The independent., 1903-12-17
Van vorhis Replies

dent from this place calls your i'll
duiries iii-advised and my answer ex-
agerations. He is not very clear about
ed effort at criticism does make it
clear that a sore spot has been touched
or some plan interfered with. There
has been too much disposition on the
part of some men to give a rainbow
hue to so-called party organizations
in this state. The purpose in doing
so has not always been free from a
selfish desire to deceive. / for one
shall not allow myself to be made a
party to such pretenses. | will when
asked tell the truth as / see 1t about
party organization as believe it to be.
Mr.. Craig may not be able TO under
stand, but the man of average intel
ligence will, that when | speak about
parties | am not assuming to speak
for them.
At times since 1876 so-called reform
papers have been started in and about
this city. They are all gone now.
They never had any excuse for being
and no means of existence except
what they could get out Of committees
and candidates of parties they pre-
tended to oppose. Their editorials
were for sale for almost any purpose.
The editors hired themselves and their
columns out to advance individual in
terests and to crafty personal spite.
To make such editorials saleable the
purchaser had to be made to believe
the paper represented some organiza-
ton; something to be deceived or be-
trayed. It was confidence game both
ways. All such papers have ceased to
exist as soon as the truth was known
about them. Nc one Is better In
formed about such matters than Mr..
Craig and the man who inspired his
article. They have had exceptional
opportunities to know all about it,
If The Independent could catalogue
all such defunct publications and the
names of the editors and managers 1t
would be a valuable reference for the
future. Why is Mr.. Craig concerned
about such statistics? Why is he
afraid that populists will be discour-
aged? 1t is a peculiar suggestion he
makes that to keep them from being
discouraged they must be deceived.
There is plenty of material in this
state for an organization and it ought
to be made There are tried and true
men, who can be depended upon for
sincerity, and who have belonged to
the party from its beginning. They
are not to be found exclusively among
either the fusionists or the anti-fu-
siohists. What is the reason that
four out of five Of these take no inter-
est? They have not weakened in the
faith. They are more convinced than
ever, If that is possible, of the cor
rectness of the principles and the wis
dom of the policies of the party has
advocated. In addition to these there
are many who have never acted with
the peoples party, but who are just as
firm> believers in it's principles and
purposes and who are hoping for an
organization in this state to which |
they can attach themselves. The con-
ference recognized this situation and
the address was issued with the hope
that such an organization could be
and was about to be made out of the
abundant material in sight.
Mr.. Craig talks loftlly about work |
and about the encouragement of those
doing 1t. What work is being done |
and who is doing it in this locality? |
Very certainly neither he nor the
man behind him have done much that
Is calculated to build up and strength
en- the peoples party movement in
Indiana.
The animus of the Craig commune
cation Is disclosed In what Is said
About leadership. He hastens to say
that am not populist and that no
leaders are needed by the party in
Indiana. | am not a candidate for
that kind of job, 80 the man behind
Mr.. Craig, who assumes TO be the
populist party of this locality. may
rest easy. Ii Is matter of indiffcr-
enee To me about what Mr.. Craig, or
his control, think about my being or
not being populist. My views are
lolerably well known IN this state
and have an idea that the principles
| believe TO be true ana the policies |
hold 10 be wise will classify me when
Il Is necessary that | should be clas-
sined. When | am classified | want
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