Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-04-23
UNION DISCUSSED.
With Whom and OH What Basis
Can PrOhibiti0nists Unite ?
Chairman Dickie Points Out the
Difficulties in the Way.
A Clear and DispassiOnate Pre-
scntatiOn of an Important
Subject.

Subject.
National Chairman Dickie sends out
the following letter
HEADQUARTERS NATIONAL Pro
HIBITIoN COMMITTEE,
ALBION, MICH, April ID, 1895.
Few statements are more frequently
heard than the declaration that the va
rious reform parties or organizations
must come together on some common
ground.
That this feeling is abroad and that
this sentiment meets ready response
among citizens eagerly seeking the &C.
complishment of needed reforms there
can be no doubt. The moment we de-
part from the general statement and
begin an examination into the details
of such a proposed union Of forces we
meet with number Of perplexing
questions, the answering of which, so
far as know, has not been underta-
ken.
The queries that most promptly pre-
sent themselves are these: With whom
may we hope to unite? On what basis
may such union be effected?
WITH WHOM MAY WE UNITE?
Certainly not with the Democratic
party or with the Republican party,
because neither is "reform party"
There remain the Peoples party, fair
ly we'll organized, the Silver party, as
yet in embryo, but likely soon to as
sumo organic form, and the remnants
of two or three Industrial parties that
can scarcely be considered as maintain
ing even a nominal existence. To
the foregoing might be added certain
groups Of reformers, not organized as
separate parties, but agitating in the
ranks of all parties, among them the
advocates Of "The Single Tax" ''The
Initiative and Referendum" "Propor-
tional Representation" Government
Ownership" etc, etc.
ON WHAT BASIS?
On testimony less reliable than the
evidence of my own senses I would be
slow to believe that such union of re-
form forces has been urged or even
suggested upon the basis proposed in
the following sentences.
l have, however, on more than one
occasion, witnessed the spectacle of an
energetic man, standing before an au-
dience, and with zeal and eloquence
worthy more logical matter urging a
union of reform forces on substantial
ly these grounds: LET us have new
party organization, a new name and a
new reform plank. Put into the new
party platform Prohibition plank
and you have all the Prohibitionists
with you. Put in free coinage plank
and you capture the friends of the
white metal. Have free trade plank
and corral the opponents of protection.
Declare for woman suffrage and the
suffragists will support you. Advo-
cate the sub-treasury scheme and the
two per cent loan by the government
to the people and the Farmers AL
lance will train under the banner of
united reform. Sound the tocsin for
the masses against the classes, the
People VS.. the Monopolists and labor's
brawny hosts will wheel into line.
Bring the friends of all these reforms
together aud they will be resistless
against either the Democratic party or
the Republican party or against both
Why not pool our issues
and win a victory for all these reforms
at once?"
The advocates of union among re-
formers do not, it is true, usually put
the case as tersely as the above, and
quite likely many of them will not &C
cept the foregoing as expressing their
own views, but in substance it sum-
marizes much that is said In behalf of
uniting reform forces.
Objections to such an attempt range
themselves into two classes.
First-fhe plan will not work. Such
an effort will never command the re-
spect or win the support of men SO
and honest as are those who
stand for the various reform measures
which are thus sought to be united.
Rascals may combine on the plan of
you favor my scheme and I will favor
yours" but honest men never unite on
such basis.
Second-f such plan were success
ful in massing under one banner all
the reform forces and in achieving a
victory at the polls, such q victory
would be grievous disappointment,
utterly barren Of results, demoralizing
and discouraging to each Of the in
'erests represented.
A party composed of detached
groups. with little unity of plan and
40 unity of purpose. II by chance it
win victory, would at once And such
1iscord in its ranks as would render