The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-12-11
T. M. BU Ills.
West Concord, MINI. Dec 2, 1895.
THE INITIATIVE AND REFER
ENDUM.

>. Z. LONG WANTS THE FIGHT
MADE ON THAT ISSUE.
Editor Representative:
set quite number Of papers, but The
Representative leads them all. Not only
the editorials which completely denolish
the sophistries of the old party journals,
but the letters in the forum are grand
Through them all run the golden sands of
pure patriotism, love of humanity and
the spirit of justice
l notice in the issue of Nov. 9th letters
from John r. Beasley, Of Tennessee and
Senator Probsttield, of Minnesota, in re-
gard to what our platform should be
These two letters show the impossibility
Of ever making platform which will suit
every one. l agree with the righteous
ness OF Mr.. Beasey's principles, but we
can never get into power on platform
with SO many issues / notice that DR..
{. Johnson, in the Willmar Tribune pro-
poses to make the fight on the money
question. and the doctor is man who is
worth listening to. He has the best
inland paper in the state, and it is pity
he is not at the head OF a state paper pub
lished in both English and Norwegian
Senator Stewart has started great paper
at Washington, right among the brig
ands. He is also laboring to bring all re-
formers together on the money question.
Now there is no doubt but what all par
ties in their formative period try to ac-
compish too much, they see the awful
wrongs which Cypress mankind and
would obllterate them at one fell SWOop.
The abolitionists were the chosen of
God to enlighten the minds of men to the
terrible injustice Of human slavery; they
demanded that constitutional, or uncon-
etitutional slavery should be abolished,
and they lived to see it done: but not
by a party which had any such provis-
ion in its platform.
Now the senator thinks we should offer
suggestions. Here is mine: Let US go
into the fight on the initiative and refer
enGum, and win.
1t is easy to explain; the country could
be sown broadcast with leaflets which
would make it plain to the dullest voter
1t would appeal to their manhood arouse
their ambition for better things, and con-
vince them that under it's provisions we
would have a government of the people.
Any other platform can, and will, be
fought with ridicule, misrepresentation
and appeals to prejudice. 1t has proved
so in the past and it will prove so in the
future. In this district three years ago
the little SchOOlmaster told the people that
they We're not expected to understand the
financial question; but they could under
stand that the government could not
stamp rag babies and make them live
babies: therefore it could not stamp pa
per and make money of it. Also that it
was not man, not congress, who demOne
tized silver, but the Lord God himself
who superintendent the finances Of this
country. Two-thirds of the voters said
he was right, and sent him to congress.
He voted against every bill which favor
ed silver In the last campaign he told
the people that they now had the silver
question settled, just as it should be: he
also told them that the greatness of the
Peoples party leaders consisted of a su-
of of
brains, and ree-fourths of the voters
said by their votes that he was right.
No reason or argument, simply ridcule
and abuse, with the aid Of money, wins
the day. Talk with the voters and they
will tell you they have no faith in the
old party politicians, but say they, your
party will be just as corrupt in time
the old parties Just so, but history
teaches us that all parties in their infancy
live up to their platform, for they know
that if they do not. their every act is
made known and they are soon done for.
Therefore, a new party put in power on
the one issue Of the I. and r. will be sure
to enact it into law. Then the people are
their own lawmakers. But some will
say the people do not know enough to
vote on laws Then it that is true they
do not know enough to vote for u proxy
to vote for them and if. after one humid
red years of free schools, newspapers by
the thousand, and the history Of the past
open to all men, we do not know enough
to govern ourselves, let us proclaim Gro
yer the First to be king, and sell seats in
our House of Lords for million dollars
each.--as proposed by the New York mil
lionaires. The initiative and referen-
dunn is my platform. On that l make my
fight until the next national convention,
where the brains of the nation will be as
sembled shall make a better one.