The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-18
TURN POPULISTS.
An Interesting Letter on the
Ohio Situation.
Old Line Democrats Not Salts
fed With Johnson.
HELP REORGANIZATION
j. A. EdgertOn Is Meeting With
Much Encouragement.
He Met the Kansans in Topeka
Thursday.

According to a letter in the posses
sion of J. A. Edgerton. who has been
here attending the Populist conference,
as the chairman of the Populist ma
tional reorganization committee, Tom
L. johnson is not even now without
opposition within the Democratic
ranks in Ohio, and that even in his
own city, Cleveland.
DIR. r. H. Reemelin of Cincinnati,
Bryan Democrat, has Joined the move
ment started at Denver for the reorga-
nization of the Populist party, and he
is working up an interest in the con-
ference which Edgerton will attend at
Columbus on September &C. Reemelin
invited in a number of other prom
inent Bryan Democrats, among them
p. ZuckreigeI of Cleveland. In reply
the latter refused to go into the con-
ference, but he expresses himself as
displeased with the action of the Ohio
Democratic convention. Among other
things he says:
Your letter inviting me to partici
pate with the Peoples party and to at
tend the meeting to be held on the
26th instant, at Columbus came duly
to hand, and 1 must say it was a sur
prise to me. My acquaintance with
you WAS DIS DIOlLtI OCLlOCldN, eAhN
| had not heard of your change.
Il read of the action of your party
leaders at Denver, and at that time
thought their action premature was
still of this opinion when L received
YOUR letter about two weeks ago, but
Viewing the action of the late Demo-
cratic convention at Columbus, and
what has followed, l must admit that
you are a long-headed set.
THE complete sell-out of the true
LOT II
by the leaders of this state has not its
equal in history and it fully justifies
the stand you have taken.
1.-THE cunningness with which Tom l..
Johnson and his gold bug allles sue
ceeded in repudiating the silver plank
of the Kansas City platform without
the delegates of the convention detect
ing it. was game so well PLAYED that
Satan could not have improved upon 1t.
Then adding to this the insult of fore
ing Clarke on the convention, is too
damnabIe to and it's equal even in fic-
ton"
Then Mr. Zuckreisel describes in
minute detail how part of the Kansas
City platform was endorsed by the re-
cent Democratic state convention In
Ohio. and part of it was not. He then
continues:
"Why. now. should Bolter Clarke not
be ~wiiling to stand squarely on this
platform? It's so natural. fits so well,
and for Gol1bug Johnson, too. Why, 1t
will even carry the enormous weight
of Grover Cleveland, and seems to
have been built for Cleveland ana
Johnson in 1904.
How William Jennings Bryan, John
L. Lentz, and such of our accepted
leaders can stand uD on it is more
than I can comprehend: and this, too,
after this new apostle. Johnson. tells
us who have chung with all our heart
to the cause to take his medicine or
get out of the marty.
TDl,. 1rlya l1rN
ever, stand convicted of having OBJ.
tanned their nomination and endorse
ment respectively under false pre-
lenses, and no Democrat is under OBJ
legation to support them at the cleo
ton, and I believe when this platform
trick is once fully understood there will
be very few Democrats who will vote
for either of them.
Now, my friend. after reading the
foregoing you will likely conclude that
am ready to join you. Such, however.
is not the case. As yet l believe it best
to labor for the right in the ranks OF
my own party, and to that end | will
make it my object to get the sincere
and earnest Kansas City platform
Democrats to band together and re-
fuse to vote for any and all candidates
on the ticket who were not loyal in
1896 and 1900 and who still refuse to
support the principles of said platform.
one and all BY this means we can
cleanse the party of the traitors within
and make a solid front with new and
honest leaders for the fray in 1904.
In the meantime I wish you every
success in your undertaking. I now be-
lieVe that you are on the right track.
The time has come for those who nave
been allied with the Peoples party III
the past to reOrganize as a safeguard.
and where as we largely believe in the
same principles we may meet again. If
we Democrats can hold our party to the
tenets of our present national PLATFORM
and nominate reliable men in 1904, ex-
pediency in view of numerical strength
will, l hope, prompt you to again join
us. If we lose, then your organization
will furnish for us harbor of refuge.
You Will remember ] told you tree
years ago that Johnson was as much in
sympathy with the reputation of Bryan
and the Kansas City platform by the
Ohio convention at that time was Nir.
Mclean; that he was not fighting Nc
Lean on principles but for personal adj
vantage only, and that if he ever got
enough rope he would be the undoing
of the Democratic party. The nour or
trial has come. The fiascoS, howeve~.
which he engineered during the last
three years, may yet be our salvation.
Johnson. with the aid of the silverites
whom he deceived into supporting him,
has succeeded in destroying the power
of Mclean. If now the voters act in
diligently and sit down on Johnson. and
sit down on him hard we will get rid of
all the traitors and have clear sailing
hereafter"
Vie 61,ioaoo Graat Weaferu RaiIwa1