The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-07-16
RUSSELL co. KANSAS
Craftsman Ruppsnthal Gives Interesting
Account Of Political Conditions
a. BE Views Them

Editor Independent: Yours of June
8 duly received. | am still chairman
of P. P of Russell county, as | hav
been for or years except for few
months. / am county attorney OF this
county, elected last fall on the fusion
ticket under democratic name. Our
peoples party secretary for county is
F j Smith, who has been publisher of
the Russell Reformer since Jan l.,
1897. He is now county clerk, elected
same time and ticket that was
| hav receivd and read your single
tax, and other recent issues, and nav
been much interested in the views
presented. | do not yet see that the
recognizing element will control the
next democratic national convention
and platform tho they may hay such
influence as to discourage completely
the populists, and all genuin reform
ers now in the democratic party. Your
idea of consultation will do good.
agree that political conditions next
year will demand Independent action
on our part Or abandonment OF the
peoples party organization. also
believe that the abandonment viii be
made. Indeed, | see but one useful
purpose in keeping up an organiza-
ton, and that is that we who think
aike-populists who ar successors OF
the anti-monopoly, greenback, union
labor, ETC., movements, may go in
body where our principles ar most ad-
vanced, and where we vii count most
in promoting what we believe in.
This county always has been re-
publican, and is likely to SO continue,
except that very rarely we elect
nan or two on an opposing ticket.
Last fall we elected four, which was
unprecedented in the county's history
This year there is no election OF any
kind, and there will not hereafter be in
odd years in Kansas. Last year we
fused with the democrats on demo-
cratic candidate for congress in this
Sixth district, and got beaten just
as we did when we had two candidates
dem. and pop. had not thought
that possible til it occurd. Our old
tine populists ar such still, and ar
likely SO to remain, tho many who
came from the republican ranks
originally ar distrustful of the democ-
racy and it's sincerity in reform move
.ments, and by their very distrust, they
aid the recognizing democrats. | hay
nc idea what viii be done in district or
state next year. But to me it appears
that the dissolution of the peoples
party under that name is at hand
indeed is already accomplish. Ii the
democrats next year take an honest
advanced stand as reformers national
ly, as well as state, ETC., and put hon
est representativ reform leaders on
their tickets, the populists may as wei
meet and resolve to disband and per-
manently join the reform democrats
and strive to make that party radi-
cal reform party permanently and to
keep it so, standing foremost for pub
lie ownership without definit limits,
ether than that money transporta-
ton, mines, oil wells, public utilities
of all kinds, ETC., should one after an
other, as rapidly as possible, be made
public; or it may be that instead OF so
joining the reform democrats, the pop
ulists would do well to join the So
cialists in body, and tone down the
socialistic platforms to what advanced
populists think best to stand for at
The present time.
If the reorganizers get full or large
control of the democracy, the only
alternativ for the populists is to join
the socialists. In either case, the way
to do will be to hold conventions, and
carefully consider and argue the mat
ter, and then vote to dissolve and be-
come democrats or socialists, as the
one or other mode seems best calcu
lated to secure speedily government
ownership Of money freed from all
banking intervention, public owner
ship of all railroad and steamship
lines, as we'll as telegrafs, telefones.
electric lighting, gas, water, OF! etc,
mines, with lands, and others means
Of production and distribution to fol-
low just as fast as their acquisition for
the public shall be feasible and shall
seem advisable.
This matter in it's details is an I'M
tried one, and we might find 1t wei to
hav public ownership of one thing and
not of another. and the limit will hav
to be establish not by theories now.
hut by slow and painful experimental
ton in the years to come. Of course,
wa want more democratic government