Birmingham state herald., 1896-06-10
A DELUSlON AND A SNARE
Is Fusion Says MT. R. H. Ford of Weedowee No Affinity Between True Populites
 and Republicans.
Randolph Toiler.

Randolph Toiler.
 Editor Toiler: As there has been much said in reference to my position as re- gards fusion" with the republican party in our county, ask space in the columns of the Toiler to explain to populists why I oppose illusion" with said political or ganization.
 1. The republican party is unquestion- ably antagonistic to every vital principle promulgated and advocated by the popu- list party.
 2. The same populist mass meeting that elected me as one of its committee on conference with the republican party at the same time unanimously adopted a platform in which they said: ''We are opposed to uniting with any organiza- ton for political purposes who are not fully pledged to these vital principles" I" The vital principles referred to are flair elections, free coinage of both gold and silver at the ratio of 16 to and the aboli- ton of the national banking system" I"
 This populist committee was instructed to bring about harmony with the republi- cans if possible, without repudiating the populist platform. We stood four to two in favor of fusion" Now the question is, which of these committeeman stood square on the populist platform and rep resented the populists of Randolph coun- ty, the four or the two?
 The republican party say they are in favor of fair elections, but recent rec ords made by this party lead us to even doubt this declaration, and nowhere has the republican party placed itself on record as favoring the free coinage of silver at any ratio. 1t is beyond question a goldbug party And that damnable leech. the national bank" that is fast sucking the very life blood from the great heart of our nation, together with millions of its weary, heavy-burdened. but honest. toiling citizens, is the idol, the golden calf of the republican party, around whose shrine it worships. The republican party has in the past and will in the future, with all it's zeal and energy, vehement]y oppose every effort to abolish this national banking system in our government. This being true, can the populists unite with this party for political purposes without sacrificing every principle and repudiating her plat form? I say nay. If the populistS of Randolph county indorse the action of this committee they then cut loose from stride into the republican party. Shall we allow a few officeseekers who claim to be populists, together with o few jack leg politicians, to lead us into the repub- lican party? Assuredly we will not.
 The tenets as enunciated by the popu- list party are broad enough and fair enough for every man who really favors reform to get upon and stand on, and if the organized republicans of Randolph county would have their plans and plat forms indorsed by the populists, as they hope will be done, they should never have indorsed the demonstration of silver by the republican party in '73,nor indorsed a goldbug for president They must do as other republicans have done and as we have done---sever their allegiance to their old party and come boldly into our party: we then welcome them. No reformation can come out of "flIsiOn'' with the rppub- lican party; 1t means the upbuilding of that party-the downfall of our party. If we would hold our organization intact we must stand firm, never yielding nor sacrificing single principle. The plan of the republican party is to capture the popuIists. True. some may walk in and some may have already gone in, but be- lieve there are yet many who will never yield to repubiicanism nor run over each other getting into the republican fold.
 R. H. FORD.
 Wedowee, June 1, 1896.