The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-12-23
FUSION BEAT US.
That Noble Patriot and Veteran
Populist. L. c. Long, is Through
Trading with Democrats.
He Writes Letter Which Takes the Hide OF
the Flesh-Pot Traitors. Like Owen,
In Grand Style. TT

-~SAA . W - s>AS~s - A>ssA~ ~"SAs
In Grand Style. TTF
Editor Representative: -~.~5
receive letters asking where I was
when the cyclone struck US, what I
was doing during the camprign, and
my advice as to the future, etc.
1 am glad to know that after the
battle am remembered by so many
of the true Populists of the state, and
especially of this Congressional dis
trict, and shall, like the other mar
tyrs of the delayed, but not lost cause,
give you my views in regard to the
past and future OF our party.
In the National convention at St.
Louis did what l could for the Geor.
gia plan:-which was to put up our
own candidates and fuse on electors.
AS the Chicago convention had stolen
our platform to certain extent felt
1T was useless for US to try to be Who'll
ly independent; when I found that
the Georgia plan could not be worked
l Joined the Bryan shouters.
came home inspired to work for
the allied forces, believing that sec.
ond Jackson had arisen, who would
sweep the British money changers
from American soil; also believing
that the great producing class Of the
land would rise up by millions to right
the wrongs which oppressed them.
But, like John Brown, I soon discov-
cred my mistake; slaves do not strike
for freedom; and, fguratively speak
ing, like John Brown, was hung as a
fanatic
l soon discovered that straight
Populist was not wanted. put in my
time speaking in this Seventh Legis-
lative district. -
At one place the chairman Of the
Democratic Committee said to me:
II understand you are greenback-
er: for Gods sake, stick to the silver
question:
After buying my ticket to another
town l received message saying
there was to be no meeting.
When l returned home / found a
letter from the secretary of the great
aggloneration of worlds wonders,
couched in very polite language, say
ing that they thought it best to send
Silver Republicans to that particular
locality, as they "feared that / would
not be kindly receivedr' Jerusalem!
After campaigning for six years,
veteran who voted for Benjamin f.
Butler, they were afraid I would lose
my scalp if l ventured into Republi-
can stronghold!
And now with colossal cheek and
brazen effrontry the Democratic pa
pers appropriate the whole six or eight
million votes, and totally ignore the
Populists.
FUSION BEAT US.
In the counties, strongly Scandin-
avian in this district there aoere not as
many fusion uOtes as there qcere straight
Poputist votes t,Oo gears dgo!!!
The Republican Norwegian speak
ers told of all the sins of Democracy
aud the good deeds Of the Republican
party, and finished by arguing that
we had "gone in with the Demo
Gratis! We should have taken heed to
quest of the Democrat who said he
wanted to be buried in Norwegian
cemetery because it would be the last
place the Devil would look for
Democrat!
We can not blame the noble Norsk-
men when we remember that jeff
Davis and Grover Cleveland were
Democrats. (G. G. is a Republican
now.) One great mistake of the Popu-
list party. which eliminated in all
other mistakes. was our cowardice in
not holding our convention first.
l have no ill-will for any man be-
cause he is Democrat. My father
lived and died Democrat, and I
served three years in the army az a
Democrat, but l am done with all
trades with the Democratic name.
Some of the most low-lived sneaking
S0io hi oc{~ =
trict,-Miller of the Luverne Herald
and Ruane of the Slayton Gazette not
excepted.-are Democrats. Miller and
Ruane call man hard names OPEN
ly, and give him chance to defend
himself, but these sneakfng ours, who
call themselves Democrats, and are
all things to all men to gain popular
ity and votes, do their devilish deeds
in the dark.
They ignore and despise all the de-
maDds Of the Populists, and harp on
Observation-Disclosures, and arbi.
trary interference by federal author
ity, while the poor devils who have
lost their farms and last cow and pig
through the accursed usurious, none
tary system of the nation, neither
know nor care how the government
is administered, as long as they know
UAoU al al
forms, are simply to protect the rich
in robbing the poor. 81 -
AS to the future, I will say for my
self, that l am for the three, great
principles Of the Peoples Party, viz:
Finance, Land and Transportation, as
set forth in the Omaha platform; and
the roaring oratory of Senator Allen,
or the persuasive eloQuence Of Gen.
Weaver can not persuade me; nor the
howls of Lafe Pences and Tom Patter-
son that you've got Hanna's money"
can not scare me into vacating the
middle-of-the-road Populism. p
see by the papers that there have
been several Conferences" called to
decide what we shall do in the future.
Now I want to suggest that a. few
self-styled leaders cannot decide. this
momentous question for the, Populist
party.
There has been too much deciding
of that kind already.
II we are going to have conference
let us all have hand in it.