Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-02-08
4 CAUSIIC REPLY
From Chairman WaShburn, Of the
Peoples Party,
To the Recent Letter Of National
Secretary Bdgerton-The Mass =
achusetts Official Gives Num-
ber of Reasons Why He Prefers
Isolated and Separate Action.

BOSTON, February 7.-George f. Wash
burn, chairman of the Executive Commit
tee of the Peoples party of Massachu-
setts. who recently issued manifesto
calling for the Peoples party 10 separate
the Peoples party from the Democrats,
and suggested the calling Of convention.
which appeal was replied to by Hon. J. A.
Edgerton. Secretary of the National Com
mittee Of the Peoples party, has made the
following reply to Mr.. Edgertons recent
letter:
BOSTON, Mass, February :, 1877.
Hon. ]. A. Edgerton, Secretary Peoples
Party National Committee, Lincoln
Neb.:
MY Dear Sir:-I congratulate you on
your very able letter. 1t is plausible and
would do credit TO an adroit lawyer with
a weak case. but you have not made plain
why two parties should force one ISSUE
nor have you reasoned why the actual
dangers that threaten the life o. our party
and the reform press exist.
Il do not favor
THE. ABANDONMENT OF SILVER
or any change in the platform, and my
appeal must not be construed to mean
that YOU do not discriminate between the
blanks. We made a subordinate plank
the issue trusting to win by aid OF the
alliance. In the order of the platform,
scientific money comes first. We forced
the Democrats to champion silver, put
we stand ready to defend il when neces-
sary.
Il have received hundreds of letters
coming from nearly every State in the
Union, representing every faction OF the
party and including nearly every leader
and the unanimous sentiment sustains 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 l do not ascribe to you the IN
tent. nevertheless, your plan of having an
Identical issue with the Democrats would
result in union of the Populistlc lamb
and the Tammany tiger, but with the for
mer
INSIDE THE LATTER.
While il was possible TO unite during a
fighting campaign, it is not wise to con-
tinue the union during an educational one
.Your plan would force MS to follow
the Democrats under their banner wnen
we should lead them under our own
Your plan would humiliate our brave peo-
pIe. while mine would inspire and ennoble
Them. You favor retaining subordinate
nlan as an issue. favor making the
main one. which includes yours the -
sue.
haf vrn1l6
the party and divide the West and SOUTH
l favor a plan that would unite all fac-
tions and lead TO victory. You 1aVor
plan thct would suppress our main plahks'
I favor a plan that would open them 10
discussion when the people want TO talk
about them. You favor plan that would
add thousands of adherents TO another
marty l favor one that would add thous-
ands of adherents to our own.
"Fusion for a campaign may be polite
but permanent fusion on identical issues
means
ABSORPTION AND DISINTEGRAIlON
for our party. Dsintegration from the
same cause killed the Greenback party.
Vhv should we invite similar tateE
you favor an issue that may be aban-
doned by the Democrats through some
form of compromise. I favor plan that
would not be affected by these changes
You favor a plan that would enable the
Democrats TO absorb the Popullsts ana
nave the way for union of the two wings
of the Democracy. leaving the future OF
reform a forlorn hope. l favor a plan that
would enforce the Democrats TO advance
T., our position rather than to recede from
theirs.
..You favor a plan that would wreck and
ruin all the reform papers of the land
favor a plan that would preserve ana
nrosner them. If some other question ab-
sortf the attention Of the people, or should
an international agreement be reached by
the Republicans. it would leave the silver
forces stranded without an issue and af-
ford them
AN EXCUSE FOR BACK-SLIDING.
..The issues 1 favor are the ones that will
command the attention of the people dur
ing the next four years. Why attempt 10
force one issue when the peope will dis
cuss the others?
This move on the part of the Popu-
lists will place our party at the head Of
reform with the Democrats protecting the
rear. our defense Of the greenbacks Will
add thousands Of voters to our ranks.
The radicals of to-day are the conser-
vatives of tomorrow II we educate the
people between elections on scientific
money, metal money will become the con-
servative measure of the future until the
invariable paper dollar shall finally take
its turn and become the money Of all ma
tions.
THE NEXT BATTLE
may be fought on scientific VS.. metal
money.
There will be an informal. unofficial
conference in Memphis Tenn. on Febru-
ary 22d. It will be attended by leaders Of
the party from every section of the coun-
try. I believe the resolutions adopted at
that time will be so emphatically in favor
of independent action as to lead to official
endorsement by our national committee.
In calling a separate conference you
have unwisely added to the confusion.
Yours fraternally.
GEORGE F. WASHBURN."
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