Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1904-02-12
AS A POPULisT SEES 1T.

! oiloi GChCit III inc LdIncQ 1lileI
& Toiler last week, lays down the
position the average Kansas populist
will take, in the following manner:
Since the last campaign but few
changes have taken place in the poll
tics of the country, but time has
accentuated changes in political align
ments until it seems to be necessary
to 'scast up" new before starting into
the campaign of 1904. Not that
s'time makes ancient good uncouth, 5"
but new conditions demand new ideas,
and that old ones be made to con-
form to what is possible if not so
desirable. Since the earliest organi-
zation of the Peoples garty its princi-
ples-the best ever embodied in
political platform to meet present con-
ditions and right the economic and
social wrongs of the present day
have steadily and surely advanced
into the hearts and minds of the
American people until today there is
no political platform or SET of political
principles in the country which does
4
less degree breathe their spirit.
But as a political organization it is
apparent to even the staunchest Popu-
list that the party has served It's day
at least in a national capacity, and
under the present Infamous election
law of Kansas a party is practically
debarred from a place on the election
ballot unless it has national organiza-
ton.
And in the minds of the rank and
file and the big majority of Peoples
party, and that is all there is to it
the matter of departing from the name.
The new Democracy headed by
Bryan and other leaders of unques-
toned integrity who stand by the
national platform of 1896 and 1900
is as satisfactory to Populists as their
own party and platform. 1t is fear
of return of Clevelandism which
makes Populists fight shy of Dem
ocracy.
In the meantime those influences
which dominate the national Republi-
can party in favor of the corporate
interests, the trusts and combines,
and the multitudinus other interests
which require legislative enactment
to ''legalize" the oppression of the
worker who creates and the farmer
cations and machines which fathered
the last Kansas legislature and state
administration and made the fair
name of the state by-word and the
lot of taxpayers unbearable,- these
influences are getting more firmly en-
lrenched in power every day.
This, in brief, is the condition
which the Peoples party has to face
at the commencement of the cam
paign of 1904. 1t is squarely up to
the party in the state of Kansas to
map out new route and line of con-
duct.
A Peoples party state convention
has been called to meet in Topeka on
April 18th. What it is hoped to ac-
complish has not yet been revealed
by those who favored and were in
strumental in calling the. convention
so early. But under this call it is
plainly the duty of the Peoples party
central committee of Pawnee county
to call county convention and select
delegates to the state convention.
Under the existing conditions the
local party should unhesitatingly
select delegation which will favor
such a line of action as will result in
the permanent union of the Peoples
and Democratic parties of the state of
Kansas under the Democratic name.
In the national Democratic conven-
ton to be held in St. Louis on July
9th the contest for control, of the
party between the western wing led
by Bryan and his followers, and the
eastern gold-bug wing led by Cleve-
land, German, ct. al, will be the issue.
If Bryan wins there isn't true Popu-
list in the state of Kansas who will
not support the platform and nominee
in the campaign and at the polls.
Therefore it is the plain duty of the
party to see that Democratic delega-
ton is sent from Kansas to the
national convention which will sup
port the western wing. If the
Peoples party does not go into the
Democratic party and see that this
is done it may fail.
Now, Bro. Populist, you had better
get your fighting clothes on and get
where there is something doing. See
to it that you take the only practical
course open under present conditions
to further the principles which you
have fought for so long.