The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1897-02-11
BAY STATE PopuLisr COMES aAck.


and HIS own rar4y.
Boston. Feb. 7.-oeorge F. Washburn,
chairman Of tho executive committee OF
the peoples party Of Massachusetts,. who
recently issued manifsstos calling for the
peoples party to separate the peoples
party from tho democrats ana suggested
the calling OF . convention. which appeal
was replied to by Hon. J. A. Edgerton,
secretary Of the national committee of
tho peoples party. has made the follow
ing reply to Mr.. Edgerton's recent letter:
Boston, Mass, Feb. 6-Hon. ]. A. Ed
gerton. Secretary Of the Peoples Party
National COMMITTEES. Lincoln, Neb.- Dear
sir: congratulate you on your very
able letter. 1t u 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 away the actual dan
gers that threaten the life of our party
and the reform press. l 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 dis
criminate between planks. We made
subordinate plank of the Issue. trusting
to win by aid of the alliance. In the or
der OF the platform scientific money comes
first. We forced the democrats to cham
pion silver, but we stand ready to defend
It when necessary. have received hun
dreds of letters coming from nearly every
state in the union representing every fac
ton Of the party and Including nearly
every leader and the unanimous sentI-
ment sustains my appeal. Yonr 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
result In union OF the populistic lambs
and the Tammany tiger. but with the
former inside the latter.
While 1t was possible to unite during
fighting campaign. It 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
people, while mine would inspire and en-
noble them. You favor retaining sub
ordinate plank as an issue. favor max
ing the main one, which includes yours,
the issue. You favor a plan that would
factioniEe 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 OUT
| main planks. favor plan that would
open the discussion when the people want
| to talk about them. You favor a plan
that would add thousands Of adherents tc
another party"
Opposed to Fusion.
II favor one that would add thousands
of adherents. for a campaign may be pol
itic, but permanent fusion on Identical
issues means absorption and disintegra-
ton for our party. Disintegration from
the same cause killed the greenback par
| ty. Why should we invite similar fate?
You favor an issue that may be aban-
doned by the democrats throughout some
form of compromise l favor plan thai
would not be affected by these changes
You favor plan that would enable the
democrats to absorb the peoples party
and pave the way for a union of the two
wings OF the democracy, leaving the fu
ture OF reform n forlorn hope. favor &
plan that would force the democrats tc
advance to our position rather than to re
cede from theirs. You favor a plan tha
would wreck and ruin all the reform pa
pers of the land. 1 favor a plan tina
would preserve and prosper them. Should
other questions absorb the attention o
the people, should any internationa
agreement be reached by the republicans
1t would leave the silver forces strande,
without an issue and afford them an ex
cuse for backsliding. The issues I favo
are the ones that will command the atten
tion. of the people during the next fou
years. Why attempt to force one issu
when the people will discuss the others
This move on the part of the populist
will place our party at the head of til
column of reform. with the democrat
greenback will add thousands of voters t
our ranks. The radicals OF today are tn
conservatives of tomorrow. If we edu
cate the people between elections on sci
entific money. metal money Will becom
the conservative money OF the future. unit
the paper dollar shall finally take Its tur
and become the money of all nations TIL
next battle may be fought on scientil
VS.. metal money.
/, There will be an informal unofficif
conference in Memphis, Tenn. Februar
e. 1t will be attended by leaders of tn
party from every section of the countr.
believe the resolutions adopted at tn
! time will be so emphatically In favor
Independent action as to lead to officiI
Endorsement by our national committe
In calling separate conference, you ha,
unwisely added to the confusion.
GEORGE r, WASHBURN.'