The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-12-13
THE PEOPLES PARTY
The Policy for the Future. Shall
it Abandon its Organizations?

/ have just received the following
letter from Hon. Davis H. Waite,
populist governor of Colorado. 1t
speaks for itself:
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, DENVER, Col.
Nov. 81, 1898.
Hon. IGNATIUs DoNNELLY,
ST. Paul, Mimi:
l have just received private let
ter from Mr.. Rightmire Of Topeka,
Kan, containing a call which he
proposes to issue for a national con-
vention to meet at ST. Louis, March
70, to organize a new party, upon the
silver issue. | had previously learn
iSatiOnS. l declined to sign any such
call and gave him my reasons, which
are in no sense confidential, and are
substantially as follows: The peoples
party was organized July f. 1892, that
is its platform was then adopted,
candidates nominated and cam
paign opened, Of course in one sense,
it was not a new party; it's principles
practically it was new. In four
months it had perfected an OrganiZa-
tiOn in every state, and at the preSi-
Dental election it carried five states
and polled % electoral votes. A pro-
greSs we'll nigh miraculous in its
rapidity and not eXcelled even 10y the
republican party in it's infancy.
1t is now cOOlly proposed by Mr..
Rightmire to whistle this party down
the wind, throw aside every advan-
tage that has been gained, and or
ganiZe new party.
Wall Street has two classes of sup
pOrterS, one kind, like Sherman and
Cleveland, Mckinley and Carlisle, are
openly in the interest of the money
power. Whatever monopoly demands
they are eager to grant: Another
class of Wall Street allies profess to
be opposed; their rule is to ObStruct,
to divide and destroy all opposition
to monopoly.
OF course | do not maintain that
the principles enunciated in the
Omaha platform are inspired or in
fallible. 1t may be judicious in the
coming Presidential election to
amend the Omaha platform. In my
judgment the men who assembled at
Cincinnati in 1891, and at ST. Louis
and Oman in 1892, were and are hon
est men-patriots desiring the COM
mon welfare. Why not appeal to
the peoples party in national cOnven-
tiOn assembled, or if greater haste is
necessary, make such an appeal to
the peoples party national commit
tee as shall warrant them to call a
preliminary national convention, to
consider what changes, if any, shall
be made? Our national convention
would have full authority to amend
the platfom, and it's recommended
tiOnS would doubtless be adopted, the
present organization IN all the states,
preserved, and the great army al
ready arrayed in opposition to Wall
Street unified, but the proposition to
destroy our present organization and
create a new party, divides cur forces
and perhaps destroys our last hopes
of success. However honest or we'll
intentiOned these mar-plOtS may be,
they could not, even if they were in
the direct pay of Wall Street (Which
| don't charge) cause more deadly
injury to the people, than by this at
tempt to destroy the peoples party.
Respectfully yours,
DAVIS ii. WAITE.
1t seems to me that Gov. WaiteS
views are precisely right. The peO-
pies party is bigger.t thing than the
Silver Question. That is but an in
cident in the mighty battle of Re-
form, which began with the begin
ming of organized human society, and
will continue as long as there is a
wrong to right on earth. To put all
our eggs in one basket would be the
height of folly. Suppose the old par
ties were scared into remonetizing
silver next year where would your
silver party be then? The bottom
would be out of the basket and your
one egg would be smashed. Nay the
whole movement for reform would
be at an end. The PlutOcrats would
say:-"There! We have given you
all you asked for. Now dry up"
No. We must build on the founda-
tion of those million popular votes
anu UWc1Uy-UWO ClCOUOl al NOUOC CdS Y
for Weaver and Field:-nOt scatter
them to the winds If silver was re-
monetized tomorrow there are still
the vastly important questions of
government paper money, OF an
abundant currency, of land and of
transportation. And within and be-
yond all these is the still greater is
sue, wit:-that the world must be
governed in the interest of mankind;
not in the interest of money: that
capital must be the servant OF hu-
manity not it's cruel and crushing
master.
At the same time there may be
those, There are those,-who can
not accept all the populist doctrines,
but are ardently in favor of free-sil-
yer. Let such persons organize by
themselves. We wish them we'll.
We will do nothing to hinder them.
They will be our friends and allies,
not our enemies. When 1896 comes,
NO hi