The independent., 1903-07-09
KENTUCKY POPuLIs1s
DR.. Lacksy Says the Pepulist Organizasion
There 10 Dead and Members Become
Socialists

for Kentucky. was appointed to that
Office, but when the fusion populists
indorsed Mr.. Stevenson for vice presi-
Gent, wrote the chairman and sec
Tetary to drop my name from the list.
They would not agree to do it, so |
had the distinction of being national
committeeman of the fusion populists
for the state of Kentucky and siee.er
for the state at large On the mia-road
ticket for president, and may claim
tc be a connecting link of the two
wings of the populist party.
will not try to answer your ques-
tions in regular order, but will write
you rambling letter and give you my
views on the political outlook.
We have no pOpulist party in Ken
tucky. We joined in with the merger
that took place at St Louis two years
ago with the allied party and since
that time We have not even kept UP
with the allied movement, as it was
called. We have always looked to
Jo A. Parker as our leader and he
seems to be so much interested in try
ing to get referendum laws passed
party. / do not complain for | am
very much. in favor of the referendum
law myself. l do not know of any
movement in the state to get out
state ticket. We have pretty good
organization in Trigg county, my
home. We have met from time to
time and tried to keep up with the
rapid changing political situation.
Nearly all of us have outgrown the
Omaha platform and have progressed
into socialism. We think this is logi-
cal and reasonable. In fact We see
that every prophecy made by us ten
years ago has come to pass and the
country is now entirely ruled by the
trusts in their own interest and we,
the people, are left out in the cold, like
a poor dog at feast. There is no
limit to the trusts greed; they want
the earth and are in fair way to get
1t. If they continue to water stocks,
consolidate and accumulate for the
rext ten years at the rate they have
since the Omaha platform was written
it will take all the wealth of the
whole United States to pay their prof
Its and dividends. s. ....
The trusts are out for everything on
earth and want a mortgage on all
prospects and possibilities. We only
ask for our part, no more, and will
not be satisfied with less. We ask for
fair and just division of the surplus
among those who created it and the
fight for this just and reasonable de-
mo nd yui1 ic 1nd
ard settled right.
Most of the trusts have formed since
the Omaha platform was written.
There has been a great revolution and
the socialist party is up to date. 1t
meets the issue plain and simple and
is new and fresh. Competition is
dead. The monopoly has taken its
place. The old parties will never
'bust" the trust Private monopoly
will enslave us and our children. We
can't control it. We must own the
monopolies or they will own us.
This is the issue: Tariff, money,
imperialism are all in it and will all
be settled when the nation owns the
trusts. The time for forward move
ment has come and no amount of EFF
fort will ever resurrect the populist
rarty. 1t served glorious purpose,
but it has served it's day and the
"pops" will have to scatter Where
will they go? They will not go into
any party that refuses to put plank
into it's platform demanding govern
ment ownership, of the railroads, as
the democrats of Iowa did a few days
ago, and believe the democratic par
t. will never indorse that plank in
another national platform.
The populists will never 60 to the
republican party for that is more the
tool of the trusts than ever. So they
will have to blow new life into the
old populist party or Join the social
lists. A large majority in the state
of Kentucky will just tramp on into
socialism. There is no Cleveland
boom in Kentucky. Bryan and the
Kansas City platform are still In the
lead. I think the gold bugs will vote
with the republicans in the presiden-
tial election as usual. The Bryanites
will modify their platform, but it will
not suit the "plutes," unless~they can
write the platform and name the man.
They want the whole hog or none.
They will get none.
..> DIR. J. H. LACKEY.