Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1902-06-28
THE POPULIST CONVENTION AND THE
BALLOT LAW.

BALLOT LAW.
Yesterdays Populist state conven-
tion was resolved into an Indignation
sailed by speakers from every section
of the state, beginning with Senator
Harris, as ''the Ubiquitous an infa-
nous" anti-fusion law passed by the
last legislature
This Ubiquitous law. as the PopuIists
style it, is opposed by that party be-
cause thev think it threatens to pre-
vent their trickery from an Ubiquitous
triumph at the polls; 1T is opposed by
Senator Harris because it threatens
as he thinks, his reelection to the
United States senate.
1t is strange to hear oracles of the
most proscriptive party, in it's day,
that American politics ever witness
ed, declaiming against this measure
to protect honest elections as a tyran-
ical party measure. When it was in
power in this state there were no
limits to the bigotry and arrogance of
the POpulisJ party. I rode roughshOd
over the will of the people in the Lew
elling riot and rebellion of 1898, when
it proposed to use the militia to drive
out of the house of representatives
the legally elected members, 1t was
ready at any time to ignore and vio-
late law to reach its partisan purposes.
Criticisms of the anti-fusion law from
the mouths of Populists come with
poor grace when the record of that
party is recalled.
What is the anti-fusion law? The
Populist orators yesterday proposed to
challenge the Republican party on
that law, and we know of no issue
that Republicans are more willing to
be challenged on. The anti-fusion
law. in a word, prevents one political
party from posing as two political
parties and from putting one ticket
on the official ballot in two different
places, giving that ticket a double
chance of election. The law prevents
the fusion party, in other words, from
taking an unfair and INSCRIPTIONS
advantage of the voters in elections.
The POpulist and Democratic par
ties are to all intents and purposes
one part y and they have one ticket.
~ SUN - thOAh Pul pOcOSs III oia Sulb
their purposes until the enactment of
this law, To pose as two political par
ties and get their ticket ON the Official
ballot twice. If this is allowed what
is to prevent this aggregation from
splitting up into three or four pre-
tended parties and putting the same
ticket on the ballot in three or four
places, instead of but two? What is
the matter with putting their ticket
on so Trick that the Republican tick
ct would be as hard to find on the bal
lot as the Droverbfal needle in hay
stack.
The sO-called inquitous law is law
for honest politics and fair dealings
In elections A party that regularly
dominates the same men for offices in
but one party, no matter how many
names it gives itself. Before Dem
Ocratic convention is held in this
state there is a Populist caucus or con-
ference Before a Populist conyen-
tion is called there is a Democratic
caucus or conference. Whenever you
will the Populists be also. The Dem
ocratic convention at Wichita adj
jOurnec to the date of the Populfst
convention at Topeka. and the Demo-
Gratis were here yesterday sharing in
the deliberations and lacking only the
technical right to vote on the floor.
These pretended two parties are one
party in facts they have but one tick
ct and IN good conscience their ticket
should have no more room on the bal
lot and should appear no oftener than
any other ticket