134 FARMERS' UNION AND FEDERATION 



electing their own candidates to office. They have learned 

 that from organized capital, that for half a century has con- 

 sidered it a good investment to finance the election of mem- 

 bers of their own class to all offices from which they could 

 get legislative and judicial favors worth billions of dollars to 

 them. 



Now union labor is going to wrest this great power from 

 capital wherever it has the voting numbers to do it by nom- 

 inating, financing and voting collectively for candidates of 

 their own. 



The following is their plans for control of Topeka elections 

 according to the Topeka Capital of December 30 : 



"That organized labor will take a hand in the coming city political 

 campaign was decided yesterday at one of the most enthusiastic mass 

 'meetings ever held under the auspices of the Topeka Industrial Council. 

 Two hundred union men and women informally discussed the funda- 

 mental principles for which organized labor has always fought and which 

 they declared should be incorporated into the Topeka city government. 

 Candidates who are seeking offices merely for the honor and prestige 

 that accompanies the position were bitterly scored, and a pledge was 

 taken to oppose every such candidate who appears during the pending 

 campaign. 



"The meeting was entirely democratic, practically every person 

 present participating in the discussion. Some lively debates developed 

 between the speakers, but finally a complete agreement was reached 

 and a temporary organization formed which later will be turned into 

 one of the most gigantic political machines ever formed in Topeka for 

 campaign purposes. This machine, if organized on the plans outlined 

 yesterday, will include nearly 8,000 members, each of whom will be 

 pledged to support candidates chosen to represent the union interests 

 in Topeka. It is declared by organized labor leaders that these 8,000 

 members, together with their wives and other voters whom they can 

 influence, can carry every candidate put on the ticket for mayor and 

 places on the city commission. 



"A committee of twenty-one men was appointed to appear before each 

 of the forty-eight local unions during the next two weeks and ask for a 

 ratification of the plans to put a labor ticket in the field. With the 

 enthusiasm of all representatives attending yesterday's meeting as a 



