The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-03
Old POpulists Propose to Build
a New Organization.
Its Purpose to Encourage the
Independent Voter.
CUT OUT ALL PARTIES.
Will Vote for Men Nko
Represent Right Principles.
May Form a Nonparty Political
League.

on the ruins of the old Populist
party, there is likely to spring up a
new political movement of nonpartisan
character, the purpose of which is to
| encourage independent voting.
This movement was talked over at a
meeting of the Populist state central
committee held in Topeka Friday
night, but nothing was done except to
! refer the matter to the Populist state
convention which viii be held some
time in July.
It is possible that after considering
the proposition, the Populist party will
agree to dissolve as a party organiza-
ton, and undertake the organization of
a ''NOnparty Political League" which
is similar in its purposes to the recent
/ ly organized Civic League except
that it will not be led by such ire
formers" as w. r. Stubbs and James
A. Troutman.
The following is the form of a pledge
which Will be the first step in the
organization of this nonpartisan move
ment. The constitution and bylaws of
such an organization would be founded
on the terms of the pledge
Eve, citizens of --- county, Kan
sas, weary of the continued extortion
and cOntemptuouS Indifference to our
rights by the private corporations now
controlling the public utilities of city
and state, and convinced that no real
| or permanent relief can be obtained
! except through the substitution of pub
/ lie for private control of these utilities,
and confident that a great majority of
1 our fellow citizens are in hearty agree
ment with us in this view, though
! heretofore thWarted in its effective ex-
/ preston by our designedly cumbrous
1 and unfair methods OF election and leg
| islation, we now join and invite all
/ others to join in this effort to achieve
/ for city, county and state the municipal
I ownership and the democratic opera
/ ton of said public utilities.
Believing that party machinery as
! at present constructed and operated is
worse than useless for our purpose, we
/ propose to carry on our work along
/ nonpartisan lines, and hope by secur-
/ ing a very large enrolment of citizens
/ regardless of party ties to accomplish
/ our purpose more securely and rapidly
/ than by direct party action.
This enrolment once secured, we
/ propose by means of petitions, meet
/ ings, representations before legislative
! bodies and executives. pledging candi-
dates, and especially by the more ex-
tended use and adoption of that mod
ern system of direct legislation known
as the initiative and referendum, to
/ arouse and focus al public sentiment
/ that will prove irresistible.
I'VE invite the cooperation of every
/ believer in public ownership and oper-
/ alton of public utilities and fair and
4 honest elections which if given, we
/ promise speedy success despite the op-
position of press, platform and legisla-
tor wherever a clever tool can be
bought or a timid society saviour
/ scared.
sfIf YOU believe such ownership and
1 operation is the best way to solve our
/ governmental problems. join your To-
cal organization Enroll your name
below.
Name ........ .......
Address -. $500. 49,
While the leaders of the old Populist
party are the ones who head this move
ment for a nonparty organization Of in
dependent voters, they are not inclined
to offer the plan as populist measure.
That might be fatal to its possible good
results. They simply think that it might
be a good plan to deliver the remnants
of the Peoples party to this new move
ment.
Judge Babb was one of the men who
presented the plan, and he also favored
! holding another state convention OF the
party for the purpose of declaring prin-
/ ciples and centralizing sentiment on de-
/ sirabIe measures and candidates of the
other parties. He held up the indie
pendent League movement, headed by
Hearst in New York, as a model of
what he would like to see carried out in
Kansas. Two or three of the members
of the committee. who have strong
Democratic leanings. were opposed to
fholdine any convention. They thought
that the time had come for the Populist
| party to lapse its party organization.
! j. H Lewis, Of Kinsley, said: when.
| a convention is called, it win naturally
be the radical element which win at
! tend The conservatives viii wait to
see what form the new movement
takes. When you get a lot of radical
Populists together, you can't tell what
they will do. They may nominate
party ticket"
Judge E. S. waterbury of Emporia
said:
IN order to supersede the two old
i parties which have so long survived
| their purity of youth and efficiency of
/ manhood, the time is riFe for the mani
festation of a new political organic
union to reform abuses. and such new
movement may properly take the name
of a peoples party. The present party
of that name. formed in all states in
1890, made national in 1892, which pass
ed under the shadow of fusion in 1896,
| still retains its state and national COM
mittees and organizations and its rights
on the official ballots of the states. 1t
is still supported by its loyal party
press. and still breathes the spirit of its
founders, the independent spirit which
has now become fervent in every rank
and station. Hence the present Peo-
ples party may well become the organic
nucleus of such new political movement
and union, and it is fitting that Kansas,
which always leads and never follows
should take the initiative in this, as
she did in 1890"
Il r. M. Chenault of Fort Scott, said.
"In my opinion the Populists will
nominate no ticket Of their own, but
will possibly place an independent
ticket in the field. We will simply
hold our convention for the purpose
of keeping the organization alive"
There We're eleven members of the
Populist state central committee in
Topeka Friday evening, and their
meeting was at the National hotel.
It was decided by a good sized ma
iority to hold a state convention but
the exact date was left to Judge Babb
chairman of the committee, and 2. c.