St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-21
His Resignation From the
Peoples Party Commit 7.
tee a Political Move, 7De
And One Which in No Wise
Will Act Hurtfully to 81
the Party,
Despite the Attempt Of the
Republican Press to Make
Capital Out Of 1t.

| senate now leIu by senator Davis j
OF course, Mr.. Erwin has not said Sc
in plain terms-he is too Shrewd fol
that-but he might as we'll have done
this when he wrote his letter declining
to serve as member of the state COM
mittee of the Peoples party. This
| declnatiOn was based solely on patriotic
grounds, Mr.. Erwin declaring that he
was of the opinion that he could do
more for the cause in other ways. That
he will work for the cause is indicated
plainly by the following little excerpt
from his letter:
Il am a son of the Republic and will be
| with the people in their struggle but as the
| least ostentatiouS soldier"
This reads nicely. and, taken. in con-
nection with several extracts from one
| of his stump speeches neatly woven
| into the communication, show that the
| great orator is not a bit slow as pOllti-
clan. He talks of the profound, earn
| est and heaven-led movement against
the world-old forces which have ell
| shaved the economic liberties OF men
| and nations" in a manner that would do
! credit to the Sage of Nininger himself.
| The climax, however, is reached when
the ''Tall Pine' announces that he can
not accept any office. This cannot fail
| to strike the observer as little strange,
| perhaps C2Sar-like, for no one has
| asked the brilliant attorney to accept
! public Office at the hands of the new
party as yet.
Il shall never accept public office"
runs this letter in a semi-regTetful man.
ner, that indicates that Mr.. Erwin in
the solitude Of his study, has reached
the conclusion that the day is near at
| hand when the Office will go in quest of
| the man. If this is so, to whom will the
| down-trOdden farmer go quicker than
| the transformations worker" the elO-
| Quent Irwin. The letter declining this
| committee appointment is character
| istic effort of Mr.. Erwin, and as such. is
| interesting, to say the least. 1t follows
| i'll full:
Declines OVermuch.
ST PAUL July 14-Hon. Thomas j. Neigh
4 en- chairman State Committee OF the PeO-
| pies Party of the United States for the State
| of MinneSOta-Dea Sir: The object Of this
| communication is TO acknowledge the honor
| conferred upon me by the Peoples party i'll
! having named me as one of the members of
| the state committee. | am fully sensible of
| the confidence and trust which my selection
| as such member most plainly eylnces, ana
| am grateful for this; the more deeply grate-
| full because my every sense is awakened 10
I the stern and immediate necessity OF this
| profound earnest and heaven-led movement
| against the world. old forces which have en-
saved the economic liberties of men and ma
| tiOns-a march begun in prayer from bond
age which will not be opposed nor stayed UNI
| til man is free and the divine command ITO
| love one another is not alone standard
| of individual action, but the rule and
base of the government of men. l am
| also conscious that | am unfit to undertake
and perform the high duties which will rest
| upon the members of this committee. l am
| "a fbn ncE Of TNrnf aSG n
and ! feel that my duty fOrbidS the lofty am
| billions of public life. l shall never accept
| public office. An honorable desire to be mt
to assume public Office should certainly be
| encouraged in this republic but each lnd17
! vidual l think, has duties, personalities,
1 moods sorrows, wounds and blood born
| prides. in whose broad domain lie camped
| the unseen but potent deStinieS which con-
! troll, design and give intention the sacred
character of fate And this is the preroga-
| tive of free men. | am son of the Tepub-
! lie and will be with the people in their strug-
! gle but. as the least ostentatious soldier, /
believe in the people of Christian America.
| Nevertheless it is possible that an ambitious
| friend would hinder the slow but sure evOlu-
ton of the times. Therefore, resign. Will
you convey to the committee my profound
| admiration for their patriotic purpose. Be-
ieve me, with high respect your friend,
W. W, ERWIN.
No Disruption.
OF course the Republican organs, big
and little, herald this letter as an indi-
cation of the early disruption of the
new party. They did the same thing. il
will be remembered, when Burlingame,
the lawyer nominated on the Alliance
ticket for attorney general, wrote a
stump speech and declined TO run, after
requesting a month TO consider the mat
ter, This was repeated again when
Hon. Patrick II. Rahilly wrote his little
speech refusing to make the run for
state auditor.
But the Alliance did not go to pieces.
Far from it. On the contrary the
absurd and transparent letters of
Rahilly and Burlingame strengthened
the ticket headed by 5. NJ. Owen and
brought thousands of votes to the cause.
The Alliance can not be broken up SO
| easily as all this. Unfaithful leaders of
all great movements have had, and it is
not to be denied that they are greatly
retarded by such incidents as the
Rahillv and Burlingame features
of the late campaign at times,
but as long as self interest
or principle is at stake they cannot be
killed by the detection of chosen lead
ers. That the new peoples party in
Minnesota is fighting for the interests
| of its members as we'll as principle nc
one acquainted with the situation in this
| state can honestly or truthfully deny.
1t is also encamped on the high ground
of principle. 1t may have demagogues
and tricksters in its ranks, but what
party IS there that does not also possess
these undesirable characters
But Mr.. Erwin's letter is not of the
class of those of Messrs. Burlingame
and Rabillv. 1t was not written to dis.
rupt the new party; nor does it betokeu
anv breaking up of the state committee
of the Peoples party. At the time OF
Mr.. Erwin's appointment he declared
that he could not serve, and it was only
at the request of several of his friends
that he allowed his name to go on the
list. After considering the matter he
has evidently decided that it is not q
position that he desires and so he neatly
steps down and out.
.That declaration of Mr.. Erwin was no
unexpected" said ex-State Chairman Car
rington Phelps. of Morris. Yesterday IL
answer to a question, land it does not mean
that the new committee is going to pieces
AT the time of Mr.. Erwins appointment he
wanted to decline, but did not do so at the
request Of his friends"
.'Will his action be followed by any other:
of the so-called anti-Donnelly faction!"
Il do not think So" was the reply 81 an
certain that there is no concerted movement
| of that kind. his place VIII De nueu Dy
man satisfactory TO our side, and everything
will go on all right"
Mr.. Phelps is a member OF the state
committee of the new Peoples party
and belongs to the anti-DOnnelly end OF
il. For these reasons he is particularly
well qualified to speak on the subject.
But this does not alter the fact thai
w. W. Erwin wants to be Senator
Davis successor.
Will it be Senator W. w. Erwin?
The State Savings Bank, Germania