The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-17
MUST KICK sEwALL OFF.
The PopuIfst Organ Receives Con-
EratuTa tons ON Its stand.


The Nonconformist seems to have struck
a responsive chord in It's demand that Sewall
get off the ticket or the fusion deal be de-
clared off. This weeks issue of the paper,
which went to press yesterday, contains a
number of communications from all over
the country congratulating it uponsits bold
stand and declaring that it is pursuing the
right course. This issue of the Populist
organ contains several interesting editorial
expressions. The following is the view it
takes of the movement of the gold Demo-
Gratis and the SewaII question:
1t IS questionable whether the sincere
free silver managers should either ask or
desire the assistance of the Germans, the
Hills, or the machine Tammanyites on the
ground that it is their duty, to support the
ticket simply because it is the ticket 1t
causes many people to question the sin
cerlty OF the movement when they see ac-
knoWeldged gold bugs and enemies of the
peoples cause depended upon to carry that
cause through. Like the ancient Greeks,
they are to be suspected even when bring
ing gifts. The trouble With both old parties
heretofore has been that there We're al
ways enough 'holdovers' of the enemy to
defeat every effort of reform by its real
friends. In fight like this, the motto
should be all of similar principles under the
same nag. The outgoing or the gold DEM
ocrats should be encouraged rather than
retarded. Speed the. parting guest Let
them make way for better men. The VIC
tory for the reform cause, to be worth any
thing, must be won not by the assistance
of but in spite of its enemies. If these are
allowed to remain in the camp, like Trojan
horses, rest assured that at the critical
moment they will emerge to change VIC
tory into defeat, or al least retard all radi-
cal reform.
THE truth of all this has recently been
remarkably illustrated right here at home.
The silver Democrats tried the experiment
of trusting the management OF their cam
paign to avowed enemies. 1t didn't work
After several months wasted in dilly-dally-
inGr 9FFsx iT1e yxreft tor on 40
doing nothing toward organization, 1t was
found necessary to swap horses, even
while crossing a stream. So the whole
Democratic State committee had to be dis
rupted and reorganized, with all the at
tendant scandals and possible demoraliza-
ton of the forces. Chairman Holt gold
bug, and of course al heart an enemy of
the silver cause was forced to resign to
give place to a man il real sympathy with
Similarly it will be impossible to bring
about complete and effective combination
of reform forces in support OF such man
as Sewall. Many Populists win refuse to
support any electors pledged to vote for
him, even when there is a combination
electoral ticket. They will simply vote for
the recognized Populist electors and scratch
off the SewalI electors. They regard 1t as
a violation of their principles to support
him. and won't do so either, directly or IN
directly. As long as he remains on the
ticket there will be distrust and discord
1t is said that to take him OFF VIII cause
some goldite Democrats who were remain
ing for the ticket in a half-hearted way
to go clear over to the enemy. If SO, let
them go. Good radiance. Their places will
be filled by better men. And these men,
be it remembered. will not come until the
road is made clear and the ticket made
clean. The whole army of reformers can
be rallied to Bryan and Watson. The en-
tire army of reformers never can be rallied
around the standard of Bryan and SeWall
Some think that if there is no other ticket
for them to vote that all Populists will be
compelled to support it, In other words,
that they will be driven to Sewall for want
of something better. IT will be a fatal mis-
take to act on this superstition. Popullsts
can't be driven to do anything. They may
be persuaded, but never. driven. In tact
no class of people in this country are so
hard to drive as the men and women who
constitute the Popullst party; Even if you
succeed in leading them to the trough you
can't make them drink. AS We said last
week, the true policy for Populists at this
iuncture is to stand together in demand
ing q cleaning of the house before they
enter it, of the removal of the fly from, the
ointment before they use it. 1t is bold
stroke, but boldness even to rashness Is
often found the best policy.