The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1901-06-14
way OUT FOR FUsIoNIsTs.
Views Of Taylor Riddle, sx-PoPulist State
Chairman, and Tally Scott, Late Can
didate for Congress.

Taylor Riddle, of Marion, Kan, ex-
chairman Of the populist state central
committee, in the Kansas City Times
of June 1, advises popQlists to get into
the democratic tent. He says, in part:
"The great peoples party which rose
up in day was not a party in the
sense that it was to be permanent. It
was simply an agency by which one of
the old parties was to be disciplined
and forced to get nearer to the people.
In 1896 the great national democratic
party IN convention at Chicago surren-
dered to the principles of the populist
party and virtually stole our platform.
Again in 1900 at Kansas City a second
surrender took place.
do the populists of Kansas stand
for principle, or are they going to hig-
gle and haggle over a party name? I
believe in being honest and frank The
populist party is not and never will be
a great national party. 1t has done
its work in converting one of the great
est political parties in the world, and
having accomplished that object, am
in favor Of the rank and file Of the
populist party moving bag and baggage
into the democratic party. This move
will be easy-as easy, in fact as the
| MissOurian moves, for all he has to do,
| according to tradition, is to put out
the fire and call the dogs. believe IN
taking charge of the democratic pri-
maries and running them. Then when
we have captured the primaries ]
would move on up to the county con-
ventions and capture them, selecting
populists for county officers and pOpu-
lists also for delegates to conventions,
and I would not stop there. I would
also see to it that good populists were
| chosen for candidates for the legisla-
ture and state offices, and 1 would do
all this under the name of democracy.
Of course 1 would give the old line
| democrats who have stood with US In
the principles we have fought for a
share of the spOils, but not all of them.
be In favor of house cleaning-and a
stable cleaning also. The democratic
leaders who have been directing the
democratic party in Kansas for the
spoils of Office, and playing into the
hands of the republican party, would
take position in the rear ranks. They
would have to.
'There are those who would say that
this plan is not practical. Why isn't it?
There are four times as many populists
in Kansas as there are democrats. IF
we simply declare ourselves democrats
and go to the primaries, don't you think
we could do some business? There
won't be any trouble about running
this thing with four to one majority.
Well simply run it, that's all. And
we will make such platforms as the
people demand, and when made we
will see to it that they are enacted in
/ to law.
"But the name democracy 1t may
CRATE on sensitive ears, and some may
say, L can never be a democrat
What's in name, anyway? 1 have an
abiding faith in the convictions of the
earnest and faithful men who make
up the populist party. 1 believe they
care more for principle than they do
for party name. But why should the
name democracy offend any populist?
In defining democrat Webster SAYS:
'One who is an adherant or advocate
of democracy, or government by the
people. I will admit that there are
men who believe that the word demo
crat is synonym of TRAITOR but most
of this class are in the republican
party.
arguments and essays on the pres
ent situation in Kansas are all right,
but the fact remains that there is but
one sensible thing for the populists to
do, and that is to take complete and
absolute control of the democratic
party and run it"
TuIly Scott, of OberIin, in the Times
of June 8, says:
There is, in fact, but one reasonable
and patriotic thing to do, and that is
to proceed to the primaries under the
call of the dem ocratic state committee
nominate a ticket, and thereafter make
a vigorous fight to elect it.
Whatever may have been the differ
ence Of opinion among democrats as to
the policy of fusion, there can be none
now.
'sThe condition that cOnfronts rs
marks both policy and duty.
~The validity Of the act Of the recent
legislature viii not, 1 assume, be seri-
ously questioned, whatever may be
said Of it from the standpoint Of fair
ness or political ethics
@There can be but one ticket and one
name for that ticket.