The San Francisco call., 1896-11-24
Letters From the Peop1e,
TO POPULISTS.

'tetcs of the Missouri Fortd on the Duty
of PopuIists.
Editor San Francisco CaIl-SIR: In confirma-
tlon OF the statements made in The CALL of
this morning on "The End of Fusion" it will
be OF interest to all your readers, Republicans,
Democrats and Populists alike, to know the
position taken by the Missouri World, since,
In large sense, it is perhaps the most truly
representative Populist newspaper in the
Union, having a larger circulation in the
several States than any other newspaper of its
class, owing to the fact that it is a very q BILE
paper, OF unusual size, and is pu ublished at the
extremely low price of so cents a year. and
contains more news, with brief letters from the
people, than any other publication of its kind.
In the issue of November IL the leading edi-
torial was addressed ITO Populists" The
spirit OF this editorial is quite as notable as its
purport. These are the opening words: "We
90 not cal in question the acts of any earnest
Populist in the recent campaign. Whether he
voted the Populist ticket, the Democratic
ticket. the Republican ticket or some other
ticket, or took no part and did not vote at all,
the honest reformer should not be questioned
by reason of his action on November g." add
ing that "the action of our National Conyen-
ton at ST. Louis was looked upon in different It
ways by Populists." Then follows brief re-
view OF the political situation at that time.
We are reminded that "the time between the
adjournment OF the Democratic convention
and the asse milling of ours was short; excite
ment over the change OF front by the Democrat
1c party was running high; Bryan, the Demo
cratic nominee, was pretty well known as be-
ing an advocate OF some of the Populist prin-
oiples and not known to oppose any of them.
There was no time for calm and deliberate ac-
ton either By the masses OF the Populists or
the delegates. Under these circumstances the
Populist convention nominated Bryan"
Reference is made to "the bulldozing tactics
OF Chairman Allen and other unfair means
used in securing the Endorsement of the Dem
ocratic nominee" and then We are told tn at
"as a delegate TO the convention the editor of
the Missouri World voted for a straight nomi-
nation, ana at no time since has he thought
he was wrong in doing so. He had had m any
years OF experience IN the third-party move
ment; had seen the Missouri Democrats check
the advance of reform by adopting the plat
| form of the Greenbackers in 1873, and had
seen them afterward as a unit for Grover
Cleveland after he had proven himself worse
than John Sherman. This Miss ouri Democratic
policy was being played in our Populist Ma
tional Convention, as it appeared to him.
But. under all the circumstances the Mis-
souri, World finally thought 1t best to support
the nominees OF the Populist convention
Bryan and Watson. A large majority OF the
large number, however, demanded a new head
TO the ticket, and, failing to get it, they either
ticket. Whatever action Populists took on
November 3 they are certainly welded to the
PEOPLES party, and are willing to march for
ward now that the policy of our National con-
vored Bryan's Endorsement and making the
campaign on one issue did so with the under
standing that the fight would be reopened for
the Populist party and its full platform imme-
diately after the election"
So far as know, and was also delegate to
the 81. Louis convention, this is a perfectly
fair and truthful statement by the Nilsson ri
World, and believe that all who have right
TO be known as Populists so unders tand it,
But let us hear the conclusion arrived at by
this fair-dealing Populist journal as to the
present attitude of our party toward the N oye-
ment for which it stands:
''Now, with charity for each other and a
sharp eye on the place-hunters, let us unitedly
and vigorously push the grand work of edu-
eating the people-not in bimetallism, for the
double specie basis is only lesser fraud than
the single gold basis, out in the true science
OF money; money the creation of law; paper
money, the money of progress and in telligerce
Let us show what great blessing Government
railroads would be, and how they would cut
the claws of plutocracy. Let light shine upon
the land question. Land monopoly is already
casting its blight in several parts of the Union
and only waits for the time when large bodies
OF land will be more profitable than mortgages
TO make land monopoly the greatest curse of
the Nation"
Then follows this singing sentence: "The
campaign just closed proves that the people
cannot be united under Democratic leader
absolutely agree with that declaration, and
will give an affirmative answer TO the question
put by the Missouri World: "Are you ready
to take upthe fight where it was left off last
yearP JOSEPH AsBURY JOHNSON
San Eranciscn NAE z 1906