The independent., 1904-01-14


Secretary: Why not in 1904? Under
the quoted heading, Mr.. Dixon voiced
honesty of purpose Convention rule
means corruption, bossism, ultimate
betrayal. The man who suggests it
is too late to inaugurate honest meas
ures in party management, usually
proves to be one who really does not
want fair, honest rule.
Your suggestion, If carried into eff
feet, will prove the finish of populists
as a party. Then, in view of the past,
such suggestion comes with ill grace
from Nebraska. value populist prin-
ciples enough to raise my voice
against such suggestion and with
the most charitable consideration
can see it, it looks very suspicious.
Populists have been betrayed quite Of
ten enough. JAMES L. HOWELL.
Poplar, Cal"
Well, have not doubted Mr.. Dixon's
honesty OF purpose. Neither have I
opposed the plan to nominate by direct
yote-but on the contrary, have been
doing little toward making it possl-
BILE to nominate that way. Mr.. How
ell has perfect right to be just as
suspicious as he chooses and to make
whatever charges of ''ill-grace" he may
deem proper. But after he has
worked as many hours under high
pressure as | have in the past six
weeks in this enrolment work, his
temper will not be any SUMMER than
mine is right now.
1T is easy to TALK about direct
nominations-but it takes WORK to
make them | have been five weeks
enrolling 51l names. How long will
1t take at that rate to get in touch with
half million people? Perhaps. after
he has figured little, Mr.. Howell will
not be so suspicious France.
f. M. Clifton, Kaufman, Tex:
Please give Mr.. Geo. A. Groot and
Mrs. Lydia Butler my thanls for their
two articles in The Independent. They
are worth the price of the paper one
year."
W. r. Tribbey, Gallatin, Mo-: II
voted the democratic ticket straight
until they got president, house of
representatives, and a senate; then
they did just what they accused the
republicans of doing in 1873--repealed
the Sherman law and gave us nothing
in the way of change. Then the re-
publicans met in convention at st.
Louis and indOrsed the wise course
that the preceding administration had
followed! | was going to winter my
vote for few years, but an old pop
ulist, who has since gone from his
labOrs, gave me the Missouri World
with the Omaha platform and since
that time have been populist, root
ed and grounded in the faith and will
be in the trench if the rest all leave
/ am prepared to defend populst prin-
ciples anywhere. I can't say am
an Old Guard, but am a faithful
young guard
T. w. Ray, Lois, Ga: II am still
in the cause of justice ami humanity
and am rejoiced at the results of the
Denver conference. May the members
OF that conference stand as firm in
the future as they did the day they
lnCI tHcot way w al VI DlOthClo dnu WCl-
coined them back to the cause of JUS
tice and equal rights. | am glad to be
called one of the Old Guard, having
been in the cause since the day Of its
birth and am proud that | have"
J. W. Maher, Ell Reno Okla, gen.
eral agent for the Oklahoma Farmers
Mutual Indemnity association. sends
So to help pay expenses of enrolling
the Old Guard of Populism. and says:
81 am still a strong believer in the
Omaha platform, and will continue so
until there Is better one framed,
which, in my judgment. has not been
done yet. Had we lived strictly to the
principles of our platform, we today
could dictate TO both old parties. but
we wandered away from the prin-
oiples laid down In our platform and
today we are drifting away. not know
ing where TO land, like mariner at
sea who has lost his rudier. But let
the past be a warning. and an educa-
tor TO us all, and let us begin the year
1904 with a firm resolution To reor-
ganlze and stay by our party and not
le ready to swap our partv principles
for Office or promise Of same"