The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-08-19
HE IS IMPLIED.
Owen Denies That He SPOKE Against the Ynit,a.
tive and Referendum In the Committee on
Platform At st. Louis.
Honest Bob Schilling. the Great Reformer OF
Wisconsin, Proves Him Falslier-rhe
Whole World Knows Bob to be
True Man.

On Aug. 9Th, 1895, we received from
Robert Schilling, the famous Populist.
and editor of the Milwaukee (Wis.)
Advances letter, dated August Z,
In which he said:
II had to laugh at your roast of
owen. You can say you got it from
member OF the subcommittee on rail-
ROADS. OF the committee on resolutions
that the only clause written by Owen,
was this.
".Such ownership is to be accom-
plished gradually in a manner consist
ent with sound public policy
Isn't that typical? It is the last
clause OF Sec. l. OF Transportation.
I'm the aChOte committee Queen ODDOsed
the laitiatire and Referendum by speakino
against 1t.
"Use this. (but not my name of
cOurse) as you like. II he denies it
I'll prove it. AS ever yours,
ROBERT SCHILLING."
Thereupon we made the charge, in
THE REPRESENTATIVE, that Mr..
owen had betrayed the Peoples Par
ty, by trying to defeat, in committee.
one OF the greatest reforms advocated
BY the Reformers of the United
States; and by adding q qualifying
clause to the decla ration for govern
ment ownership of railroads which
negatives and destroys it, for the
question arises how gradually must
the government proceed, in case Mr..
Bryan is elected, in taking possession
OF the roads; and would not ''sound
public policy" require, in the judy
ment of the conservatives of the
United States, that they be not taken
possession of at all?
In the Penny Press of August II, the
following appeared from Mr.. Owen, in
the shape Of an interview. We give
it head lines and all:
MR.. DONNELLY LIES.
SIDNEY NJ. OWEN NAILS ONE PUBLISH
ED IN THE REPRESENTATIVE
OF THIS WEEK.
ONE HUNDRED OTHERS MIR. OWEN
HASN'T TINE TO BOTHER HIM
SELF ABOUT.
MdUGcIS WcuU dlOuk dS SmOOGnly In
the Office of the Farm, Stock and
Home, today as though no such man
as 1gnatius D0nnelly, and no such pa
per as THE REPRESENTATIVE were in
existence. Mr.. S. NJ. Owen sat in his
easy chair just the same today as he
did yesterday and for some time past.
He greeted the Penny Press reporter
in the same cordial manner as is usual
with him. And all this in spite Of
the attack made upon him in Mr..
Donnelly's publication Of this week.
Mr.. Owen had already had copy OF
The REPRESENTATIVE left in his Of
fee, and when Ques toned in regard to
the statements made by Donnelly had
this to say:
Among the myriad of lies publish
ed in The REPRESENTATIVE about
me. there is but one that l regard
worthy Of notice, and that is the as
sertion that poof is in Mr.. Donnelly's
hands that l made a speech in the
committee on resolutions, at St.
Louis, against the Initiative and
Referendum. l made no such speech;
adoption OF the plank that was sub
mitted, but which 1 did not write or
suggest. The plank was adopted
without debate, for since it declared
for the Initiative and Referendum
and made it one Of the principles Of
the Peoples Party it was satisfactory
to all, and with one insignificant ex-
ception 1t is satisfactory to every
Populist have heard express himself
upon 1t. Mr.. Donnelly has no such
letter as he claims, for am sure that
no man on that committee could be
sufficiently low down and despicable
to write such an unmitigated lie"
Further than the above Mr.. Owen
had nothing to say.
Thereupon we telegraphed Mr..
Schilling that Owen had denied that
he opposed the Initiative and Refer
endum in the committee on resolu-
tions and he at once wrote US letter
which we received Saturday morning
last:
FRIEND DoNNELLY:
understand that Mr.. Owen denies
opposing the Initiative and Referen-
dunn as charged by you. / am as posi-
tive as l ever was Of anything in my
life that he was the only member Of
the committee that objected to its
adoption when the plank was reported
to the subcommittee of twenty five.
1 distinctly remember the sorrow and
pain I experienced that Mr.. Owen, q
gentleman whom l always honored
and respected, should occupy such a
reactionary position, and was pleased
that his opposition received not SIN
gle endorsement, and that almost q
storm of protests arose. His objec-
tion, which consisted in short
speech, was rather mild it is true, but
= oh4 t1NA nd -
the measure az part Of our platform.
do not care particularly to set my
statement against that of Mr.. Owen,
but am perfectly willing to leave the
matter to the other members of the
committee. You are at liberty to
make any use OF this letter you choose.
Yours for the right.
ROBERT SCHILLINa.
No one who knows Robert Schilling
will doubt the truth of every word Of
IT 80