The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-10
MRS. DIGCS QUITS
Veteran Anti Fusion Populist
Hauls Down Flag.
Advises an Out and Out Surren-
der to Democrats.
GIVES HER REASONS.
Cordial Invitation Has Been Ex-
tended by Bourbons.
Populist Issues Require No
National Organization.

This weeks issue of the Farmers
Advocate will doubtless create a sensa-
ton in the ranks of both the Populist
and Democratic parties. The unexpect-
ed has happened and Mrs. Annie L.
Diggs, who has always stood out for
the principles of the Peoples party
against any compromise with the Dem
ocrats, has come out for consolidation
with the Democratic party and the
abandonment of the Peoples party or
ganization.
This was entirely unlocked for from
Mrs. Diggs, especially as it is at var
lance with the ideas held by H. N.
Gaines, the manager of the Farmers
Advocate.
In a two-co1unn signed editorial in
the Advocate this week Mrs. Diggs will
set forth her views. She will say:
There are practically three courses
open to Kansas Populists. They may
play the party programme alone; they
may agree with the Democrats and
nominate only a partial ticket, or they
may go into the Democratic party
The first course, Mrs. Diggs points
out would remove the party from the
field of practical politics and relegate it
thereafter to the purely educational
domain She says this course would
leave no hope for winning an election
that mo reform party ever renewed its
growth after a subsistence of it's first
Jealous progress This is an acknowl-
edgment that the Populist party, as
such, will never again be a political
power. Mrs. DiggS continues:
1.-THE greenback party made a heroic
struggle to grow after its decline set
in, but it was compelled to merge into
a new political combination.
1.-The Union Labor party N ade aston
ishing growth, but strove in vain to
hold its party organization after its
1.-THE Populist party is now confront
ing the same crisis in its party organ
ization; it, too, will be forced, no mat
ter how valiantly men stand for prin-
ciple,' to accept reorganization under
another name with new elements par
ticipating in it's leadership. There is
nothing about this to cause one to
moan and wall, nor yet to abandon
hope. Each reform party builds upon
the sentiment and enlightenment of the
past, and each new effort is stronger
than the one preceding it. 1t Will be
so as to the Peoples party, it will dis
appear as a party. but its purposes and
principles, broadened and adapted to
new problems, will reaPpear in other
party organization 1t IS for the con-
ference to say what shall be done in a
voting way until the next party oppor-
tunity is clearly arrived"
The second course, that of dividing
the state ticket this year between the
Democrats and Populists, Mrs. Diggs
gives very little consideration, saying
that it's only argument is that it would
preserve the Populist organization.
Concerning the third plan, that of go
ing bodily into the Democratic party,
Mrs. Diggs says:
''The Democrats have opened a digni-
fed way and extended a cordial invi-
tation to Populists to enter their or
ganizatfon. More than this could not
be expected of them They have ma
tional organization, we have not Kan
sas Democrats, for the most part, are
as firm believers in government fssu-
ance of money and government own
ership of railways as we are, hence
there is neither inconsistency nor i'm
propriety in belonging to the same pO-
litical organization.
1.-The weightiest reason for merging
into Democracy lies in the fact that
Populist issues are national in scope
and application, they need national
machinery through which to operate
Events are now shaping (notably the
conflict of the people of the northwest
ern states with the consolidating rail-
way corporations) which in the near
future will compel a national party to
take an unequivocal position and fight
the battle for the people as against the
corporate powers. This position the
national Republican party can not take
because it includes in it's dominating
membership men who desire the corpo-
ration side to win. The national Demo-
cratic party can, and will, uneQulvO-
cally and aggressively espouse the peo-
pies side, unless its next national con-
vention shall be recaptured by the men
who dominated it before Organism
came to the front. Right here is the
great service which Kansas Popul1StS
might render to practical politics; they
might by uniting with Kansas Demo-
Gratis, form so consequential and force
full a delegation to the national conven-
ton as to aid greatly in holding that
body to the new Democracy and pre-
vent Messrs. Hill, Cleveland, ct al, from
walking off with the situation. For
should Kansas show her faith in the
in other states and refOrmerS every
where would take heart and enthuse
with the effort to use the great national
party machine, already constructed, for
genuine reform and progressive politics.
1.-THE controlling force in the Demo-
cratic party today is that which stands
for the people versus corporations.
Does it seem quite fair to stand coldly
aloof and say to the men who are
making the fight-our fight-'If you are
strong enough to whip the enemy in
your own ranks Wen be with you after
your victory is Won?
"As the case now stands the Demo-
cratic national machine is set to our
There would be inca1culable gain, both
in time and labor, by making use of an
organization already complete in all it's
parts.
retrogressive Democrats win out at the
national convention, what of it, the
Populists who went in to help hold the
fort would bolt, so also would Kansas
Democrats--some of them.
Let us suppose that 'Bryanism' is
ton; it would surely be better to have
a very decided and considerable split
and breakup of the Democratic party
than to have few stragglers step out
.Ar.-- -