The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-04-22
AN OPEN (NOT PRIVATE) LETTER
TO MR.. II. 3. ROEN.

\
county, MINI. It Is with some reluct-
ance we publish it, as we haye no de-
sire to take part in any differences OF
opinion between two members Of our
party, for both Of whom We have the
highest respect and regard: and we
should not publish it at all, but for the
fact that it refers to the question Of how
the delegates to the national convention
from the Seventh congressional district
should be selected district conyen-
ton or by the district committee. Upon
this issue gentleman of the prominence
of Senator Ringdal has right to be
heard in the columns of a paper holding
such close relations with the Peoples
party as The Representative does But
we hope that honest differences of view.
as to public action, will not Interfere
with that sentiment OF harmony and
good will which now animates all the
membership of the Peoples party. in
Minneapolis.-Ed. Representative
When wrote you a private letter, in
sional committee appoint the delegates
from this district to the national conven-
ton | forgot to take into account the
fact that great men are sometimes ex-
empt from the social obligations and
amenities which are binding upon coars-s
er clay. was therefore surprised, with
out cause, perhaps, to find that you had
published 1t as butt for column OF
rldlcule. Had even dreamed that you
would do SO / should have made some
effort to bring it nearer to that literary
standard which familiarity with the
Globe" editorials has rendered mental
necessity to its readers - go !,
The manner in which you seize upon
figure OF speech that employed and
lombard 1t evidently gives you a great
deal OF pleasure, and as it harms no one.
there can be no objection to your contin-
uing on that line until the within is salts
fed.
That | am far from being a master in.
classical literature that there is room for
great deal of Improvement in my way
OF employing English idioms, and that.
In common with others more prominent.
before the people, my style Of, express.
ing thought, or want Of. it, is cross-eyed, Z
perhaps bandy-legged, ia. Of course. per
fectly apparent to one Of YOUR multiEar-s
lous attainments. But believing as Of
course | must, that you would overlook
these literary imperfections, were it not
for the position that you occupy as q
tribune of the people, and finding moth
ing in my letter that hast the appearance
of being addressed to the public, am
at loss to know why you should have
thrown such q screed, as you make it on.
to be- in the faces of your long suffering
readers. When you devote column
o. valuable space to answer a private let
ter OF less than twenty lines, the case as
sumes that grave and portentious char
acter which is supposed to attack itself
to the act Of hunting sparrows with
heavy artillery. And when in the face
OF all this YOU say that you do not care
whether your. suggestion is acted upon
or not one inadvertently, I might say
automatically gropes about for some evil
dence of salt or other. reminder that the
statement is to taken in a Pickwickian
sense. II, however, the state is to be
taken as rejecting the mind of the editor,
nc other plausible reason remains for the
labOred comment, but he felt the need
OF practice in editorial pOlemics If this
inference is correct the readers rofs the
Globe will, perhaps, bear the ipfliotion
with fortitude, not to-, say JOY. ~ Having
admitted that the words used were not
the most exact that could have been
found to express the idea that / intended
to convey, and that such crudities no
doubt jar upon the nerves OF the scholar
ly essayist, I hope that you will grant
me the privilege of choosing my own
rhetorical tutor. A
When you say that you do not believe
that the Populists Of Polk county care
who represents them in the national con-
vention, it might be interesting to know
II you base your opinion upon personal
experience with them. If, on the con-
trary, it is based upon that condition of
apathy, which. one would infer, exists
among the Populists of your own bail-
wick, the existence of that condition
does not reflect much credit upon those
who have assumed to lead. The fact that
Polk county has been and is the banner
POpulist county in the state is due to the
fact that it's people know their rights and
dare maintain them, and no politician
has ever before had the impudence to
suggest that committee is better fitted
to perform their political duties for them
than they are to perform them them
selves. ''-
/ cannot believe as you seer. to do.
that the Populists of Polkrceunty are the
only ones in the district who know that
primaries; are the very source and foun-,
dation of popular government and that
their adjustment, by a committee, or
for a committee, would be unjustifable
and revolutionary. But if you believe
that other sections are not awake to this
fact,1 would suggest with due reference
to the motive power of the GLOBE" that
the country would, perhaps, survive were
1t to neglect it's primary function, as the
organ Of its editor for one or two issues
i'll order that the educational force in
herent in it's columns might be utilized
so as to give prominence to this funda-
mental truth.
You base your argument upon the fact
that the state committee appointed two
out of flfty-three delegates and ask me
why l did not object to such action. 1
will tell you. -.
First did not know that such action
was contemplated.
Second-The men appointed were the
two most prominent and able Populists
in the state and would, without the least
shadow of doubt. have been the choice of
a delegate convention q make this state
ment with the proportions of the Globe
editor in full view
Third-Adverse comment >On such ac-
ton would have created the impression
that it was the personality Of the dele
gates that was Objectionab le,s and there
might perhaps be envious people who
would not scorn to avail themselves of
such an opportunity to create the i'm
ton no h ir}n Nv{< (@~~ kr