The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-03-17
THE FUTURE.
WHAT is OUR TRUE POLICY?

THE FUTURE.
WHAT is OUR TRUE POLICY?
Our friend. Mr.. Lewis Brownell, Of
Aitkin, Mimi. writes an interesting
letter to the Minneapolis Evening
Press. in which he says:
"As greatly as l admire and appreci-
ate the work of Ignatius DOnnelly,
William ]. Bryan aud Charles A.
Towne, profoundly regret that they,
each and all. are more in favor Of
main tanning his party organiza tion, as
more important than the triumph Of
the cause OF the people, In the great
struggle to recover lost liberty by the
ballot. 1t is plain to me that IL the
reform forces are ever to unite as one
great party the steps should be taken
now wnen there is no election on, and
no struggle for personal promotion.
t is certain as the law Of gravitation.
First, that we cannot win the next
election as Democratic party: that
party Of late has in the mind of mil
lions Of voters an odious memory.
Second, it is equally clear, that we
can never win in the name Republican,
so odious to tWo-thirds of the voters
In the United States today; that l
equally wonder at Bryan standing up
for Democratic party as my friend
Towne, standing up for Republican
party. The blighting power OF the
name in each clse is not purified by
placing the words free silver" in
front of it.
Again. our able friend Mr.. Donnelly,
one Of the great leaders of the Peo-
pies Party, which is the head and
front Of the reform forces, and has up
to this time done most Of the work in
the field Of politics for the masses Of
the people as against the privileged
classes; l fear he has, as his chief de-
sire to hold the Peoples Party togeth
er under its old name and organiza
ton as the only party to fight the
next great battle for rreedom; and it
now seems to me that these three
great leaders have deliberately decid-
ed mot by Cancellation and. ii neces-
sary self-abncgation), to fight to main
tain. not one, but three separate re-
form parties; and even advocated by
these three very able political leaders
l have no hesitation in. saying such
action on their part dooms us to GER
tain defeat; as we need not suppose
for one moment that we can beat the
great Doodle Republican party with
our forces divided into three parties,
each fighting the other"
Our friend, Brownell, means we'll, but
he is clearly wrong. His own words
prove his error.
If the Democratic party, is, as he
says, IAN odious memory" how can VIC
increase the vote Of the Peoples Par
ty by getting into be d with it?
And il the name 'Republican" is
equally "odious to two-thirds of the
American people," how can we in
crease our chances of winning in the
United States by marrying our party
to Il "Silver Republican party?" Will
not such step drive away hundreds
of thousands Of our own people.
The truth is, any merger with either
Of the old parties would end all hope
Of SUCCESS for reform in this state for
ever. A large part of that section Of our
forces which came, originally, from
the Republican party, would, the mo-
ment the enemy could truthfully say
that we had fused with the Democ-
racy, abandon us as if we had the pes
thence.
We are SO, 900 in the minority in this
state. We must convert q. 900 voters
to our way of thinking, before we can
change the politics of the state. How
can we best do this? Is it by disso lv-
ing the three separate parties, Popu-
lists, Free Silver Democrats and Free
Silver Republicans, and trying to
create new party, made up contend
ing and incongruous elements, as rest
less and unhappy as basket full Of
live cells?
We are sorry to see that MI. Brownell
speaks approvingly of Mr.. Owen as a
leader, in this suggested conglomera-
tion.
We do not think there is anywhere
in the world man of a more sloppy,
incoherent, non-perc ,ptive and incon-
sequential mind than Mr.. S. M.
Owen. He may have many excellent
characteristics as a private citizen,
but as political leader his eyes are
set under his coat-tails. He sees the
past clearly but he has no perception
Of the future. He is a crab,-only
fitted to go backward.
In 1890, when the Alliance candi-
date for governor, he refused to let
Capt. A. H. Nelson of Minneapolis,
and others, 20 out and speak for him,
because they ,cerc friends of the qreen-
back' And yet in 1896, out Of the
6.50J.0)0 voters. who supported Mr..
Bryan, there were not probably one
hundred who were not advocates of
government, legal.tender paper mon
ey, to-wit: greenbacks. t
In 1891 he did his best to prevent
the establishment of the Peoples Par
ty,-his leading followeres even going
so far as to try to prevent the Mime
sofa delegation being seated in the
Cincinnati national convention, out
Of which the Peoples Party was born;
while sending no delegation there
themselves! VI @+.
In 1892 he and his followers did
their very best to prevent the Peo-
pies Party being organized and put
ting up ticket in this state. by nom