The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-01-27
OUR TRUE POLICY

mat excellent paper the Peoples
Waterman, of Sacred Heart, Mimi,
has this to say in a recent issue:
Nearly two months have passed
since the election: and we think that
the political sky has perceptably
cleared, and that enough has been
written by the different wings of the
reform movement to enable those who
are interested to determine their
bearings. We have not read the ut
terance of but single Populist news
paper but what takes the positive
ground that we must get back square
ly on the Omaha platform, ana that
we must maintain the autonomy of
the party everywhere. Our opinion
has never Wavered upon this point
There cannot be another battle fought
on the same lines as the last. and that
the Populist party will never again
commit hari kari by matchmaking
with the Democratic party, giving to
Democracy the wagon (platform),
team (candidates) and the driver
(managcr): but ii the teams are unit
ed it will have to be on terms that are
both honorable and just. We are
party, expect to accomplish our pur-
pose OF ENGRAVING our platform on
The statute books Of our country, we
must, as a party, make our influence
felt, not as an organization ready to
surrender, but as an organization
ready to fight. Let us maintain our
autonomy and make our party so i'm
portant in every state that the Op-
poscrs Of monopoly rule will be com
PEELED to take us into account. The
education OF the masses, on economic
lines, is the one great necessity. The
Peoples Party has shown its great
adaptability to that peculiar work,
and it is amazing that it has accom-
plished so much. The voters of the
Democratic party have become thor
oughly inoculated with the virus Of
Populsm. and it will continue to de-
yelop until they will naturally drift
into the Iopulist party, unless that
party shall absorb SO much of Popu-
ism that in their next convention
they will swallow the whole platform:
| then in that case necessity will find
some way to vote together. In the
| meantime our duty is plain: We must
| adhere strictly to our original plat
| form made at Omaha,and stop Wrang-
| ling over what shall be done in 1899,
but get to work, mark out plan that
eau be executed, and proceed to work
| just as we did when we were new in
the faith.
This is sound and wise and right to
the point, and expresses, we believe,
the sentiment of all the Peoples Par
ty papers Of Minnesota We must
stand by the ship we Luilt at Omaha,
July 4. 1892; and, if any trimmer or
pie-hunter tries to scuttle it, hang
him up to the yard arm. The worst
| enemy the cause has is the barren
souled breed of place grabbers, who
never contribute dollar to the cause,
| but are always on hand when the
nominations are to be made, and who,
being nominated, will trade off the
party for the endorsement CT some
other organization.
No one can tell what will be the
outcome of the next four years, The
| Democrats may accept all our prin.
ciples and move bodily into our camp.
In that case we will meet them with
open arms as band of brothers. On
the other hand the eastern element
may reaSsume control Of the Demo
cratic organization, and make it fight
us more savagely than even the Re-
publican party has done. Or it is
barely possible, as we have pretigured
that even the Republicans may be
driven, by the course of events, to en-.
act free silver; and the whole ques tiou
may thus be taken out of politics.
But in any event we must keep oul
feet planted firmly on the Omaha
platform. 1t is right and it is neces.
| sary.