The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-05-13
ST. PAUL, COLUMN.
Fitted by j. c. HANLEY.

The different congressional committees
are beginning to call their cow ntions al
ready. The First district has called their
convention for June 4th, at Dodge Center;
the Second district has called Their con-
vention for June 10th at Marshall. These
conventions are called to select delegates
to go to the St. Louis convention on July
END, and as the law cOmpels notice or at
least 20 days before holding said conven-
tons the time is short and the different
congressional committees will have no
time to lose to make their call and perfect
all arrangements for hiding their dis
trict conventions-such as securing halls,
securing speakers, arranging entertain
ments, etc.
There was a meeting called last Tuesday
OF the Executive Board OF the Peoples
Party League at 253 Eighth street at
which the Fourth congressional committee
were invited to be present to talk over
the situation and needs of our district, and
arrange for some united effort on the part
Of all to organize every precinct in every
county in the Fourth congressional dis
trict. Much good Is expected to result
from this meeting as 1t will put once more
into active operation the organization OF
the dictrict which was interrupted by the
late municipal campaign just closed IN
Ramsey county.
The result Of the campaign just closed
L
the necessity of an organization WITHIN
party if it expects to win victory. Inc
methods which in the past prevailed to
tntimidate the voter at the polls are now
thing Of the past, and the voter is now
secure in the privacy of the election booth
to vote as he pleases and none to know
how he votes. With this Australian sys-
tenn Of voting and the gradual breaking
down of old party ties and prejudice, 1t
is wonderful to see the large and independ-
;oI, hook nd a
each recurring election. This condition
was most thoroughly expressed at the
campaign just closed in this city, In which
the Republican party won tremendous
victory. The mathematical scholars OF
the poor old Democratic party have set
about to figure out how it happened. but
either through blind partsaEship or ig-
nOrance, or both they have not figured 1t
out. We may be pardoned at this time to
present our views on the condition which
brought this about.
First the Democratic party was split
In two by two factions, which might be
termed the "old FOSSILS who have been
holding the Offices all their lives and who
wished to continue to do the same thing.
Then there was the younger element OF
the Democracy who wanted the privil-
eye Of holding some of the offices before
they became grandfathers, and they set
about to accomplish this end, by adopting
the same tactics learned from the same
school of which the "Old Fossils were
the teachers. The young men captured
the city committee by methods not pleas
ing to the "old fellows" and by what
would be termed smooth piece of politi-
cal strategy, by some piece of vulgar
vandalism, smashed the ''old fellows
slate and captured the word Democrat"
from the "Old Fossils who have been
Democrats all their lives "for revenue
only" Then in a spasm Of righteous in
dignation the "old fellows raise in their
wrath and exclaimed 1--WE are the better
element we will name ourselves the
Democratic Citizens party, and then
went into camp to prevent the Young fell
lows the privilege of voting for their
own nominee. They succeeded in keeping
the Democratic" ticket off the official
ballot, thus by their blind rage drove the
nominal Democratic" vote to the Repub-
not want to do. The young fellows"
when they were confronted with the man
dat of the "Old Fossils p" rule or ruin"
policy, preferred the latter and gave their
united strength to the Republican party
without the hope of any reward from the
Republicans and assisted in electing the
whole Republican city ticket. The same
conditions within the ranks of the Peoples
Party prevailed which brought disaster on
their Democratic bretheren. The city
committee was dominated and controlled
by organized labor and the socialists who
were most jealous lest any organization
outside Of themselves would rise up and
dispute their right, and take a hand in the
campaign and when the Peoples Party
State League began to organize it encoun-
tered the most bitter and unrelenting OPP
position from the labor unions and social
lists, who had control Of the Peoples Party
up to this time, for the reason that there
was no other organization which could
rightfully claim authority to represent the
party. And again the oft-repeated delu-
sion occurred that the only element Of
strength which was within the Peoples
Party. It appeared after the votes were
counted that the labor candidates who re-
ceived the greater number Of endorse
ments and nominations was the individual
who received the least number Of votes,
and again was demonstrated the oft-re-
curing fact that the labor vote does not
support it's nominees. although in this ca Sc
they had really some good men up as the
representatives of labor.
A certain labor candidate claimed that
"the Peoples Party should retire from the
political field and unite in endorsing a
straight labor ticket, as the only thing
left within the Peoples Party was the
labor vote" Another labor candidate"
received another party nomination and
was seeking an endorsement from the Peo-
o pies Party, declared that IL he and an
other man who had received nomination
from another party, "did not get the Peo-
pies Party endorsement that the labor
>
the face Of the earth" This remark trav-
eled good ways and was resented by
large portion of the organized league of
this city.
Now, gentlemen, we have all had an ex-
perience Is it possible for us as we'll as
our Democratic bretheren to win without
being united? The result Of our expert
nece now ought to be available lesson to
US all. We cannot afford to fight among
ourselves. We need each others support.
We cannot prosecute any faction and ex-
pect their support Let us all learn to be
real and true Populists and by our united
and earnest support of our party organi-
cation place 1t and ourselves where the
next campaign now approaching, will find
our Peoples Party men without any fac
ton or any dispute, nothing to mar the
harmony Of our action, a strong united or
ganization that will sweep our foes and
the foes of mankind from their strong
holds, and place the real friends of human
ity at the helm of our great ship of state.
We hope to find all the opposition which
was leveled at the league organization dis
appear now, and we most earnestly invite
all to join their precinct clubs.
We say again to our readers that the
writer of this column is not a candidate
for any office, and if nominated would not
, run, therefore we are in a peculiar posi-
ton, and not embarrassed in the express
sion of our views or news which will ap-
pear In this column We have no candidate