14
THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT
NOVEMBER 5, 1903.
Populist Journalism i
Scraps of History
Regarding Popu
list Newspapers.
A few weeks ago The Independent
sent out nearly a thousand marKea
copies containing an article on "Pop
ulist Journalism," and requesting in
formation not only regarding populist
papers now in existence, but also the
history of those that have suspended
or changed political policy. Last week
yr6 inquired especially into the situa-
T - I I n, 1. iVn
xvesywuisea tiic turning in uuv uu nc
first article. Many of the letters will
be of interest to Old Guard populist
. editors who "have come, all the way
over the trail" and are still preaching
and teaching the three fundamentals
of populism "money, land, and trans
rortation." LEBANON JOURNAL.
Editor . independent: l was masi
agreeably surprised today to receive a
marked copy of your paper contain
ing the article entitled, 'Topnlist
Journalism." Besides, it does one rood
W JCL uiiuo.oiuua.il j feet uum ui a fc-
vine populist paper.
I have heard much of the Lincoln
AUUyUUVUb IU lUb VV.-U J V. , k.Lv
somehow never got it on my exchange
list..
Have lived . in Smith county, Kan
sas, twenty-five years, seventeen of
them in the newspaper business. Left
the republican party (sold a repub
lican nanerl in 1889. and founded the
Lebanon (Kas.) Journal in December
of that year, in opposition to repub
lican practices, and repubjican the
ories. In 1890 the people's party
swept them from power in this coun-
v nn1 vp VipIiT It snlirilv until the
As it looks to me, our downfall
commenced with our first attempt at
fusion and the toboggan stood with
the deception of the spider's web to
our early demise as a party of na
tional or state force.
In 1891, the Lebanon (Kas.) Jour
ral parsed into the hands of a joint
stock company while I went to Smith
Center and founded the Smith County
Journal, selling it to its present pro
prietors in December of that year;
i . , a t -1- vi
ctim, iciui mug lj juvuiuiuu, iuu
charge of the Lebanon Journal, and
conducted it as a populist paper until
the first of May of this year.
Immediately after the sweeping vic
tory of the republicans last fall, the
Smith County -Journal turned demo
cratic, as a Dusiness proposition a
newspaper in a town the size of this
one is seldom, if ever, a paying in
vestment .from a financial standpoint,
and so when our party was gradually
"fused" out of existence, I agreed with
the republican paper here to combine
tho two and sell to a new-man, who
established the Times, which is now
lun as a republican paper.
In the early struggles of the peo
ple's party It was the wail of the re
publican press that it (the people's
party) was a democratic move to get
republicans into the democratic fold.
This sentiment we had to combat in
this locality for years. Then came
the national convention at St. Louis
In 18 (in which I was a delegate)
and the prophecy o- the republicans
looked dangerous had a tendency to
weaken the faith of our voters.
Must we admit he republican proph
ecy was correet. or lay the blame to
the short-sightedness of our party
leaders?
I preferred selling my paper to af
filiating with either of the old parties
and when a favorabla opportunity of
fers will again engage in the newspa
per business as near where I left off
as I know how.
Wishing you success and hoping that
you are backed by a territory suffic
iently large to hoid the people's ban
ner aloft until the people again pet
their feet on the ground with a good
solid organization In dcfpnso of the
rights of manand women, ten), for
that matter I remain,
J. A. WUIOHT.
Lebanon, Kas,
(If Mr. Wright will refWt for a mo
ment that the republican party, since
GREEN GABLES
Th Dr. DtnJ. F. Oallty
SANATORIUM.
Ftr tfflmrnt ef Trt('ti 1!r,. i1U-n
of m i, TftruttM!it, Hint In i( til
f i.iiUk iltfH-. All I '!. I rSt1 r1'
e rn ni uu'lul In lr-Un n if l k. Mu
anl ti)fttl f utinr. Thtt I the Inr
,!, t M H'ldll l'r-1 mu) IllfM . milHiittjf
luniUiir.1 MtiMti rHtm tit the Url'.o fur
MlKwUn, AJJrrM
Dr. DanJ. F, Oaltty Sanatorium,
Lincoln, Nebraska.
the civil war, has been the accredited
representative of the big capitalists
those engaged in manufacturing, bank
ing, mining, railroading, etc. and
that logically the democratic party
had no ground to stand on except to
represent the little fellows the farm
ers, merchants, home owners, etc. he
will understand why the grange, farm
ers' alliance, greenback, and populist
movements grew up. It was because
the leaders of the democratic party
were for the most part big capital
ists, or their employes, and there was
no political party to represent the
economic Interests of the little fel
lows. Every time the democratic par
tj , either pretendedly or in earnest,
presented a platform that appeared to
hold out some hope that the little fel
lows would receive some considera
tions at the hands of the government,
it was inevitable that the existing
third party should go to pieces; and
it mattered' not whether there was
"fusion" or not the third party mem
bers would generally vote the demo
cratic ticket.
There was no short-signtedness of
populist leaders. Bryan's nomination
on the Chicago platform sounded the
death-knell of the then people's party
organization. . There was no necessity
for two parties representing the same
class of people. And it made no dif
ference whether the St. Louis conven
tion indorsed Bryan or nominated a
different candidate the vast majority
of populists would have supported
Bryan any way because his election
offered some hope of relief for the lit
tle fellows who. were being robbed
right and left by the railroads, the
trusts and the bankers.
But temporary destruction of a po
litical organization does not destroy
the men who composed it. There are
more populists now than ever before.
With indications that the democratic
party will return to Its former tactics
of being a republican echo, there is
necessity for a rebuilding of the peo
ple's party organization. This was
the object of the Denver conference,
and its work is growing eyery day.
Associate Editor.)
r-
RICE COUNTY EAGLE.
Editor Independent: The Rice
County Eagle" (Lyons, Kas.) was
started in 1884 as a reform paper, un
der the name of the Lyons Prohibi
tionist; this was changed In 1890 to
Rice County Eagle, as at present
Except for a few months In its in
ception, D. P. Hodgdon has been own
er and editor. The editor was an Abe
Lincoln republican, a prohibitionist
(as he was an abolitionist), is now a
populist and expects to champion pop
ulism (though more extensive in
scope than formerly) as long as he
lives, and fight goldbugism, imperial
ism and anarchism, which are fast
ruining- the nation.
D. P. HODGDON.
Lyons, Kas.
RUSSELL REFORMER.
Editor Independent: I note, in The
Independent of October 8 that you are
collecting a history of reform - papers.
I wish you success. The Russell Re
former, at this place, began January
1, 1897, and is flourishing a straight
populist paper in principle.
When you get your hhtory pre
pared, don't fail to send a copy to the
state historical society at Topeka, of
which I am a life member. T am a
populjst of the vintage of 1890 when
I voted first time.
J. C. RUITENTIIAU
Russell, Kas.
THE LIBERATOR.
Editor Independent: The Liberator
was established In Norton, Kas,, In
March. 192. by D. W. Hull, who came
from Fort Dodge, la. In 1S9S he
leased the paper for six months to
I'crry Coler; and In 1901 it was leaned
for nine months to Harry Davis. In
June. 19(2, I bought the paper from
Mr. Hull.
The Norton Liberator, published at
Norton, Norton county, Kna., N a Ix
column quarto, cm) circulation: lHtie
of Friday. October 9. 1903. was Vol.
XII., No. 30; x pages of ready print;
II a )ar; owner und editor, W. A.
Hunt. Politically, the piper preaches
tdnmn-pure populism, W. A, IIl'NT.
Norton, Km,
TO 11 'K A INDF.PKNDI'NT.
Editor Independent: The Top-It a
Independent, of which I w the fdl
tor and one of the. puWhherii, ana
tended publication alt yeara nco. The
Advocate wa the l.mt IopuUt pnper
pnMlnhed In this county. It had tunny
up and down and J.t year "went out
of politics" altogether.
Thera are ecoren of thousand! of
popull? Itft In Kanaaa- but no pop.
utUt pArty, It Jumped down tho dew
ooooooooooooosooooooooooooo
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HESEEKERS' EXCURSION.
' One Fare Plus Two Dollars
For Pound Trip.
Dates of Sale November 3rd and 17th.
To Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Canadian Northwest,
many points in Nebraska, North and South Dakota,
including Bonesteel. Return limit 21 day?.
Address:
O
o
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
R. W. McGihnis, g
,y . ucncni ngeni, Lincoln, corasna.
ooooooooooooosooooooooooooo
$25.00
TO THE
PACIFIC
COAST.
Sept. Ilth to Nov. 30th.
Helena, Butte, Salt Lake
and Ogden, $20.00.
Spokane and Ellensburg,
$22.50.
Nearly all California, Wash
ington and Oregon points $25.
, City Ticket Office
Cor. 10th and O Streets
Telephone No. 235.
Burlington Depot
7th St., bet. P and Q
Tel. Burlington 1290
ocratlc throat last year. It still wrig
gles some in the democratic stomach,
and may be cast out some day but it
will never again be that "thing of
beauty" which the poet says Is "a joy
forever." ALBERT GRIFFIN.
Topeka, Kas.
THE BETTER WAY.
Editor Independent: The "Better
Way was established August 6, 1896,
since when it has advocated populism
every week to the present time. : It
supported Mr. Bryan in 1896 and 1900
and has stood with the people's party,
first, last and all the time.
The paper was founded by Dr. D. M.
Dunn & Son and by them published
until July, 1897, when it was leased
ly Richards & Fleming. They pub
lished It until November, 1899, when
Dr. Dunn again took charge and con
tinued to February 22, 1900, at which
time the present owners took charge
of it. v ,
The Better Way is ,a six-column
quarto with ready print inside; pub
lished every Thursday at Minneap
olis, Kag.; subscription price, $1, and
the publishers take pride in saying
that in the three years and eight
months that they have owned it, they
have doubled its circulation, until now
at Vol. 8," No. 10, we have a bona fide
list of 1,440. Tin present owners and
publishers are F. C. Johnson & Ron.
P. C. JOHNSON & SON.
Minneapolis, Kas.
ARKANSAS.
The Nonconformist directory of re
form papers, published in 1891, cred
ited Arkansas with the following:
Alliance Voice, Batesville.
Faulkner Wheel. Conway.
Morning Star. Eureka Springs.
Expositor, Eureka Springs.
Advocate. Heber.
Our Country. Jonesboro.
Workman's Chronicle. Little Rock.
Rural & Workman. Little Rock.
Arkansas Economht, Searcy.
Cottage Home, TexarVnna.
An Inspection of Ayor's American
Newspaper Annual for 1901 falls to
nhow one of these In existence. The
only populist prper credited la this
directory Is
Mnrpn's Iu?8-Saw, Hnrdv.
The Independent would W ft's-! to
hear from.anv of It Arknnam read
ers, pi v Ins; corrections or additions to
thU lit or Information reiartllntj tbe
tn populist rtxTi of HOI which are
now noij-esMtent.
The CarlM Indian football tffim
rftnirt n'r cleaning Harvard out bv n
illrk maneuver that nstonhh, n!lti
the rooter, tat' a fid reniral public
One of the Indiana taught the ball
from a Mckoff, shove! It under Ma
tiTer and ran the wluda length of
the field to a tottthdown, Th iu
tlorlilea decided (hat there wna noth
ing In thai rule nhhh forbade auch ft
rxaeuver iu! the acor atood at that
point 11 to 0 agatnit harvard.
Choice Farms
A70 160 acres, Saunders Co., $9,000.
A 66 250 acres, Saunders Co., $10,250.
A65 120 acres, Saunders Co., $6,000.
A64 320 acres, Webster Co., $10,000.
A57 150 acres, Lancaster Co., $8,000.
A58 480 acres, Knox CO., $6,720.
A61 320 acres, Red Willow Co., $3,200.
A56 134 acres, Lancaster Co.,-$8,040.
A55 160 acres, Nance Co., $6,400.
A56 1,440 acres, Valley Co., $12,500.
A'42 640 acres, Knox Co., . $19,200.
A46 360 acres, Red Willow Co., $2,500.
A48 160 acres, Red Willow Co., $2,000.
A37 480 acres, Harlan Co., $7,000.
A38 320 acres, Harlan Co., $6,400.
A30 320 acres, Nuckolls Co., $12,000.
A31 160 acres, Franklin Co., $2,480.
A33 320 acres, Franklin Co., $16,000.
A34 640 acres, Franklin Co., $7,000.
A24 640 acres, Buffalo Co., $10,880.
A25 160 acres, Red Willow Co., $1,600.
A29 320 acres, Harlan Co., $4,800.
A26 160 acres, Harlan Co., $4,800.
All 320 acres, Harlan Co., $7,000.
A 8143 acres, Fillmore Co., $7,000.
A 7320 acres, Fillmore Co., $14,000.
1066320 acres, Red Willow, $3,700.
1065 514 acres, Red Willow, $5,654.
735500 acres, Douglas Co., $35,000.
7341280 acres, Lancaster, $38,400.
718320 acres, Lancaster, $16,0U0.
133200 acres, Lancaster, $13,000.
27H 2,411 acres deeded land at
$12.50 per acre; also lease to 640 acres
school land that runs 22 years at an
nual rental of $63, All in the Republi
can River valley, 2 miles from ship
pint point; splendid alfalfa and sugar
Leet land. Watered by seven wells,
springs and the Republican river; -700
acres under , cultivation; 25 , acres of
fine timber; wheat on this land this
year yielded 44 bushels per acre. , Sev
eral sets of improvements. Will di
vide into three tracts If desired, but
it is a gold mine for the man who can
handle it.
Write Weber ft Farris, Lincoln,
Neb., for full Information about any
of this land.
Farmers, Attention!
Do you wish to rell your farm? If
so, send full description. lowest price
nr.d best terms. Or, If )ou wish to
buy a farm, ranch or Lincoln home,
write to or rail on Williams & Urate,
1105 0 st., Lincoln, Neb.
Ilomssleads and Deedsd Lands
In county rapturlfT flrnt prize for
wheat nt the World' fair In ts:3.
Wheat thl year went n hlsrh ni 61
bu. per a.re; oat ) bu. per acre;
fine fruit country; mormon growth
of mietables; plenty of wild fruit:
rood supply of water; timber for fuel.
Write for rlrrulaji. Charles lle4
Una Co., Rturcl. & Dak.
ratronlio our aJrertUcrt,
