The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-20
TRICKS AND TRADES.

The plan of fusion arranged by the
ofice-seeking managers of the Democratic
and PopuIist parties has now been suffi-
GENTLY developed to be fairly well under
stood. 1t is not certain how far the Demo-
eS5tlc bosses have gone in encouraging
Mr.. Gator to believe they. regard him as
the logical fusion candidate for the Senate,
but it is certain that the whole plan of fU-
sion consists in bartering one Office for an
other. This is being done in the name of
Bryan, but not for his profit The spoils,
II there be any, are to be local spoils and
will be divided among the traders who
have made the fusion.
Democrats who believe in the political
philosophy of Jefferson that Govern
ments govern too much" and that the
powers of the Federal Government should
be confined to strict construction of the
constitution, how do you like this trade
which promises to deliver your votes to
otice-seekers of that Populist party which
would carry governmental paternalism to
an extent never yet practiced among civil
lied menP How do you like to be called
on to vote for members of the Legislature
who have bargained to elect to the United
States Senate a man who favors fiat
money, Government ownership of rail-
roads, the referendum, popular initiative
and the imperative mandate? How do
you like to aid in raising to official power
! a man whose political policy would tear
down the last vestige of State rights and
local self-government and vest in the Fed
eral authority q power as unlimited as
that of the Emperor of China? How do
you like trade that subordinateS all your
political principles to a creed the mere
statement of which would have made An
drew Jackson gasp and swearP
Populists who have faith in the wi sdom
of your party policy and who for years
have worked and fought to build up a
party to support that policy, how do you
like to trade all your principles and all
your work to that Bourbon Democracy
which has Knocked at you for the sake of
getting in return an Office for some Popu-
list who is not so devoted to his principles
as you are? How do you like to cast your
vote for some Democrat whose politics
you detest in order to induce some other
Democrat to vote for Populist whose
principles he detests2 How do you like
this bartering and trading, this dickering
and dealing with your vote without your
consent3 How can you engage in a COM
binatIon which is to count your creed and
your conscience for nothing and entice
your ballot from you by bunko game
that will not only wrong you, but deprive
your party of its political prestige?
There can be but one answer to these
questions. Tricks and trades among the
lower class of o1fice-se seeking politicians are
common, but they never succeed when the
people are aware of them. AS a Nation
we delight in straight politics. We honor
the man who stands for his convictions
and votes for them on election day regard
less of Office. In all parts of the United
States there is feeling of admiration for
the Republican of Texas who stands by
his platform, though he never gets an
Office, and for the Democrat of Vermont
who goes to the polls year after year TO
meet certain defeat. These men are re-
spected even by those who believe them
to be politically wrong, but for the trick
sters and traders for Office no one has re-
spect. Party fusion is an abomination to
the American people. Office-seekers may
plan it. but the voters will scorn 1t, and
the ballots on election day will show how
futile have been the attempts of the bosses
to trade the votes Of honest Democrats and
of honest Populists.