The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-21
WHEN EVERY ONE TALKED.
An Old Time Populist Caucus is
Held.

A01Q.
One of the features of a Populist
gathering is that everybody has to be
given a chance to talk. As Judge Babb,
of Wichita, remarked in a speech, If
YOU let a POpuliSt express himself and
air his views he will be good but if you
try to suppress him he will boil for a
year and be mad all the tine"
The Populist conference got an early
start on the talk programme by
holding a caucus in the National hotel
parlorS last night There was a big
crowd in attendance, considering that
the conference proper was not due to
begin till today. Both parlorS We're
filled, a few who could not get chairs
sat on the floor, and others walked on
one another's feet in an effort to Sc
cure standing room Those who could
not get within hearing distance of the
doors stood around in little groups in
the corridors.
1t was a free-for-all. Every body had
a chance to air his views, although the
recognized leaders were called upon to
give their advice. The caucus was not
even secret. The day of the secret Pop
uliSt caucus, when it required a double
jointed, back-action, all-wool grip and
a large and varied assortment of pass
words to get in, is past. Newspaper
men were permitted to crowd in with
the rest.
the caucus. He was not present, but
a delegation found him in the lobby
below and brought him up. The ma
jority of the speeches from the leaders
was favorable to effecting some sort of
fusion with the Democrats, provided
the Democrats would tote fair" Judge
Babb and ]. d. BOtkin were about the
only ones who opposed the fusion idea,
and Babb afterwards said his speech
was more radical than We're his real
sentiments, because he didn't want the
caucus to run away with itself.
John Breidenthal did not attend the
a minutes
stayed below in the hotel lobby most
of the time and talked to his friends.
Senator Harris was among the first
of the speakers, and he favored a COM
bination of some kind with the Demo-
Gratis. Judge Doster made an anti
imperialistic speech. He said that
inal socialists of Kansas, he believes
that the issue of Imperialism is far
more important than any other before
the American people, more so than di-
rect legislat ion or socialism.
1.-The question is gravely argued in
the congress of the United States"
said Judge Doster, whether or not the
bill of rights-tEe right to trial by jury
prisoned- shall be extended to people
who owe allegiance to the American
flag and who may claim its protection
these things are gravely discussed by
the congress of the United States
And boldly advocated by some"
commented Senator Harris.
1.-The principles upon which this gov
eminent was founded have been re-
versed,' continued Judge Doster. THE
Declaration of Independence is no
longer the foundation of our govern
ment. When two Americans speak of
the Declaration of Independence they
magazine article by an Englishman in
which he congratulated the American
people because they have repudiated the
principle of f-government and no
longer believe that all men are created
equal.
1.-THE Democracy of Cleveland and
Hill is as distasteful to me as to any
man present, but / would rather vote
for Cleveland, much as I dislike his
financial views, on a platform antag-
onistic to imperialism, than TO vote for
Theodore Roosevelt, even though pop
ular sentiment has driven him to favor
digging a few irrigation bitches out
here in the west"
Judge Little of Olathe advocated a
proposition to divide the state ticket
with the Democrats half and half, each
to nominate seven of the candidates
He said the Democratic nominees could
be placed under the Democratic head
ing and the Populist nominees under
the Populist heading, and each party
could vote for the others candidates
He has daring enough to express the
belief that such a ticket would sweep
the state.
After Judge Little concluded an Incl
dent occurred which made the caucus
seem ike Ola times IN the 9OpuilSI
party. There was an oldfaShioned |
Populist, one of the kind with bushy
whislzers and a fierce expression, stand |
ing in the crowd.
81 want to make an inquiry while we |
have so many legal talents here before |
u.s. he began.
Everybody became silent in anticipa- |
ton of some question regarding the |
matter of legaling fusion
THE inquiry / want to make of these |
legal talents is this continued the red |
whiskered man. How kin we git pos |
session of the railroads. We have been |
advocating the government ownership |
of railroads for years, and / have given
the subject considerable thought, but ] |
haven't been able to figger it out, and 1 |
would like an expression of opinion |
from the legal talents as to how it kin |
be done"
At this juncture somebody moved to |
adjourn and Judge Babb put the mo-
ton without waiting for the red-whis |
kered man to get his question an
swered.
As the caucus was breaking up far |
mer from the Seventh district said:
There hasn't farmer spoken here |
tonight. But in the conference tomorrow |
we farmers propose to tell you a few |
things that we want and want bad
Afterwards the administered man |
hunted up Judge Babb to argue the |
acquisition of the railroads with him. |