The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-02-08

BOSTON, Feb. 7.-dcorge =. Wash
burn. chairman OF the executive COM
mIttee of the Peoples party of Massa-
chusctts, who recently issued mani
feSto calling for the Peoples party to
separate the Peoples party from the
Democrats, and suggested the calling Of
convention, which appeal was replied
to by Hon. ], A. Edgcrton, secretary
OF the national committee OF the Peo-
ple's party, has made tho following re-
ply to Mr. Edgerton's letter:
BOSTON, Mass, Feb, Z, 1897.
Hon. ]. A. Edgerton. Secretary Peoples
Party National Committee, Lincoln.
Neb.
My Dear Sir:-I congratulate you on
your very abie letter. 1t is plausible
and would do credit 10 an adroit law
yer with weak case, but you have
not made plain why two parties should
force one issue. nor have you reasoned
away the actual dangers that threaten
the life Of our party and reform press.
/ do not favor the abandonment OF
silver or any change in the platform,
and my appeal must be construed to
mean that you do not discriminate be-
tween the plunks. We made subordi-
nate plank, the lssue trusting to win
by aid OF the alliance. In the order OF
the platform, scientific money comes
flrst. We forced the Democrats to cham
pIon silver, but we stand ready TO de-
fend It when necessary.
/ have received hundreds Of letters,
coming from nearly every state in the
the party, and including nearly every
leader. and the unanimous sentiment
sustalns my appeal. Your letter bears
the distinction Of being the only one
opposed, and the Rocky Mountain News
the only paper, so far as received.
While do not nscrlbe TO you the In
tent, nevertheless. your plan OF having
an Identical issue with the Demoracts
would result In union OF the PopuliS-
tic lamb and the Tammany tiger. but
with the former inside the latter. While
1t was possible TO unite during a Tight
Ing campaign, It Is not wise to continue
the union during an educational one.
Your plan would force us TO follow
tho Democrats under their banner, when
we should lead them under our own.
Your plan would humlliate our brave
people, while mine would inspire and
ennoblc them. You favor retaining q
subordinate plan as an issue. favor
making the main one, which includes
yours, the issue.
You favor plan which would fac
tlouiZe the party and divide the west
and south. favor plan that would
suppress our main planks. / favor
plan that would open them to discussion
when the people want 10 talk about
them. You favor n plan that would
add thousands Of adherents to another
party. l favor one that would add
thousands OF adherents to our own.
Fusion for a campaign may be polit-
ic, but permanent fusion on identical
issues means absorption and disinte-
grafton for our party. Disintegration
from the same cause, killed the Green
back party Why should We invite
You favor an issue that may be
abandoned by the Democrats through
some form OF compromise. favor a
plan that would not be effected by
these changes. You favor plan that
would enable the Democrats to absorb
the Populists and pave the way for a
union OF the two wings OF Democracy,
leaving the future OF reform a torlorn
hope. I favor n plan that would force
Inc Democrats TO advance TO our POSI-
tlon, rather than to recede from theirs.
You favor plan that would wreck
ana ruin all the reform papers OF the
land, favor a plan that would pre-.
serve and prosper them. Should other
questions absorb the attention Of the
0eople. or should an international
agreement be reached by the Republl-
cans, 1t would leave the silver forces
stranded without an Issue and afford
them an excuse for backslldlng.
The issues favor are the ones that
will command the attention OF the
people during the next four years.
the people will discuss the others?
This move on the part OF the Popu-
lists will place our party at the head
Or the column OF reform, with the
Democrats protecting the rear. Our de-
fense OF the greenbacks will add thou
sands Of voters to our ranks.
"The radicals of today are the con-
serVatives of tomorrow" II we edu.
cate the people between elections on
scientific money, metal money will be-
come the conservative measure OF the
future until the invGriable paper dollar
shall finally take It's turn and become
the money OF all nations The next
bnttle may be fought on scientific VS..
metal money.
There will be un informal, unofficial
conference in Memphis, Tennessee, on
FEBRUARY %. 1t will be attended by
leaders Of the party from every section
OF the country. ] believe the resolu-
tions adopted at that time will be so
emphatlcally in favor Of independent
action ns 20 lead to official endorse
nent by our national committee. In
calling q separate conference you
have unWlsely added to the confusion.
Yours fraternHlly.
GEORGE +. MASHBuRN.