The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-24
SENATOR TAPP
A REPUBLICAN
Says Masses Should Line Up
With Roosevelt.
POPULlST PARTY Is DEAD
He Has No Confidence in the
Democratic Party
POPULIST PARTY is DEAD

The Kansas City Journal announced
yesterday on the authority of Charles
Luling that hereafter Senator Tapp Of
this city, would act with the Republican
party reporter for the Eagle called
the senator's attention to the item and
asked him if Mr. Luling had authority
to make such announcement.
4 did not authorize anybody to make
such a statement, but at the same time
1 win have to admit that Mr. Luling did
not misrepresent me" said the senator,
after a little reflection. 4 feel that way
and have reasons that are sufficient
for me.
Il was a Populist because / thought
the measures they advocated if enacted
into law, would be for the best interests
Of all the people. I was elected as a
Populist on a fusion ticket / made up
my mind some time ago that the Populst
party was going to be merged into the
Democratic party and I did not think I
could go to the party with the Demo-
Gratis.
Il have always had warm feeling for
the old soldiers and I have never failed
tc help them when in my power to do
so. They have always been my friends
and many of them in this county voted
for me FOR senator. The greater part of
the old, soldiers belong to the Republican
party and if I could do anything for
them ] would have to do it with the help
of the Republican party.
If l had gone to the Democratic party
instead of the Republican party. I would
have lost the confidence of the old SOL
diers who voted for NE. did not want
to lose their confidence. I have too much
respect for these thousands who gave
their lives to preserve the union of these
states. If it had not been for the sacri-
fees they laid upon the altar of their
country, the United States today would
not be the greatest power for good in this
world. My sentiments are with them
and with the Republican party and
feel it my duty to follow the dictates
of my own conscience and am a Re
publican.
Il feel that I owe the Populists some
thing and while I think the Populist
party as a national organization is dead
and swallowed by the Democratic party.
they still have an organization in this
county and win have a ticket in the field
this fall. I feel that under the circum-
stances I ought not to oppose that
ticket. 1t might be said that ! was using
the position they helped me to get.
against the Populist party. ] do not
feel that 1 am giving up my principles
by casting my lot with the Republican
party. The Populist national party is
dead and the Republican party viii be
more likely to give us the reform de-
manded by the Populists than will the
Democratic party.
Theodore Roosevelt is the kind OF
statesman that I like and now that the
time has come when we have a president
with nerve enough to denounce the trusts
it is time for the masses of this country
to line up for him. I intend to get into
the line and if I am not mistaken you
will find a good many POpulists and
Democrats doing the same thing"
People who are intimately acquainted
with Senator Tapp know that he is a
very conscientious man. lie spoke with
great seriousness and it was evident that
while yielding to the dictates of his own
conscience in taking the stand he has.
out of the generousness of his heart. ad-
mitted that he did not want to hurt the
men with whom he had been acting and
that was what lead him to make the
statement that he would not fight the
Popuist ticket in this county this fall.
His idea seemed to be that the national
Fopulist party il dead and that he is
holding onto the local organization in
this county merely through habit Of asso-
Citations While not desiring to injure his
former associates in this county. Senator
Tapp makes the important announcement
that he is member Of the National Re
publican party.
lie has always been a friend Of organ
lied labor. and while the Populist party
he thought favored labor. he has no conG-
dence in the Democratic party ever doing
anything for the laboring people Of this
country Like Lincoln he thinks that
laws ought TO be passed in the interest of
labor because capital can take care OF
itself