The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-11-28


tion meets to stand like stone-wall
against all such 'fusions." For these
are the worst kind of ''fusions''-o
incODgruOus elements for impossible
success.
In the next place. we would urge
that if we are to carry this country in
1896 we must satisfy the average mind
that we are reasonable and right.
Hence every wild and extravagant
ana fanatical man among us must be
ruthlessly suppressed. 1t matters not
whether he talks violence and blood
shed and anarchism from natural dis
positions: or under the sense Of great
personal wrongs; or from the sting, if
you please. of Starvation; or whether r
he is paid by the enemy to discredit
us, by desperate and reckless utter
ances: in any case he is doing Us in
finite harm. OF the 10, coo Democratic
votes, and the $4,000 Republican
votes. that were scared into opposing
Mr.. Owen, during the last week Of the
recent campai gn, under the belief
That his election meant turbulence
and financial ruin, not a small part
were terrorized by the utterances and
personal character of certain mad
men in our own ranks.
We must tell these men to flock by
themselves. They have right to
their opinions: and some of those opin-
ions may not be altogether wrong: but
Tn yla ptU !, lo
lation which John Brown and his fol
lowers occupied towards the Republi-
can party years ago. The Republi-
cans were able to elect Abraham Lin
coin, on a platform of non-interfer-
ence with slavery in the southern
states. If it had nominated a John
Brown, on a declaration in favor of
negro insurrection and civil war in
the South, it would not have carried a
SINCE state-not even Massachusetts,.
Now, there are men who will say
that John Browns method was the
best-that the constitution was "a
covenant with death and hell'-that t
every wrong should be overthrown by
the torch and the sword. That is
revolution. We are not engaged in
an armed revolution. We seek, by the
peaceful instrumentality of tine ballot
box, as constitutional party, acting
under the laws. not outside Of them:
and standing in the footsteps of JEFF
ferson and Washington, to induce the
people to reform their laws. for the
welfare of all, by logic, argument and
patient persuasion. Ii we cannot win
that way we had better disband. If a
majority of the people of this country
| really desire to change their form of
government, and establish an oil
garchy and despotism, what can the
minority do? But we cannot believe
that God will abandon this great land
TO such fate. His hand has too Oft
en- visibly interfered to preserve this
nation, for us to doubt his superin-
tending care. If a sparrow cannot
fall to the ground without his knowl-
edge, surely he will not permit the de-
struction of this august and conti-
mental nation, yet only upon the thres-
hold of its immeasurable greatness
yet TO be occupied by many hundreds
of millions of inhabitants; yet to carry
its institutions, as we solemnly believe,
over the whole world.
So, friends, let us reason together as
wise and honest men: and, for the
good of mankind, present our theories
of government in such sensible, prac-
ticablc and reasonable shape that the
great mass of the people will be ready
to adopt them. In that way only. it
seems to us, can the estate of the
poor and wretched be bettered on this
planet: and the whole human race be
lifted up to higher level Of develop
ment.
God give us strength to do that
which is wise and right; and to per-
severe to the end through all reverses
| and DISCOURAGE ments. I. D.