The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-04
DAVIES BALkS.
Well Known Populist Editor
Calls a Halt.
Says He Won't Follow Party
Into Democratic Camp.
is FOR CALDERHEAD.
Will Support Him in Prefer
ence to Fusion.
Says Delegates Would Not
Listen to Reason.
rs FOR CALDERHEAD.

LlSC0Q 10 h0aSOQ.
Conner Davies, one of the leading
Populist editors of the state, in his pa
per. the Concordia Kansan, this week
| repudiates the action of the Populist
state convention and declines to follow
the fusion leaders into the Democratic
party. He does not say what he will do
| about state politics, but as far as the
Fifth congressional district is concerned
! he says he will support Congressman
| Calderhead, the Republican nominee, in
| preference to either Andrew Shearer or
! J. M. Doyle, who are mentioned for the
| fusion nom nation. Mr.. Davies says:
I'VE have not heretofore, in a score
Of years experience as newspaper
man, hesitated in giving our honest
| conviction about matters of public con-
| cern-it is getting too far toward the
evening of our life to adopt different
| methods in that regard now.
| 80 far as the state organization is
concerned the Populist party Is ire
| vocably, irredeemably dead.
| Democratic newspapers and Demo-
| cratic leaders call it fusion, but it is
! a complete and humiliating surrender
| of the Populist party into the hands OF
| Democracy.
| Democratic leaders at the state con-
! vention of their party at Wichita, were
| delegates to the Populist convention at
| Topeka. They would listen to no reason
| nor any terms save the one they knew
| complete surrender of all our rights on
| the ballot, to the dictation of the Dem
| ocratic bosses.
I'VE were permitted to recon mend
to the Democratic committee the names
| of POpulistS whom we should like to
| have them nominate Then we were
| forced to wait beyond midnight before
| we were permitted to nominate the
| same candidates-this on the advice of
| Mr.. Overmyer, who suggested that II
| we were to do such a thoughtless thing
| as to nominate that ticket on the date
deSigna ted in our call for such nOml-
nations, we might possibly embarrass
| the legality of the DEN ocratic ticket. So
we sat in Convention hall, waiting the
/ pleasure Of the Democratic bosses and
| the coming of another day. And that s
| what they call 'fusion'-it was coward
| ice sublime. We are told that we have
| ticket, at least until the supreme
| court has passed upon tit is the worst
| kind of a hallucination.
| There is not CLEAN of hope thai
our ticket will be on the ballot, there i.
| not a shadow of reason for believing
that the leaders of the Democratic part,
| would wish fer it there. much less tt
| presume their assistance in attain
ing such result.
There are those who voted for thai
| procedure who are no doubt honest ir
their conviction that it was the expedi
| ent thing to do for this campaign, an(
have not yet abandoned fealty to the
! Populist party.
| Inc nen, however, WHO manipulated
| and formulated the plan did it in the
| avowed interest of Democracy and ths
complete abandonment of the Populis
| party. -
| surrender.
mo one expects the ticket to be elect.
ed-we do not believe much effort will
be put forth in that direction. 1t is
1 enough gain for the leaders of Kansas
Democracy that they have branded Pep
| ulists into their party this year, for ser.
| vice in 1904.
I'VE know not what course others
| may take but we refuse to take the
| brand.
I'VE have followed the Populist party
to Its death, but we refuse to be buried
with it in the grave of Democracy.
| 1.-The action of that convention ha:
! brought US to the parting of the ways.
We have not been a Democrat, DOM
intend to be Democrat, and the action
of this convention will not make uz
| pretend to be one.
mo intelligent man in the state Of
Kansas would believe US if we did.
| I'VE have supported Bryan because
ne was pretty good Populist- Demo
| Gratis have defeated him in two cam.
/ paigns for the same reason. They have
killed off Bryan-now they have killed
| CIT the Populist party so far as the state
ticket is concerned. They hold ou
| Organism to US now. In the campaign
to follow we shall be confronted with
| Clevela nd-HilI-G ornanism-'The voice
is Jacobs voice, but the hands are the
hands of Esau'''
Concerning. Fifth district matters Mr.
Davies says:
"As between. voting for either of the mer
spoken OF as candidates for congress by
the Democrats and Populists and voting
| for Mr.. Calderhead. the Republican nomi.
nee, the editor of the Kansan will vote fol
| Mr.. Calderhead.
He has at least the commentator OF
being honest and consistent-of being q
| manly man.
Mr.. Shearer did all in his power an6
as much as any man to lead the Popu.
list party into the shambles of Democracy
| uliSt party.
DOYLE can not be consistently and sue
cessIully defended against the testimony
of Dingus before the Investigating com
mittee inquiring into the charges of bri
berry of members of the legislature by the
American Book Trust-we do not Intend
to try it. The Kansan wouldn't supper
Doyle for dog-pelter in a country tan
yard.
Mr.. Calderhead has the courage of hi.
convictions and the Kansan would sup
port man honest in his views and hi
action, though some of them are at vari
| ance with ours, rather than to support
weak-minded political potroon, only pre-
curing the support of voters at the ballo
box. To use the language of Senator Har
ris in his keynote: DO the best you cal
today and God will take care of yol
guished senator's advice-and we will, un
der circumstances whatever, supper
either John Doyle or Andrew Shearer To-
congress-
Ottawa, Kan, and Return $1.6O viz
Il Santa Fe.
a eco,1uf Guantanamo Tickats M, sal.