The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-01-24
OUR PLATFORM.
What it Should be.-Mr. Owens
Views Criticised.
We have received the following

we nave received the following
letter:
M1NNEAr 1s, Jan. II, 1894.
HON. 1GNATIUs D0NNELLY,
Touching the question of modifi-
cation OF the peoples party platform
as outlined by Mr.. DOnnelly in his
answer to Mr.. Dickie's inquiries, a
week or two agOHand later by Mr..
owen in his speech at a peoples party
meeting in this city.
AS a working man I have this to
say: The germs of reform senti-
ment which gradually assumed pres
ent proportions, las embodied in the
Omaha PLATFORM, were cradled and
fOstered chiefly by the industrial or
ganizations of this country. l believe
| represent the views of the masses
$50 far as they have given the mat
ter thOught,) that we should stand
on our plat form as already formu-
lated, unless more clear-cut detini-
tion of our aims and objects is possi-
BILE. We continually taunt the old
parties with endeavoring to catch
the unthinking masses with indef-
mite nothings
Shall we adopt then the system we
nave been condemning, and ratify
Mr.. Ovens ideas? | venture the
prediction that Mr.. Owens ambigu-
Gus substitute for our present plat
form will not be accepted nor his at
titude tolerated unless in campaign
parlance) Mr.. Owen is willing to
throw aside his compositions of pol
itical hogwash, and stand shoulder
to shoulder with the rank and file.
We cannot submit to a dictator.
j. L. MCDONALD.
Tojudge whether these harsh criti-
cisms are deserved or not let us see
what Mr.. Owen really said. l quote
from the report of the Minneapolis
Times, of Jan'y 11th:
"The present condition of things
has caused millions of men to open
their eyes, and | speak not of the
farmer or the labOring man, but of
the merchant, business and profess
siOnal men. They begin to realize
that there must be change in
things or the country is ruined. The
question that we have to solve is how
to get these men to unite with us in
the change. We must not ask them
to split hairs about methods and de-
tails, but we must invite them to
unite with us on some great moral
principle; something that will arouse
their citizenship and inspire their
enthusiasm and patriotism.
"Haye we such a principle on
which we can all unite? | think
that we have. That plank is this:
The political power of corporate
hn
can all unite on such plank and we
will gain much Of what we desire.
We may differ about the government
ownership of railroads and the ratio
Of silver to gold; buttbat doesn't matter.
We are not united on these questions
ourselves, for | noticed that the
question Of government ownership
OF railroads came near disrupting the
Indiana alliance recently. We must
declare unitedly that the political
power Of these railroads must be de-
strOyed. If that power resists, then
we can destroy it, but we can crystal
lize around that one thought. Here
is a platform on which we all can
stand. TO be candid, [ believe that
when. we destroy the political power
of the corporate mOnopolies we have
destroyed the mOnopolies, them
selves, but never mind that. Let us
invite all of those thinking people to
unite with us on the one plank. and
let other differences step one side.'
We do not think this report, and it
is the most complete we have been
able to lay our hands on, fairly repre-
sents what Mr.. Owen said or meant
to say. The peoples party of this
state or nation never would consent
to go into campaign on the single
plank: "The political power Of cor
porate monopoly must be destroyed"
If we did, both the old parties
would adopt it also, as barren and
harmless generalization, and we
should be without a platform. 1t
would be too attenuated a structure
to build a great party on. In India
the fakirs PLACE two swords upright
on the ground, and rest a hypnotised
subject on their sharp points; they
then quietly remove the swords and
the man remains floating in mid air,
suspended on nothing. We fear that
the peoples party would rest on
platform as gauzy and unsubstantial
if they attempted to maintain them
selves on single phrase, like that
proposed by Mr.. Owen. It is painful,
perhaps, to have to fight for prin-
ciples, not universally 'assented to,
but nothing worth having was ever
yet obtained in this world, without
fighting for it. Whenever you whit
tie away the sharp points Of your par
ty, and make it so featureless that
you can't tell it from the democratic
or republican organizations, you
eliminate all reason why any one
should support it. Reform is bat
tle;-a battle so fierce that often
times it has to be fought out ON
bloody fields with guns and cannon.
"Soft words butter no parsnips" and
"fraud lurketh in,generalties;" and
you can't upset plutocracy from his
throne with lady's fan or toast
ing fork.