The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-01-29
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.

SHALL WE LAY ASIDE THE 1SSU + Of
STATE OWNERSHIP OF RAILROADS,
ETC, FOR THE PRESENT?
We print in our Forum, this week.
very interes ting letter from DR.. e.
Johnson, of Willmar. There are few
men in our party for whom we have
more respect than we have for this
distinguished reformer; but it seems
to us, and we say it with all kindness,
that he is mistaken in the issue he
raises.
One cannot be Catholic and refuse
to accept the Pope: he cannot be
Methodist and repudiate John Wesley;
he cannot be an Episcopalian and
spit on the memory Of Henry VIII; he
cannot be a Mohammedan and de-
nounce MohOmet: or a Buddhist and
spurn Buddha. Neither can one be
Populist and throw the Omaha plat
form overheard. That is for the pres.
ent, our creed; that is the ligam emit
which holds us toge ther. That plat
form may be changed; it probably will
be, in some particulars; but the
change can only be made by an au-
thorty as high as that which first
enumerated it, to-wit, national con-
vention of the party, regularly called.
The Omaha platform is not the end
of all wisdom; the men who made it
were not infallible. Already there
to cut out of it the Subtreasury Plan
and to have nothing to do with the
Liquor Question and Woman Suffrage.
This leaves only the government own
ership of the means of transportation
and intercommunicatio and a de-
mand that the land shall not be mon
opolized by nonresident aristocrats
or local millionaires, but every facility
shall be given to enable the people to
make homes upon it. We are sure
DR.. johnson does not antagonize any
of these propositions; and it may be
that on July q, even the Free-Slver-
| ties will adopt these same views, and
| there will be no difference, in prin-
| ciple, between that organization and
our own. We understand DR.. John
sons contention thinks "a half
! loaf is better than no bread; he is
eager to see victory crown our labors;
not for selfish purposes but in order
that the truth may triumph. This is
a very natural and proper feeling.
For ourself we shall cheerfuly sub
nit our judgment to the better judg-
ment of our cO-WorkerS in the nation
al convention assembled, July %, 1896
at St. Louis, Mo-; but it does seem to
us that we should not let go of our
plank which declares for the govern
ment ownership of the railroads. 1t
is evident that free-silver and an
abundant currency issued by the ma
ton, would but partially relieve the
people, if the railroad corporations
can put their rates, for the transpor-
tation of the commerce and produc
tions of the country, as high as they
please, and then com bine in a gigantic
pool TO enforce their exactiOns. POpu-
list reforms would simply increas {
our earnings that they might increase
their stea)ings. 1t adds nothing tt
the happiness of the sIaug Uttered hog
to know that he dies fat.
But all these are not matters which
should divide us now. We will
open our columns to free. kindly
tempered discussion of the ques ton
. pro and con; and our state convention
to elect delegates to the National Con
vention, can, If it sees fit, instruc
| them how to vote on this issue. II
!, any case we will have peace ant
brotherly feeling. The other ques
tions at issue are too mighty for us t
quarrel over a mere matter of
plank, more CT less, in our platform
Those who agree upon dozen point
should not be divided upon one point