The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-08-18
THE KANSAS SITUATION


THE KANSAS SITUATION
A letter from Judge Edwin S. Water
bury, Emporia, Kansas, member Of
the national executive committee un-
der date of August II, says:
THE nomination certificate OF the
peoples party. the Watson and Tib-
bles electors, is duly filed in Office
of the secretary of state
In the absence of any contest this
insures that the Watson and Tibbles
electors will have place on the Of
fetal ballot of Kansas under the des-
ignation peoples party and under
the Cottage Home emblem. Nothing
now remains to be discussed except
the advisability of making some fur
Their attempt to place straight peo-
pies party state ticket upon the Of
fetal ballot under the Watson and
Tibbles electors.
The Independent has fell that the
peoples party organization in Kansas
was entirely too much under the DOM
nation of the democratic machine
not Bryan democrats by any means,
but the old-line, Cleveland, "Sap-head'
democrats who have no more use for
populist principles than hog has for
pearls. me Independent having rep
resentative at the recent convention
. in Topeka, is satisfied that that con-
vention was dominated to a large ex-
tent by this same Jim Sapp democracy.
Some of the most prominent workers
in the convention were men who have
been populists in the past but who in
recent years have been participants In
democratic conventions AND who are
therefore not entitled to sit in a pop
uiist convention at all as delegates.
The Independent is fully aware that
over the state of Kansas there are
large number of populists who are
dissatisfied with the action taken by
the Topeka convention. 1t is aware
that these populists earnestly desire
a straight peoples party ticket from
presidential electors clear down to
road overseer But it also realizes
the obstacles which stand in the way
of this year securing such a ticket In
Kansas. The peoples party machinery
having largely fallen into the control
OF men who are Parker democrats
rather than populists, The lndepen-
dent fails to see by what means an
other convention could be called
which would guarantee the exclusion
OF = such men from participation
therein.
The ticket nominated at Topeka is
generally regarded as composed OF
earnest, clean men, with perhaps one
or two exceptions. In view of the diff
ficulties surrounding the Kansas sit
uation, The Independent is inclined
to believe that Kansas populists had
better accept the conditions as they
now present themselves. go out and
make the best possible fight for the
Watson and Tibbles electors and vote
for the best men nominated on any
of the state tickets having place on
the ballot. Some of the candidates
whose names will appear on the ballot
under the democratic head are well
worthy the support of every Kansas
populist: there is at least one on the
republican ticket who is worthy the
populist support; and there may be
a candidate or two on the socialist
ticket who is worthy. of populist SUP
port.
Inasmuch as the present campaign
is being conducted largely for the
purpose of building up the party Tor
the future, The Independent believes
that more will be accomplished by
concentrating the fight on the cleo
toral ticket and letting the state ticket
take care of itself. But in order to
provide againt a repetition OF such
scenes as those witnessed at Topeka,
the populists of Kansas should go
ahead and perfect some system OF
club organization which will guaran-
tee that none but populists shall have
a voice in future populist conventions
&SSS$$
now. CHAIRMAN fERRIss FEELS.
Chairman Jas. II. Ferriss Of the
populist national committee was pres