The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-04-08
AN INTERNAL CONTEST,
Editor Representative:

Editor Representatives:
st. Paul, April AIN your issue Of
April l appears an article purporting to
come from the so-called city committee
of the Peoples Party of St. Paul, signed
by Jno. F. Krieger and NJ E. Murray,
president and secretay respectively, in
which they pay their respects to ourself
with more vigor than decency 1t is
with great sorrow and reluctance that
we feel the necessity of answering those
'Tailors of Tooley street" and were it not
for the fact that they were striking at the
Peoples Party League in Ramsey coun-
ty and In the state we would not dig
Nifty their attack on ourself by a reply.
We have not the time nor inclination
to stop in our work to answer nor pacify
every critic who finds fault with our
zeal or enthusiasm in devising ways and
means to advance the cause of Populism
and then putting it into operation. We
are loath to believe that Mr.. Krieger is
dishonest fellow, and can realize the
embarrassment of his position, his assO
citation with a set of labor agitators and
socialists who make assembly hall their
headquarters. The average labor agita
tor and the extreme socialist is at war
with the whole world, even with himself.
And it is possibly with the desire to rec
oncile this element that Mr.. Krieger is
obliged to act as he did. We have no
iH-feelings towards Mr.. Krieger. There
are also other members of the city COM
mittee whom we believe are honestly do
ing what they believe to be right.
But of the men who compose
the city committee there is one
notable exception whom we believe
to be using his position as secrtary of the
committee to do as much damage as pos
sible. And as for the legality Of this So
called city committee I will not go into,
but suffice to say that it is considered an
illegal body, and that it is a choice Of two
evils that we chose the lesser one that we
do not wipe it out. AS the composition
of this committee is made up of three
distinct political parties, two of which
are now hostile to the success of the
Peoples Party. We know the means
and methods employed by which this
committee was foisted on the Peoples
Party which would make a proper cause
of action for their dismissal.
But in this city committee there is one
individual whom we have suspicion
that call is not right" Stand up, Mr..
Murray; let us look at you as others see
you, in the light of your political record
for the past few months. Our first
charge is that you did not answer the
charge of correspondent from Winona
in an article in The Representative in
which he boldly charges you with being
an enemy of the Peoples Party in a
speech you delivered on the evening of
Dec 5, 1895, at Winona. I have the per-
mission of the correspondent to repub-
lish the same; selected certain portions
of said article:
"THE WINONA MEETING-MR. Err
WIN DECLARES HIMSELF A REPUB-
LICAN--IS THE G. o. P. TRYING TO
DRIVE THE WORKINGMEN BACK
INTO ITS RANKS?'-THE MEETING
SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN RUN BY A
MAN WHO ATTACKED S. M. OWEN
LAST FALL ALL OVER THE STATE.
editor Representative: = On the
evening of Dec T. 1895. Mr.. Erwin, of St.
Paul, spoke to portion of the people of
this city, assembled in the K. of P. hall.
He came here accompanied by three foxy
guys to address the laboring class of
Winona. They appeared under the aus
pieces of themselves. They entered the
hall unaccompanied by single citizen
of this city. The doors were thrown open
by an unknown party, and those who
came to hear what might be said"
The president of the BARRIERS Union
of A. M. ON. E. Murray introduced Mr.
NJ. E. Murray of the Federation of Labor
St. Paul. Murray, in language very un-
grammatical, and with very poorly pro-
nounced words, took up little time and
then introduced some - Wood or other
of the Typographical union-the miser-
able little scamp whom the Republicans
paid to circulate falsehoods all over the
state last fall about S. M. Owen: he in
turn introduced Mr.. Ewrin, who assumed
the reins first, and introduced Murray
The gist of their attempted remarks was
that they were no ''cranks." Mr.. Erwin
said: 81 am no Populist. don't believe
in the platform of that party
He gave us to understand that he was
Republican. A half doZer
Demo- Republican boodle-politioians O.
this city, who were behind the scenes
and never showed up. paid for the hall
and the Republican state cen
trail committee evidently paid the Fed
Grafton of Labor chap Murray and hi
two partisan tools for coming to Winon;
and ferreting out fools.
There is only one hope for American
| labor and that is to vote the People,
| Party ticket, and they do the WOrkmel
| an injury who turn them from their onl,
remedy. -Winona Kicker"
Winona, Mimi, Dec. 20, 1895.
The following comment was append
ed to the article by The Representative
1--WE feel very kindly toward Mr.. En-
win, and do not think he deserves thi
attack; but we publish it because w
want the truth to be known-whatever i
is If the above statements are false ou
columns are open to any proper reply
Ed. Rep"
! We have never heard from Mr.. Muir
ray on this subject. and ask him now t
speak up or forever remain silent on tn
quality of his or any one else's Popu
lism.
Second Charge-We charge Mr.. Muir
ray with bad faith in acting in his capac
ity as the legal "endorser" of the list O
| Judges for the board Of election, as tn
secretary of the so-called city committee