The San Francisco call., 1896-08-09
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
CLUSTERING THE FORCES.


To the Editor of the San Francisco Call-SIR ::
The true character end entire reach of the con-
| spiracy entered into at the Chicago conven-
| ton by General Weaver and his kind OF Popu-
| lists there in attendance afd the silver Demo-
Gratis IN control of the convention to democrat
| lze ana finally absorb the Peoples party Dy
boldly adopting q sort of Populist platform
ana nominating Bryan as a sort of Populist to
nj tnat platform, may now be said to be pretty
well understood by the public. Itwas wise
ana deep-iaid scheme, as results abundantly
prove. By sly intimation that Bryan was q
Populist at heart they gave the gold Demo-
Gratis chance to fall into their trap and begin
to shout that the Populists had got control
OF the convention, and they did take up the
Cry which was Immediately proclaimed in
great sensational headlines by all the gold
Democratic newspapers and was repeated and
re-echoed by all the Republican journals
throughout the country.
II was great scheme and it worked well.
Indeed, 1t swept the country as kind of men
TAI epidemic, and by the time the Populists
met In ST. Louis in National Convention SO
great was 3 the Juror over Brysn and silver that
straight Populists were openly and wantonly
denounced IN speech and print as traitors to
the people and in the pay of Hanna if they
even yentured TO protest against being rushed
ana stampeded at once and Internationally
INTO the Bryan camp and submissiyely taking
orders from General Weaver, Senator Allen and
bears bem sha But 90 not propose to re-
~ \
tlonal Convention, the most trying of all being
the surrender of Populist sleaders'' to the con-
spirators and their active zeal in behalf of the
conspiracy to turn the Populist National Con-
vention into Populist National ratification
OF Bryan Democracy. 1t failed, because more
than two-th.rds of that convention were
| straight Populists who refused TO bow the knee
to the new Democratic silver Baal.
In the hour OF apparent triumph of the Bry-
anized Populists, with Allen chairman of the
convention and Weaver chairman of the plat
form committee, though Weaver had won his
place by one vote and Allen, the former idol
9th, OF the party, had only won his place by a
man in utter obscurity and unknown
to dozen of the 1850 delegates, the
great mass of the convention rose as by q COM
mon impulse and overturned the whole
| scheme of the conspirators by nominating
true and genuine Populist for the yice-Presi-
dency, and thereby. gave the conspirators no.
| to destroy the Peoples party. But the infatu-
alton which then possessed Weaver and his CO.
conspirators still seems to urge them on in
mad effort even yet to make their conspiracy
succeed.
| The Alabama frauds by which it would be
made TO appear that Populists are losing large
numbers of voters, the refusal of the Missouri
| Democracy to treat with or even consider the
| Populists of that State, the foolhardy and un-
| provoked sneers of Chairman Jones against
| the Populists of the South, the contempt ex-
pressed for Populists by the great Democratic
| newspapers and the persistent refusal to con-
| slider the claim of Watson as the candidate of
|
sive partisan zeal on behalf of sewail, all go to
! show the determination of Democracy to over
ride and crush down the Populists as party.
But as the conspiracy to form silver De-
mocracy and ride into power on the wave of
! popular discomfort with present oppressive
! conditions and at the same time get rid of the
formidable Peoples party by betrayal through
! its trusted and honored leaders at the st.
| Louis convention came to naught and failed
utterly by the uprising of the mass of dele
gates, so the second attempt TO destroy
and no fnQ
| Alabama frauds, by ignoring the party's exis-
tence as in Missouri by sneering 1t down as
attempted by Chairman Jones and by treating
| it with contempt as practiced by Democratic
newspapers, will certainly come to naught and
| fail utterly, for perceive that even in Ne
braska, the home of Bryan and Alien and
| Holcomb, the straight Populists in State con-
vention yesterday Every nearly overturned all
the carefully laid plans for fusion with De-
mocracy''; that in Kansas there was two
| fusion in which the straight Populists won
| about all they claimed; that in Iowa the
| Weaver fusionists came very near being
routed, and that in Indiana the Populists re-
| fused to come to any terms OF union with the
| Democrats.
| In the South the situation of the infatuated
Weaver fusionists is even more unsatisfactory.
| Under the astute leadership of Tom Watson
! the Georgia State Convention has adopted q
/ plan to checkmate the Democratic determina-
| tion to have Sewall atany cost or loss to Popu-
| lists, which will doubtless be adopted by the
whole South, namely, TO put up only Bryan
! and Watson electors until Sewall is withdrawn
and if he is Withdrawn they will then give
| part of their electors for part of the old DEM
/ ocratic electors. ave can't vote for Sewa.I," >"
/ is the cry.
| There is still another check on the scheme of
| the conspirators 1t comes from new quar-
| ter. Notwithstanding the fact that such
| .'leaders" of the silver Republicans as met in
the little silver convention in st. Louis did all
/ they could TO help stampede the Populist Con-
vention into the Bryan corral by nominating
/ Sewall as well as Bryan, the rank and
| file of the silver Republican voters are not in
| favor of returning the Democracy to power
even under the leadership of Bryan, but will
| vote for an honest and honorable session of
Populists and silver Democrats.
! Like all Populists who are not aspirants for
high Office these honest silver Republicans
! find little comfort or satisfaction in working
with Tammany and Senator Hill for the sue
cess of Democracy; they, in common with all
elected, with the certain object lessons which
| would follow, than help to res tore half con-
verted Democracy In alliance with Hill and
Tammany in charge of the Government These
| silver Republicans, as a rule, are genuine anti
monopolists and hence they are in accord with
Populists, agreeing with them that the rail-
| roads and the banks should not own and oper-
ate the Government, as at present under
| Cleveland and as proposed by Hanna
! conclude with word of warning to arro-
| CANT Democrats and the no less arrogant silver
| Republicans who shout for Sewall and deride
| Watson. There is a limit to the patience and
endurance OF self.respecting Populists.. Much
| little satisfaction in the present alliance with
men who regard their cherished principles as
| Impractical "isms," and are a trife too blatant
in expressing their contempt for these 'isms."
! They gravely question the wisdom of going
into partnership in the hazardous business OF
conducting the Government on such lines as
may be found in common between such in
congruous partners. They look forward to the
end Of such an administration as would fol.
/ low such an unassimilated combination of
discordant elements and they have their
doubts. Will the end justify the means?
Will not such an administration be followed
by reaction which will place the cause for
which the Peoples party stands ten or twenty
years back OF where 1t stands to-day?
am sure all thoughtful Populists are far
less enthusiastic over the present situation
than the somewhat over-confident and alto,
] gether too arrogant silver Republican, and
Democratic ''leaders" would be wise in desir-
ing these Populists should be. THESE over
Jealous sticklers for Sewall and the original
conspiracy to get rid of the Populists as o
! party have shown but little political or even
| common sense in their attitude and utter
ances. They win do wei to pause and reflect.
| If they should discourage or disgust too many
straight Populists, their. vaulting ambition
will o'erleap itself and fall on 'tother side.
/ T,J,orr rrxryi11 PonuliSt