The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-08-19


these rascals. aid She coterie Of bigger
villains behind them.
Here We we1ebparaded in all the
| newspapers and on the bulletin
boards, as bankrupt; the public told
that our paper had stopped; our adj
vertisers and subscribers taught to
distrust us; tataI news sent on the
wings of the lightning to the ends Of
the nation thaota famous Populist
paper was dead; ctr financial standing
wrecked aud our enemies triumphant.
And all for wfac?
Because we had insisted that the
Peoples Party should not die or be
merged in any other organization.
Because we had exposed a trickster
and knave who has been at the bot
tom of all the troubles of the Reform
element Of Minnesota for ten years
past.
Because his friends did not want
the public to know that he had be-
trayed the Initiative and Referendum
in the secrecy of the committee room
in St. Louis, where he had been in
structed by those who sent him there,
and even by the delegation which &C
companied him, to stand firmly in its
favor.
We have left the Penny Press. We
have moved out of their dirty rat
hole, and this paper is printed on the
presses Of the Minneapolis Tribune.
We thank God for the deliverance
from contact with the scamps who
have tried to ,stroy us.
Our suit for $4,000 damages will be
pressed to the uttermost. and we will
speedily close up the foul institution.
The only fear We have is that it will
die the death before we can get judy
ment.
We ask our readers to note the
viciOusness with which the Mime
apolis Journal, Republican,; and the
Minneapolis Times, Democrat, joined
in with Ovens crowd to destroy us.
The Times even went so far as to
state that we had tried to pass off a
bogus check on the Penny Press Com
pany which they had refused to take.
This was alleging a crime. We have
taken steps to have the editor prose-
cuted for criminal libel. There was,
Of course, not the slightest particle of
truth in the statement.
We lay these facts before the Popu-
lists Of Minnesota. This is the cul-
minatpn of all the assaults made up
on US. during ten years, by Fish, Mac
donal, Carringten Phelps, ETC.. ETC.,
every one Of them inspired or sustain
ed by S. M. Owen. We have now
dragged the chief conspirator, like a
trapped wolf. strteking and struggling
out of the hole lnlthe ground In which
he has sheltered himself. He will at
last meet the Aom of his tools-liv-
ing and dead. n
We ask the Ropulists of Minnesota
| whether we have deserved all this per-
secution? Whether our services and
sufferings do not entitle US to better
treatment? Id
Was it our fault that, in five con-
gressional districts out of seven, the
Populists of Minnesota, acitho,H a ,cord
Of solicitation o,t2oor part, instructed
their delegates to present our name
for President and to support US loyal
ly? Did we put Ourself forward at St.
Louis for that or any other office? IN
| our arhole public career ,Ue haze never asked
| any man to rOte for us for any position.
Did we ever ask the delegates from
81 iofc 70 or
instructions? No. We bore all things
patiently; and we should even have
supported Owen had we not conclu-
sive proof that he was not at heart a
Populist, but was trying to whittle
away our platform to the dimensions
of his own imperfect and contracted
intelligence.
We shall ask the Peoples Party
State Convention of August 26, to
stand by us. II they do not; if they
approve Of the several attempts made
to destroy this paper and its editor,
and.of the man who has been at the
bottom of them all. then we shall
quietly withdraw and end our years of
sacrifice and labor. We are of a good
deal more Importance to the Peoples
Party than the Peoples Party can
ever be to us: fer we expect nothing
from it in the most remote contin-
gency; we are a candidate for moth
ing. But the party will live many
years before it will find another man
who will give away $500 in cash to
furnish them with an organ; and who
will perform, for nearly four years. the
most gigantic work, worth not less
than $4,000, to educate the people in
the principles necessary for their own
safety.
You see, brethren, the fight we have
made for you, and the sufferings and
humiliations we are enduring for you.
We do not want to abandon you in
this mighty crisis of the worlds his
tory. Are you with us or against US?
II you are with us prove it by pushing
this paper and increasing it's circula-
tion. II you are not with US, we will
shake hands andfIpart in all kindness.
We will lay no stone in your way to
harm you. We expect no compensa-
tion for our work, but we demand
gratitude and the fair dealing which
gentlemen owe to y gentleman.
TER M1RIZ7NG