The herald., 1897-02-08
PEOPLES PARTY POLITICS
As State Chairman Washburn
Understands II
NO ENTANGLING ALLIANCE
Should Force the PopuIists Inside the
Tammany Tiger
Issue Of Scientific Honey Against
Metal Money
Associated Press Special Wire


Washburn. the chairman Of the
executive committee of the Peo-
ple's party of Massachusetts, who
recently issued a manifesto calling for
the Peoples party to separate the Peo-
pies party from the Democrats, and
suggested the calling of a convention,
which appeal was replied to by Hon.
J. A. Edgerton, secretary Of the nation
al committee of the Peoples party. has
made the following reply to Mr.. Edger-
toms recent letter:
BOSTON. Feb. Z. 1897.
Hon. J. A. Edgerton, secretary Peo-
pies party national committee, Lincoln
Neb.: Dear Sir-I congratulate you on
your very able letter. 1t is plausible
and would do credit to an adroit law
yer with a weak case, but you have not
made it plain why two parties should
force one issue, nor have you reasoned
away the actual dangers that threaten
the life of our party and the reform
press. I 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 planks. We made subordin-
ate plank of the issue, trusting to win
by the alliance. In the order Of plat
form, scientific money comes first. We
forced the Democrats to champion sill
yer, but we are ready to defend it when
necessary. I have received hundreds
Of letters, coming from nearly every
state in the union, representing every
faction Of the party, and including near
ly every leader. and the unanimous SEN
timent sustains my appeal. Your letter
bears the distinction Of being the only
one opposed to the Rocky Mountain
News. the only paper so far received.
While do not ascribe to you the intent,
nevertheless your plan of having an
identical issue with the Democrats would
result in union of the Populistic lambs
and the Tammany tiger, but with the
former inside the latter. While it is
possible to unite during fighting CAM
paign, 1t is not wise to continue the
union during an educational one.
Your plan would force us to follow the
Democrats under their banner, when we
should lead them under our own. Your
plan would humiliate our brave peo-
pie, while mine would inspire and err
noble them. You favor retaining SUBJ
OIQludte plank DIS an issue. i IaVOr max
ing the main one, which includes yours,
the issue. You favor plan that would
factionize the party and divide the west
and south. I favor plan that would
unite all factions and lead to victory.
You favor plan that would suppress
our main planks. 1 favor a plan that
would open the discussion when the
people want to talk about them. You
favor plan that would add thousands
OF a0horpnfS fO Qnnfhar VI ,s;o
for campaign may be polite, but per-
manent fusion on identical issues means
absorption and disintegratio for our
party. Disintegration from the same
cause killed the Greenback party. Why
should we invite a similar fate?
You favor an issue that may be aban-
doned by the Democrats through some
form of compromise. 1 favor a plan
that would enable the Democrats to alb
sorb the Peoples Party and pave the
way for a union of the two wings of the
Democracy, leaving the future of reform
a forlorn hope. 1 favor a plan that
would force the Democrats to advance
to 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 plan that
would preserve and prosper them.
Should other questions absorb the at
tention of the people or should any in
ternational agreement be reached by the
republicans. it would leave the silver
forces stranded without an issue and
afford them an excuse for backsliding.
The issues favor are the ones that will
command the attention of the people
during the next four years. Why at
tempt to force one issue when the peo-
pie will discuss the others.
Th1s move on the part Of the Popu-
lists VIII place our party at the head
of the column of reform with the Demo-
Gratis protecting the rear. Our defense
OF the greenbacks will add thousands
OF voters to our ranks The radical of
today are the conservative Of tomorrow.
If we educate the people between elec-
t1ons on scientific money, metal money
Will become the conservative measure of
the future until the paper dollar shall
finally take it's turn and become the
money of all nations. The next battle
may be fought on scientific versus metal
money. There will be an informal, un-
official conference in Memphis, Tenn,
February 22d. 1t will be attended by
leaders of the party from every section
of the country. I believe the resolutions
adopted at the time will be so emphatl-
cally in favor of independent action as
to lead to official Endorsement by our
national committee. In calling a sepa-
rate conference you have unwisely added
GEORGE F. WASHBURN,
LONG TALKS WISELY.
NEW YORK, Feb. IA special to the
World from Boston gives an interview
with ex-Gov. John D. Long of Massa-
chusetts. who has been mentioned as
possible member of the cabinet of pres
ident-elect Mckinley, upon the issues of
the day.
Ex-Gov. Long says, among, other
things: Whether the free silver move
ment Is dead or not depends on MANY
considerations. regarded it as a man
Hesitation OF certain conditions that
found expression in that way and which
might have been expressed in another
manner. An era of prosperity or an
international agreement will settle it.
If the good times confidently expect
progress we will hear nothing of free
silver generally throughout the coun-
try.
Il do not see why any proper laws in
reference to trusts or any other form of
the considerations of capital and labor
should not be enforced 1t depends on
whether they are go drawn as to COM
mand public sentiment and have its
backing. It Is merely the question Of