The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-05-26


addition to the Bryan and Populist vote
to make our victory sure.
You might as we'll go to the church
people and tell them Christ was too rad
ical; that Judas had reformed and was
their savior, as to go to the average Re-
publican and try to make him believe
that any party with the Democratic
name would or could make any reform
We have seen the Greenback party
and Union Labor party both die on ac-
count of faith in the promises of the
Democratic party; don't let us be de-
cost us so much, to be swallowed up,
or even turned aside by the party which
has promised so much and done so lit
tie for the producing classes of our ma
ton.
When we think of the glorious old
party in the days OF Jefferson and
Jackson, it seems pity that it must
die
But we now see the Bryan Democrats
and the gold Democrats celebrating
JacksOn's day, and both sides claiming
they are Jacksonian Democrats. How
do we know which side will control, the
party two years hence? The Democratic
party can never recover from the effects
of Buchanan and Cleveland. 1t is time
it was dead and buried in the ID
winding sheet, and its memory Obliter-
ated by the oblivion of Stygian dark
ness.
If we expect to get our principles en-
acted into law it must be by making
converts to those principles, by educa-
ton, and not by tricks of politicians
even with Bryan at the head Many of
those who, as editors and politicians
supported Bryan in 1896 would support
Carlisle, Whitney or Cleveland in 1900
if regularly nominated by the Demo-
cratic convention. Such men care more
for the spoils of Office than for reform.
We all know that Bryan is, considering
his age, one of the greatest men of our
time. But he lacks one element Of
greatness if he cares more for the name
and traditions of the Democratic party
than he does for the perpetuity of our
free institutions
At Sioux Falls thirty thousand Of
us tramped in the mud and stood in the
rain for hours to see and hear him. We
gave him an ovation of which Caesar
would have been proud. l never saw a
man who could carry the people with
him like Bryan. We were crazy for his
election, but where would we be now
if he had succeeded?
With all the bursting banks and busi-
ness failures coming on the heels of his
election he would have been assassin
ated, and no Populist would be safe to
open his mouth; the Democratic party
and the Peoples Party would have been
buried in one common grave, and re-
form would have been set back one hun
dred years, or more likely, monarchy
reared on the ruins of the republic
And for what did we risk the life Of
our party, the safety of the nation, the
hope of better civilization. Simply
that silver, one more of the idols Of
fools and pagans, should be enthroned
and the government should issue paper
money redeemable in coin!
Brave reformers we were to accept
such a platform. Did the abolitionists
make any such concessions?
Did the Republican party in it's youth
full grandeur, or ever, fuse with any
old party? No, sir, and that is why
the Republican party has held sway SO
long
Even now when it has grown hoary
with age and infamy, it shows a bold
front, like Nero fiddling with the burn
ing city at his feet. The G. o. P. head
the ticket Mckinley, Republican,
while we, the great party of principles,
alternate on the ticket-People'sD Demo-
cratic, Democratic-Peo which
brands us either fools or knaves. l
agree with the loud voiced gentleman
in our national convention who said
that if the Democratic party swallowed
the Peoples Party it would have id
sight more honesty and brains in it's
belly than it ever had before in its head.
But I am inclined to the opinion that
the Democratic party, needs more hon
esty and brains than we have to spare.
If the Democrats who voted for Bryan
are sincere; if they think more ct the
principles of the immortal Jefferson,
the founder of their party, than they
do of a name, let them join with us,