The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1891-05-07
MAKE HASTE SLOWLY.

DO Not Organize New Party Until All Re-
form Elements Are Fully Prepared to
Take Part in Its Formation.
The Cincinnati conference will be the
most important one, in many respects,
held or to be held this year. Every
element and every phase of reform will
be represented there. If, at that con-
ference, harmony and unity of action
can be made to prevail, the great battle
of 1892 is already half won. If, on the
other hand, we are compelled, in order
to conciliate the different elements, to
make plank for each faction to stand
upon, thus scattering our forces and
widening our Notifications, we had just
as well go and crawl into hole and
pull the hole in after us, for we could
expect to suffer nothing but ignominious
defeat We would be in the same con-
dition as Mark Twain's dog that was
scalded in spots, until he looked like a
map of the new territories. He could
not attend to both his flea pasture and
fly pasture. AS the Reformer has fire.
quently remarked, there are some
vital questions upon which all these diff
ferent organizations can agree. The
questions of finance, transportation
and land are of vital interest to all.
Suppose we call these the middle of the
road and agree to travel along to-
gether, for a while, at least. Would
that not be sensible plan. Would it
not be much better than to be beaten in
detail and have the chains of bondage
fastened on us firmer than ever? An
other thing which the Cincinnati con-
ference should not lose sight of is the
action already taken by some very pow
erful organizations, and of other action
still to be taken. 1t is to be hoped that
the Cincinnati meeting will not assume
any 81 am the great am" airs and ig-
more the fact that other men and other
organizations are working along the
same common lines, and are preparing
to join us in the great fight for indus
trial freedom. We desire to emphasize
this point more particularly because we
know there has already some bitterness
of feeling sprang up between some of
the recognized and able leaders in the
reform movement which will require
great caution and care if it does not do
more to make the Cincinnati confer
ence hindrance to the movement in
stead of what it should be-a grand
step forward The people have right
to demand of these leaders that these
differences shall be explained and this
bitterness suppressed; or, failing in
that, that these men shall step down
in the ranks and let others take their
places. What we want at that confer
ence is harmony and the proper steps
taken to harmonic with others who are
in sympathy with us. There will be
those present who will favor the imme-
date organization of new party. The
National Reformer opposes anything
of that kind for the reason that
we do not believe in pulling an apple
until it is ripe. If that confer
ence organizes new party it
will pull green apple as far as sue
cess in 1892 is concerned The alli-
ance, the grange. the X. of L., the
F. M. B. A. and other labor organiza-
tions are thoroughly organized schools
for education. They are fully equipped
for that purpose, and the process of ed
ucation is going on much faster in those
organizations than it would in any new
one we could organize and put in prac-
teal order within the next eighteen
months. Again, the moment we or
ganize a new party it not only antag-
onizes the leaders of the two existing
parties, but a great enough number of
the members of all labor organiza-
tions to introduce a discord that will
neutralize the effects of education.
We are aware that the failure
at that conference to organize
new party would be great disappoint-
ment to many, but they may console
themselves with the reflection that they
are in advance of the times, and if we
all expect to fight together in 1892,
those who are in advance must wait
for those in the rear to catch up. Some,
of course, will never come up, but the
longer we wait the more we'll get to
help fight the battle. In the meantime
let us keep cool, keep in the middle of
the road, and keep hammering away
for reform in finance, transportation
and land-W. y. Morgan, in. National
Reformer.
I'm order to reform politics we must
put reform men in the lead with re-
form politics. ANY other attempt will