Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-29
roprLrsrs HAVE BEEN BETRAYED
views OF Nelson a. DusBtnr Upon the
Fusion CampnfEn-

NATIONAL character WnoSe experiences IN the
last few years as one Of the organizers
and promoters Of pdpuhsm in the nation
would II written. form an interesting vol
ume. Mr.. DUrn ming has been more widely
read through his populis, literature than
any other writer In this country. Il was
his editorials In the National Alliance. pub
llshed at washingtop City. which. through
the vide circulation this paper then
had. that aroused the spirit OF populism
more than anything else.
The reporter, learning from a personal
friend Of Mr.. Dunnins that he was ia the
city. called on him az the Windsor. II
am Just on my way from Texas 70 Wiscon-
sin explained Mr.. Dunning "Nd do not
care to talk politics Being urged to
give his views on the political situation
Mr.. Dunning replied with some show Of i'm
patience:
My views are no longer Of Importance
l an populist, but popullsm has no part
in this campaign. There was a time when
tho populist party promised TO become a
party OF national power through which the
political reforms IL advocated promised to
become law. Thousands Of farmers and
good men in the south and vest have hoped
with me. and others Of us. that the populist
party would stand alone as the sign OF po-
litical reform and political honesty. until
tho higher conscience OF the American peo-
pie would. little by little. tura to It, until
at last, its shibboieth. Equal rights to all
and special privileges 10 none would be
come the shibboleth Of all the people. and
would be put into the laws OF the country.
But the leaders Of pOpuljsm. conspiring
with democracy. have traded US away. The
conspiracy to destroy US as a party com
menced at the st. Louis convention. and
has continued throughout the entire course
Of manipulation which has characterized
all the fusion state conventions"
Mr.. Dunning then dropped into 4 remin-
/ iscent mood and talked Of populism in its
early history.
My mind" he said goes back to 1890.
That was 4 terrible conflict Nebraska sent
some populist delegates to congress. In
the south We selected thirty-four demo
Gratis We had measured these southern
democrats by the alliance yard stick. We
bound them 10 support alliance principles
at Washington but every one Of the thirty
four southern democratic congress men de
serted US. betrayed US. AZ the first oppor-
tunity, excepting Tom watson Of Georgia.
who has not swerved Tor one moment in
his loyalty TO populism ana its principles.
The common people Of the populist party
stand today where they stood then. just as
Tom Watson does. He Is defenniIg the same
principles and the same class Of people
that he defended then.
Where is Jerry simpson, and Senator
Allen, and KEN? II you would aualyZe
these men you would and in them more
democracy than poDulism.
1t seems IL the democratic party.
recognizing popullsm as It's enemy. es-
/ pecially in the south, dy constant intrigue
| has at last been able 70 enter into the inner
stronghold and 20 capture K body and boots
Il read in the morning paper en- inter
| view from ex-Speaker Elder OF this state
I He sees the situation inst as Il is. He sees
that in this election b. must either be a
| republican or a democrat He cannot vote
| popuilst ticket because pOpulism Is not
I represented on the ticket The rank and
/ file OF popuiists haNs been betrayed. II
always has been so. anu always will be So
| that fusion means Sests 10 the weaker
/ party.
The greenbaok party vas destroyed BY
! fusion; the ani-monopnly party was de
/ stroyed by fusion: the union labor party
was destroyed by fusion; and the people s
| independent party, which represents popu-
/ lism today, stands COW upon the brink o.
| whether the rank and de OF the party will
| endorse the political tricks by which this
| fusion has been brought about, OF whether
they will send up protest gainsi IL.
Look at Kansas, Kansas was the scene
| Of that terrible free sol struggle in 1856.
Kansas ought to be the last state In the
union which would enter into a conspiracy
with the dominating democracy Of the south
10 destroy the populism Of the south. Pop
ulism in the south stands for a free ballot
and a fair count, Just as the free sellers OF
Kansas in 1856 stood against slavery. The
their opportunity to destroy populism and
they are using it. You can hear them eXdlt
all over the south that EhateFer happens in
this election there will be no more populism
10 interfere with southern politics.
We had been told that the northwestern
people had a high serse OF honor: that In
Nebraska and Kansas men understood what
political honesty means and how to keep
faith when they entered into a bargain. We
have kept faith with Bryan. Tom Watson
has been loyal TO him every minute since his
nomination. But have the pOpulist leaders
OF Nebraska been loyal 20 Tom Watson for
a single moment? This Is the outrage that
makes US southern popglists feel tired. II
the rank and file OF the party in these north
western states will show spirit enough IL
this election 10 repuiiate this infamous fu-
sion. so that after the election Of Mckinley
which is now practically assured. and after
this Organism has run It's course and
proved itself a failure, then populism,
taking up the work where it left OF before
the 81. Louis convention. can go on. ! do
not believe the rank and fie Of the p0pulist
party are in accord with this sell out
which Senator Allen and Mr.. Bryan have
negotiated. I believe thu honest populist
will manifest his disapproVal OF this fusion.
II he wants 20 be a democrat, then let him
vote this fusion ticket, fer it is demo
cratic ticket
4 understand that the proof is over
~ AANA-AlilA- nat INC tOuI AElASSIGL4I tlcCAbis
on this fusion ticket openly boast that not
only ara they under no obligations 10 sup
port Watson. but that they are actually
opposed 70 him under al circumstances and
have been put on the licked with the under
standing that they would not under any
contingency compromise With populism OF
cast a vote for its candidate.
Il can understand hoS 4 populist in Ne
5raska who has formerly been 4 democrat
can vote this fusion ticket and be pleased
with what he has done But how can a man
who has been formerly q republican. as Mr..
Elder says. be made into a democrat? In
he south, OF course, the democratic parts
wants 10 destroy pOpuitsm above every
thing else. They do not expect the election
Of Bryan. For three weeks the leaders all
over the south have been eonceding his
overwhelming defeat bat they are satisfied
II they can deal the deEthbl0w to populism
In this contest. VIII the farmers OF Ne
braska help them do it2 That is the ques-
ton.
We have heard OF what they call the
honor Of northern men I have always loved
70 believe that men in the north had their
full share OF the common honesty which
loves fair play. But I confess TO disap-
polntment when l learn that the populist
party in this state In It's state convention
under the manipulating influence of It's
leaders, deliberately selected four men as
Is representatives on the electoral ticket
Who are known TO be personally hostile to
Tom Watson, whoss candidacy for vice
president Is the only remaining sign by
which populsm, as national party. shows