f 4
,7
Vol. XV.
LINCOLN NEB., MARCH 24, 1904:
No. 44.
Progress of the Movement
Convention Calls Grand
Enrollment Day. -
The Vanguard of Populism
It usually requires at least a week
after the publication of a particular
issue of The Independent before re
sults may reasonably be expected.
Notwithstanding this, applications for
Vanguard enrollment blanks began to
enmp. in hv Monday, although the an
nouncement of Grand Enrollment Day,
Mach 31, had been made only in last
week's issue
Warner Starr and the Old Guard of
Dixon County must look to their lau
rels. Both Lincoln and Custer will
dispute Dixon's claim of having the
greatest number of enrolled members.
Monday A. F. Parsons of North
Platte a3ked for a supply of Wanks
and printed matter, giving assurance
that Lincoln would be heard from
Grand Enrollment. Day.
And Tuesday James Stockham cf
Custer sent in the names of 15 new
members of the local Old Guard at
Callaway, for enrollment in the na
tional records. And he sent in a
money order for. $1.70 to help out on
postage and printing. The Callaway
local meets on the second Saturday of
each month. Mr. Stockham says, "The
fight is now on and Custer will again
be in line."
This addition makes a total of some
SO members in Custer. Dixon comes
next with 23. - Clay has 16, Franklin
14 Lancaster 10, Otoe 9, Madison 8,
Lincoln 8, and 58 other Nebraska
counties have from one to six en
rolled members of the Old Guard.
Since the work of enrollment began
last December, the most active states
have been Nebraska, Missouri, Texas,
Arkansas, Tennessee, Indiana, Ala
bama and Georgia, in about the order
named. Nothing at all has been done
i-n . Nevada Rhode Island. Delaware,
or Maryland, and very little headway
has been made in laano, ucan, uoio
rado, Kansas, or South Dakota
states where populism was strong at
one time.
A partial report is made this week,
closing up the work to February 29.
It is likely that next week a report
complete to date can be given.
T.pst. misunderstandings may arise
over what mav seem a multiplicity of
committees and organizations, I deem
an explanation proper here:- '
The national committee selected at
Sioux Falls, May 10, 1900, has for its
officers the following persons: Chair
man. Marion Butler, Raleigh, N. C,
and Washington, D. C; vice chairman,
J. H. Edmisten, Lincoln, Neb.; sec
retary, J. A. Edgerton, Orange, N. J.,
(formerly Denver, Colo.); treasurer,
George F. Washburn, Boston, Mass.
The whole committee consists of three
members from each state and teiri
tory, except one or two where no
populist organization exists. Chair
man Butler, for the past two years,
has either actively or passively op
posed any movement toward unify
ing the people's party, and the active
work has been performed with Vice
Chairman Edmisten presiding.
The national committee Be-eeled at
Cincinnati, May 10, 1900, has for its
officers the following persons: Chair
man, Jo A. Parker, Ixniisville, Ky.:
Secretary, Jas. E. McBride, Grand
Rapids, Mich.; treasurer, Milton Park,
Dallas, Tex. This committee consist
of one to three members in most of
the states and territories.
At the conference held In Denver,
Colo., July 27-29. 1903, for the purine
of uniting the tu wins of th peo
ple's party. It was rwogntzc.! that
both these national committee must,
In th nature of thins, continue to
iiist and at t unll the national con
vention t U"l fchould 8fle;t a new
national committee to take the place,
of ibote thrrHofor pkMIiik. But ai
n a.-rt of Ruxlliury to the two na
tional committee, a third bojy of
pnpulUU was thtre stele. tc to at In
ronjum tlon with thge committee In
Lrincln about harmonium party a -lion.
The ofllcer of thU iMivrr ton
ferenc orcanUrttloti are m folio.
Omlrmtn, J. A, lMserton (ho I aUi
K'vrt-ury of the ftluu Fall commit
tee); the chairman. Milton Park
fwho U l-' treasurer cf the Cintlu
natl commute); icvrtUry, J. li.
Calderhead, Helena, Mont.; assistant
secretary, C. Q. 1 De France) Lincoln,
Neb.; treasurer, J. S. Felter, Spring
field, 111. This committee consists of
one member for each state and terri
tory. It was designed to continue
whatever work might be done to fur
ther the cause of populism until the
national convention is held.
The Old " Guard of Populism can
scarcely be classed as an "organiza
tion." It is in reality simply an en
rollment of populists, preparatory to
perfecting an organization. It is a
roster of those who "have come all
the way over the trail," who are glad
of it, and who propose to continue
along the road of populism.
The Vanguard of Populism is essen
tially the same both enrollments be
ing kept in the same manner and
not separated. The Vanguard is In
tended to take in all populists, no
matter how "old" or how "young"
in the faith, Who expect to take a
more or less active part in the com
ing campaign. Whether these men
are known locally as bunion reform
ers," "liberal democrats,' or what
not, makes no difference. They arc
entitled to be enrolled as Vanguards
if willing to subscribe to the funda
mentals of populism and the action
taken at the St. Louis meeting.
It foljows, therefore, that old-time
populists, not incapacitated for tak
ing an active part in the coming cam
paign, are entitled to enrolment in
both : Old Guard and Vanguard. But
those who cannot engage actively in
the campaign will be enrolled simply
in the Old Guard
It is not intended that this enroll
ment shall conflict in any manner with
the work to be. performed by the two
national committees. The call for na
tional convention having been made
by the joint sub-committee appointed
at St. Louis, there is -work to be done
by Vice Chairman Edmisten (for it
is probable that Chairman Butler will
continue his inactivity) and Chairman
Parker. It is their official business
to get in, communication with the of
ficers of the various state committees
and see that conventions ' are ar
ranged for selecting delegates to the
national convention. This is not the
official business of either the "Old
Guard or the Vanguard of Populism;
but Vice Chairman Edmisten and
Chairman Parker will "doubtless re
ceive a great deal of help from the
Old Guards and Vanguards in the way
of securing a full attendance at the
various conventions. . .
eye to permanence. Every name is
written (with pen or typewriter) upon
a library bureau card, showing name,
postoffice, county, voting precinct, age
and place of birth, former politics, and
other information regarding the en
rolled person. Upon back of card is
noted whatever contribution of mon
ey, lists of names, or other assistance
was rendered by him in carrying on
the enrollment work.
These cards are then filed in a cab
inet, about 1,000 to each drawer, ar
ranged by states and by counties.
Each state "guide card" shows num
ber of counties in the state, number
of congressional districts, number of
delegates to national convention, and
the presidential vote of 1900. Imme
diately following come cards showing
officers and members ' of the present
state committee; the national com
mitteemen; and other information
pertaining to the whole state.
Following this come the counties in
alphabetical order. Upon each counly
"guide card" is noted the presiden
tial vote of 1900; what congressional
district it is part of; and other in
formation. Immediately following
come cards showing the officers and
members of the county committee, if
any; and then follow in alphabetical
order the individual cards of. enrolled
Vanguards and Old Guards.
. This arrangement is ample until a
county enrollment should reach sev
eral hundred, when it might be advis
able to re-file by election precincts or
by postoffices if thought best.-
No other method of keeping a roster
equals the card index system. It can
be expanded to any size without dis
turbing the alphabetical order. The
cards will last for years and, being
always easily found, can be kept up
to date by checking up returned let
ters, etc. It ls a little more work to
write out a separate card for each
person; but once started, the list
grows rapidly with comparatively lit
tle effort. There are no duplicates
and that alone will save the extra
co3t, by eliminating . useless postage
in a campaign. . . .
men, etc., the Old Guard and Van- v.
guard enrollments do not in any man
ner encroach upon the work now to
be done by such national committees.
I need not dwell upon the merits of
this system of keeping records. .Bus
iness men understand the value of it
And a national campaign' ought to be
conducted as systematically as auy
private business,
The roster or record of the two en
rollments is being prepared with an
These records when completed are
to be the property of the people'3 par
ty for the use of the officers of its
national committee to be selected ar
Springfield. The enrolled members
come, from both wings of the party;
and. as each national committee has
records of its own, as to committee-
Vanguard of Populism.
APPLICATION BLANK.
Charles Q. De France, Lincoln, Neb.
Please enter my name in the Vanguard enrollment,
and send me blanks and other Vanguard printed mat
ter, 1 shall do what I can to help out in the work
Grand Enrollment Da.y,
(March 31, 1904.)
Nor need this enrollment conflict -with
the precinct club plan adopted by
the Parker committee at St. Louis.
The business of the Old Guard and the
Vanguard is to jind individuals who
are willing to stand up and be count
ed for Dooulism. whether committee
men, public, officials, or 'High privates
In the rear ranks." paraphrasing
Burns '
"The rank is but the guinea's stamp.
A pop's a pop for a'; that."
Name
P. O.
State
Precinct
Cou nt v.
(Tut iUU ut, n nm nl J.lri'H, u 1 tttatl In V. Q. lH Frtne. Lincoln. Neb
I rl u I I Uiitii I Niimtrt W h toil, ! reiit f lutU r ir rtrt on
tirtu-l I nrtliiu-iu ljr-Mrch 31, I'jmW pfk In jcur -ulll titpfgliWH tUiui It j
But when two or more of them get
together-in the name of populism,
there is nothing to prevent their form
ing a club or society or the like. " My
efforts are confined solely to finding-
the hiding places of dlscourage-1 , '
down-cast, down-trodden, disheart
ened populists and to tell them that
the people's party still lives; that it
will hold a national convention at
Springfield, 111., July 4, 1904; that It
will nominate a populist for president
and a populist for vice president; and
that after that Is done and the new
national committee gets settled In its
headquarters, we want an army cf.
enrolled Vanguards to go out Into the
highways and by-ways and preach
populism to every creature. The hope
of America is her "middle-class", and
the people's party is its only true ex
ponent. " So if populists anywhere receive
letters from different persons'-frori
Vice Chairman Edmisten, Chairman
Parker, or half a dozen others let
them understand that while all are
laboring in the vineyard of populism,
each is working . along . a particular
iine to accomplish a specific end, and
that there is no conflict whatever in
the work each is doing. -
It is the intention. to have a Grand
Enrollment Day each month, the last
one prior to the Springfield conven
tion to be on June 15, after which no
more enrollments can be received. At
least two weeks will be required to
close up the work so the records can
be turned over to the new national
committee. Grand Enrollment Day for
April will be announced next week.
In the meantime, if you have no en
rollment blank?, cut out the applica
tion blank in this issue, write in yoar
name and address and mail it to me.
If a special effort will be made in your
county, ask for as many blanks as you
think will be needed.
Report for the last two weeks of
February follows: .
ALABAMA.
Cherokee county: L. M. Bishop.
Coffee: John Adkinson, H. K.
Brock, James Hearing, A. J. Helms,
R. N. Kellev, B, II. Mixon,, .Tamest
More, J. H. Sawyer, T. R. Wright, V.
J. Deal, J. Z. Foxworth, T. D. Hend
ricks, Jasper Parker.
Fayette: G. W. Ashcraft.
ARKANSAS. -
Howard county: Levi Cranford.
Nevada: I P. Sullivan.
White: J. S. M. Beaver.
FLORIDA.
Calhoun county: W. F. Woodford.
GEORGIA.
Gordon county: Y. J, Malone, I
L. McCutcheon.
Paulding: J. B. McBrayer.
IDDAHO.
Canyon county: Frank Forbes.
ILLINOIS.
Cules county: A. Whitmer.
INDIANA.
Hancock county; Flam M, Leaiy,
Johnsou: Parker T. Brown.
Knox: Ithhard llonewliz.
!.apfte: (i,ar I. Coo rub.
Martin: Walter Hum.ncra.
Miami: V, C. Jackson.
IOWA.
lUncovV county; J. D, Cor.yne.
KANSAS.
Osborne coun'y: If. A. Turner
Phillip: If. F. Palmer.
Ulley: Robert Hauwrman,
Russell: Aug. Hi'Uttur.
KFNTtCKY.
McLean county; O, S. Ward.