fte
raff
Vol. XV.
LINCOLN NEB., FEBRUARY 25, 1904.
No. 40.
S The St Louis Conference
Work Begun at Denver
Approved National Con
vention Called.
En Route Wabash' Train, St. Louis
to Council Bluffs, Feb. 24, 1904. (Edi
torial -Correspondence.) The refoim
forces of the United States will on
the 128 anniversary of the birth of our
republic, meet In national convention
at Springfield.. 111.
This is the unanimous action of both
national committees, alter two days
and two nights of spirited discussion.
That this discussion was heated and
acrimonious at times, goes without
'saying. Populists always have been
and always will be independent
thinkers, upon whom the yoke of dis
cipline (as that term is commonly
understood) is galling. They, have
fceen sneeringly referred to by poli
ticians in other parties as a party
with no leaders and every man a
statesman and the charge is essen
tially true. For while populists are
not slow to recognize the superior
ability of men like Thomas Ev Wat
son, former Senator Allen and others,
and to give great weight to their coun
sel and advice, it is yet a fact that
these men are not "leaders" in the
sense that they do the thinking for
their entire following.
. Henco, any populist gathering lacks
that smooth, cily movement which is
the delight of the machine politician.
It is bound to b3 more or less stormy.
The steel and flint are sure to come
together with fire-producing force.
Add to these propensities, the fur
ther fact that this was a meeting of
two heretofore antagonistic wings of
the people's party, represented hy
men on either side who have been
scathing in their utterances regarding
the other, and you have the situation
at St. Louis. ' ' , -
The average populist has a pretty
well developed bump of suspicion,
which' ordinarily keeps him od the
alert. And this being an extraordi
nary occasion, it is not amiss to say
that this bump was worked overtime
at St. Louis.
But, after all is said and done, I bc
HeW that every populist in both com
mittee meetings was inspired by an
earnest wish to do that which Would
ultimately bring about relief for the
great common people, the wealth-producers
, of this glorious country of
ours. The local conditions prevailing
in th-a different states naturally gave
different viewpoints, and quite as nat
urally gave rise to a claih of opinions
as to what would really best promote
the ultimate success of the people's
party, and through it. the genuine
prosperity of the wealth-producers.
I confess that for a time, when the
storm clouds of dissension were low
ering, and it seemed inevitable that
the people's party could not be reunit
ed, my own bump of suspicion got to
working a double shift. It seemed
that two or three men in the allied
people's meeting were determined
that no reconciliation should take
place. YeT when these men aftf r be
ing whipped in the fight of their lives
for what they believed was the best
course to pursue, accepted defeat phil
osophically and joined hands in mak
ing the call and address well, I com
pelled that "trenologloal protuber
ance to suspend opcrat'ons.
About sixty members of bqth com
mittees were present. Among the
"fuslonlsts" were E. Gerry Drown of
Massachusetts, J. II. Caldtrhead of
Montana, Dr. I. D. Burdlck of Indian
Territory, Edrolslen, Tibbies Wcbcr
and myself from Nebraska, Dr. and J.
II. Cooke of Missouri, Adam Ilanua
and John Medert of Indiana, and acme
others whoso names escupe my mem
ory now. Lett ra of regret wtre re
ceived from tactically 1 1 of the na
tional committeemen nut present. A
few wore pr'ralstle, but mort of
them felt that th present uncertainty
and chnoj In the political world l
the darknj9 which portend the dawn
of a brighter day fur the hr ts of
wealth-producers novr bcins robbed by
onanlzod greed by mna of tuonop
olUUo fret hi privilege. A conU
rlJ number hHieved It th part
of political wisdom to defer holding;
the national convention until after
both old pnrtle have hud thelrt, and
thus Itit enabled to take advantage of
cuudltloitf then tiisllo. This tul&Ut ,
be called the northern viewpoint.
Among the prominent "mld-road-ers"
present were Colonels Mallett
and Park, and James W. Biard "of
Texas, Judge A. H. Livingston, Paul
J. Dixon, Jam?? H. Hillis, H. Barkis,
and Nat G. Eaton of .Missouri, Jo A.
Parker of Kentucky, Judge Samuel W.
Williams and A. G. Burkhart of Ind
iana, Col. Felter and A. C. Barton of
Illinois, L. H. Weller, J. R. Norins,n
and S. M. Harvey of Iowa, W. S. Mor
gan of Arkansas. ,
Most of these men quite naturally
saw things through southern spec
tacles. I am telling no secret damag
ing to the cause of populism when 1
say that the populists of the south are
discouraged. They are practically dis
franchised along with the negro.
They may vote and vote, but the elec
tion machinery is in the hands of men
who -count and count. No one can tell
by examining an election abstract
how many pop;illst votes were east.
The men responsible for this slate
of affairs call themselves "democrats."
They are "leaders" of southern democ
racy. With notable exceptions, they
represent the same plutocratic inter
ests as do the republicans in the
north. And the republican party of
the south is a fac-simile of the J.
Sterling Mortou-Dr. Mailer , brand of
democracy in Nebraska before Bryan
committed the (to them) unpardona
ble offense of actually winning au elec
tion to congress.
Just as Dr. Miller and his confreres
earnestly, desired i little democratic
party in Nebraska, which should be
their very own lor trading purposes
with the republicans, so do the lead
ing republicans of the far south de
precate any attempt to make their
party' an actuality in government
there. To wrast control from the
democrats ', would mean a iartv big
enough to get away from t'.ieir own
ership. : "
Practically all the mid-road' popul
ists of the south were former demo
crats. The causes which made them
populists, still exist, and ihey very
naturally view with suspicion any
man who claims the iame "demo
crat,' and this suspicion goe? out to
populists who have co-operated with
genuine democrats in the north.
Accordingly, it was to be expected
that the "mid-roaders" would oppose
any action of the committees which
would give plausible grounds for sus
picion that the national convention
might be used to promote the inter
ests of the democratic party. I can't
blame them for that. Even in Ne
braska where men who are the salt
of the earth call themselves "demo
crats," and the party as a whole is
dominated by such men, there are
many old bourbons who despise a
populist as they would a venomous
reptile, and nothing but the hope of
winning by populist aid. prevents au
open expression of that feeling.
Hence, one can Imagine romethmg
of the feeling between populists and
democrats In the south. And a good
deal of the past bitterness between
the two populist factions has come
about because neither side would try
to look at tbe situation from the
other's viewpoint. , Undoubtedly on
both sides the desire to triumph over
the other has caused populists to be
led astray by the casuiitry popularly
attributed to the Jesuits that "the
end Justifies tbe means." I believe
that neither wing can truly show a
clean bill of hralth for that commit
tee meeting at Lincoln in 1900 when
the "split" occurred. I believe men in
both factions were guilty of practices
unbecoming a populist.
But that is a closed incident now.
We should forgive, even if we can't
forget It. As Morgan of Arkansas
said to me last night, "We were act
ing under the pressure of entirely
different motives. You in the nqrMi
were fighting for immediate success.
We in the south were fighting for the
preservation of our paviy there was
no immediate suet ess in sight for us."
But let us not dwell too long in
the past. Association for the past two
days with that nrince amonc Amcri-
' can gentlemen, E. Gerry Brown of
wassacnusetts, ruts given me a tinge
of hi3 fatalistic coloring, that "what
is to te will be." Even thoie homely,
old-fashioned sayings that "the mill
will never run with the water that's
passed by," am! "there s no use cry
ing over spilled milk, " substantiate
his philosophy. No man knows what
might have been but has a right to
guess; and as there is little profit in
guessing, unless it will help us in the
future, why indulge in It?
Well, when the meetings began, we
in the New St. James and tbey In the
Southern, a little informal talk
brought out th fact that we preferred
to hold the convention at Indianapolis
or Springfield on July 7, and a con
ference committee, consisting of
Messrs. Brown, Calderhead and my
self, was appointed to confer with a
like sub-committee from the mid
roaders. They sent over Judge Will-
A CHILDREN'S
" ELECTION."
Prof. Warttfem&nn Com
: menu an th Rasvilt of
! Chicago School "Elec
tion." u
Editor Independent: A teacher in
one of our pub'ie schools lately asked
for an "election" to determine the
"best or greatest or most popular per
son." Here 13 the count: Lincoln 14,
Washington 11, McKlnley 6, Roose
velt 4, King Arthur 3, Joan of Arc 3,
Queen Victoria 2, "My Father" 3, "My
Mother" 3, King Solomon 1 and Elsie
Dinpmore 1; 51 votes.
It is safe to say in analyzing the
ballot that the votes for "My Father,"
"My Mother," and Elsie DInsmore
were the only true "personal"' indica
tions of a reasonable, discerning Judg
ment. The others are merely me
chanical reflex reactions of .bc gray
brain tissue of these children. Im
pressed with the "virtues" of King
Arthur, Solomon and the rest. Im
pressed by outsider, audi as the teach
er, text-books waving bunting, etc.
The children really h"tve no concep
tion of Joan of Arc, fur Instauce. Nor
of the real Lincoln.
I mention this "play election" mere
ly as an Illustration of the. fact that
"gtown-up4" otten act Just like "chll
dim" with whlker. Ios the aver
nri voter iwe UU" own individual
judgment? or doe he nt rather rely
on "others" Ut till him what l "bvnC
for Mm? What "argument" Is In a
torch rrocrMlon or a "gunthot slo
Ran" or a "tlnpall" for intelligent
Americana? Still such foolUhucas
wins out brings results and boodle,
too. i
The teacher conducting that kid
election proudly referred to the fact
that none of the children had (by its
vote) declared either Rockefeller or
Schwab or Morgan or Vanderbllt as
the "best or greatest person."
That is readily explained. Our chil
dren do not "know" these gentlemen.
The text-books of our public schools
mentions the v'eedi of "old" knlguta
like King Arthur, but do not contain,
as yet, the tiles of the "modern"
knights and American "kings."
Sv.ch tales would be neither good
Sunday school llt?ratur. nor exactly
the sort of d"eds. which even tbe
moat case-harder.id macnlno republi
can In Nebraska would like to put be
fore his own fon as worthy of Inno
cent admiration and as a modern
standard example of "virtue,"
Standards of morality chance, you
know. It's time enough for the klda
to absorb the "p Men calf" standard
when ready to vote as told. J.atet on
you know.
In the meantime, It tickles me that
one of the litt'e voters had the ene
to votn for I!Uls Dlnnniore. Third's
the making of a true American In that
kl4! A. WA NO KM ANN IhO.,
Consulting ChemUt.
ndgowatrr, Chicago, III.
lams. Col. Felter and Col. Park.
Mr. Brown, In our behalf, tentative
ly named St. Louis as the place, date,
July 7. Judge Williams named June
14 hut ViqH nr Adr-iAoA nrof prunes hA '
nf Antl T.t1 I An r .aHh a. C!mIm wAaU AM
I remember it. It soon developed that
the real hitch was on the date. Col. ,
Park felt in honor bound by the Den
ver agreement to stand out for a con-
vention before either of the old par
ties, and from that time on gave the
most stubborn resistance to any
change. Assurances that there would
be no indorsement of either old party
ticket did no good. His honor was
pledged to hold our convention first,
and by the living God he'd stand by
that.
All that the majority of the mid
roaders wanted was to be certain that
when the people's party holds its con
vention it will put a populist ticket In
the field and not indorse the candi
dates of either old party. The dale '
was not 'essential, so long as lnde-
nsndent Rtrnle'r.tfnrwftrd ncftnn rnnlrt
be reasonably assured. It was pointed
out that a convention held June 14
might be manipulated into nominat
ing, say, William R. Hearst, and this
used as a club to compel the demo
cratic convention to nominate him.
Col. Park wasn't worried over such a
contingency, and even admitted that
he wouldn't feel hurt if we should'
nominate a ticket June 14 which p""
would be acceptable to the democrats. J
When told that such would be identic
cal with the much abused "fusion" in
Nebraska, he simply shrugged bis
shoulders and stood pat.
In our committee Tibbies ami Edf
mlsten had been a party to the Den
ver agreement as to time, and they
suggested at first July 5 and after
wards July 4 as the date in order to
live up; to that agreement, so far aa
concerned the -democratic convention '
and there wasn't much danger that
we should Indorse Teddy or the
other fellow who mlcht harmim tA
down him.
It wasn't very long until Judge Liv
ingston, Col. Mallett, Judge Williams,
Barkis, Eaton, Col. Felter and a num
ber of others were willing to com
promise on the Fourth of July; but Jo
Parker, Paul Dixon, Coi. Park, Mor
gan, Weller, Burkhart, and others
still stood out for June 14. Finally
the mid-road committee agreed to
Springfield July 4, but demanded cer
tain certificates of good character
from us, wh ch we good-naturedly
&urv viti ucn uiuwu b vigorous pro
test, willing to have peace at any
price even to the extent of doing the
manifestly absurd act of certifying
under our own hand and seal our good ,
intentions toward the cause of pop
ulism. " '
This done, too mid-road committee !
named A. O. Burkhart as temporary
chairman of the convention and re
ported to our committee. That caused
an explosion in our camp. Populists
have as It seems to me an unrea
sonable prejudice against the practice
of allowing the national committee
to suggest the name of a temporary
chairman. It always has looked to
me that suggesting a temporary chair-"
man is no more "maccine" politics
than fixing tho representation. But
the prejudice exists and there's lit
tle use arguing about It.
Here again Gerry Brown and a
number of others protested vigor
ously; but after some discussion IL
was decided to- concede the point and
name the temporary secretary. I was
named as the victim. Wo drew our
resolution "recommending as tempo
rary chairman. A. G. Burkhart of '
Indiana," etc.. and reootted to thu
other metlm.
Mr. fturkhvrt Immediately de
nounced tho whole thing as a damna
ble Rcbfme of the fu-lonlsta to swal
low them whole without the usual
formality of jrreasitis; them behind the
cars -or words to that effect-and ab
solutely refused to act.
Then hell broke looe for a reason.
A motion wa mud- to reconudpr the
action rhiHHn,; Springfield, July 4.
The vote was taken during a period
of Intense planetary duturbancn If '
our down st astrologers will
mil in io rcicf la iMr
