The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-02-26
THAT CONSPIRACY"
Reasons Mid-Koad Allegations Of
t... Fusion Conspiracy

usiOh SOnspIacy
IN its issue Of January "a, 1903, its
so-called "populist" edition, the APP
peal to Reason, a kangaroo social
ist sheet, said: ass..
There Is no use to argue that
the logic of the situation made 1t
necessary for the populists to
nominate Bryan at St. Louis In
1896, for you know that Mr.. Bryan
and the populist leaders arranged
months before so that the peo-
pies party would be placed in this
humiliating position. Mr.. Bryan
so stated to the writer in 1897"
This and other statements The In
dependent quoted in its issue of Feb
ruary 5, and commented by saying:
THAT is certainly a serious
charge il true~-and a damnable
lie if it isn't. Who is the writer
to whom Mr. Bryan stated this
= astounding thing?~ THAT is, that
Mr.. Bryan and the populist lead
ders had arranged months before
the populist national convention
to nominate him for president).
Where did he say it to the
writer? The democratic conven-
ton was July 7, 1896, and the pop
ulist July %, 1896. Evidently
il the writer tells the truth-the
populist leaders and Mr.. Bryan
made all arrangements to have
Mr.. Bryan nominated at Chicago"
Under date of February 7, 1903,
The Independent received a letter
from Mr. A. w. Kicker, associate edi-
tor Of the Appeal to Reason, which
is printed in full hereinafter. Mr..
Kicker is an ex-mid-road populist OF
Iowa. A day or two before the re-
ceipt Of Mr.. Ricker's letter Mr.. Bryan
had started on his trip through the
east; accordingly copy OF Mr.. Rick
er's letter was made and sent him,
with the request that he reply to the
allegations therein, SO that the two
could be published together.
Mr.. Ricker's charge is simply a
variation of the one made by Joe
Parker in the Southern Mercury some
months ago, namely, that all arrange
ments had been made in 1895 for Bry-
ans nomination. At that time he in
timated that he still held several large
cards up his sleeve, which he would
show in due time, but to date he has
brought forward no proof. Mr.. Rick
er now comes forward and states that
Bryan told him that such arrange
nlent had been made. Mr.. Bryan has
no recollection of meeting Kicker, but
says it is not true that any such ar
rangements were made, and that he
is sure that he never said anything
that "could by any reasonable con-
struction be tortured into a basis for
the charge" Kicker makes.
So far not scintilla of evidence has
been adduced to prove the "conspir-
acy." The Independent has been pa
tient in giving space to ''hot-air" blow
ers. simply to see if they have one
fact upon which to base a reasonable
CONCLUSION, but SO far they have ad-
duced rothing but suspicious. Wheth-
er Mr. Kicker made his assertions ma
liLiously is on open question, but no
reasOnal lie man will believe, without
better proof than has been brought
forward, la) that any such arrange
ments" we're made; or (b) that Mr..
Bryan ever told Mr.. Kicker that any
such arrangements had been made.
Mr.. Ricker's letter is as follows:
Editor Independent, Lincoln, Neb.
Dear Sir: The copy of your paper,
dated February 5, in which you call
on the Appeal to Reason to produce its
proof that Mr.. Bryan stated in 1897
that his nomination at Chicago was
arranged prior to the time of the DEM
ocratic convention, lies before me and
beg to submit the following:
In the campaign of 1897 in the state
Of Iowa, Mr.. Bryan and | were both
engaged in very laudable work of pub
lie speaking. 1t so chanced that our
tour brought us in conflict with each
other at Onawa, Monona county. I
was speaking for the peoples party
and Mr.. Bryan for the democratic par
ty, or the fusion party to be more ex-
plicit. | spoke in the forenoon to a
large crowd and Mr.. Bry-
IN in the afternoon to a very large
crowd. 1t so happened that our next
objective point was Council Bluffs and