they pretended to champion in
1896 and 1900. The committee at Topeka
said that there is little chance for the Demo-
Gratis to win in Kansas for years to come, unless
the Populists consent to be swallowed by the
Democrats. The committee also said, in effect,
that they prefer Republican success to Populist
success. They pretend to believe in Populist
principles, but they don't want Populists to re-
ceive any of the credit in the event Of Republican
defeat and the success of the principles inaugu-
rated and advocated by the Populists.
The proposition made by the Populist COM
mittee did not call for the abandonment of the
Democratic organization, nor for the abandon
ment of the name 1t was simply temporary
makeshift, for next years. election, to wrest the
reins of state government from the Republicans.
The refusal of the Democratic committee to
accept this proposition simply means that the
committee doesn't want any REFORMS
We do not believe that the rank and file of
the Democratic party will, at heart. endorse the
committees action. We believe the great mass
of the party, in Kansas and the West, are hon
estly DESTROYS Of change, and sincerely advo-
Gated the reforms indicated in the Kansas City
platform, as we'll as many of those in the Pop
ulist platform. They would willingly have &C
cepted the Populist committees proposition.
But, Chairman Love went down east and
hobnobbed with the fellows who, at the Kansas
City convention, did all in their power to over
throw Bryan and the principles he advocated,
and Love communicated to the rest of the COM
the result is as stated above.
The Democratic committee invites the Popu-
lists to d1op their name and organization and
90 into the Democratic camp. The Populists
will do nothing OF the kind-not now, anyhow.
Wen wait and see who dominates the next
Democratic national convention. If the Hill
crowd should capture the convention, and the
Populists should then have no organization, we
would be in pretty fix, wouldn't we! There
are many Populsts who would be willing to
line ND with Bryan and his crowd, but there is
not one in hundred who will join the Hill
crowd.
If the Democrats of Kansas prefer to Ego it
alone" and let the Republicans continue their
uefarious rule of the state, the Populists can
stand it, Our principles are coming to the
front. few years ago, the Republicans made
sport of the craftsmanship idea. To-day,
they are discussing it, and many large cities
are adopting it. Municipal ownership of cleo
tric-lipht plants, water-works, etc., is becom-
ing popular Other Populistic, or Socialistic,
ideas are gradually gaining ground.