Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-06-29

republicans courage to fight for free
silver and broughb such men as Chas.
Towne and John Lind to the front.
But the instant that the Peoples par
ty goes out of existence as an organic
alton, it is very probable that both of
the old parties will resume their old
tariff fight for the amusement of the
public, and that w. J. Bryan, Chas.
Towne and John Lind will be thought
of no more.
Then the prejudice among the people
of the northwest against anything
called democratic is SO inveterate,
that it may be safely said that no
northwestern or western state will ever
go democratic in this generation. The
Cleveland regime has made the demo-
cratic name a by word and reproach
out here and as Hon. L. G. Long ex-
pressed it sometime ago no amount of
fumigation or renovation can remove
that stigma from the name in the
minds of many of our people. This
prejudice may be foolish and unwar-
ranted by facts but it's existence is un-
disputed and cannot be ignored.
In 1894 when the peoples party and
democratic party stood apart in this
state they polled nearly as many votes
together as the republican party. In
1896 when they were united and REIN
forced by free silver republican con-
tingent the republicans carried the
state by $4,000 majority. Lind's vote
cuts no figure in this calculation as he
received some $4,000 anti-Clongh Me-
Kinley republican votes, votes that he
will not have again provided the
Washburn faction get republican
nominee for governor suitable to them.
The fusion ticket if such could be
got up again in 1898, in order to win
in tn estate would have to convert
$4,000 republican votes.
With three tickets in the field next
summer the peoples party may not
win, but they would have every whit
as good a chance to win as any fusion
ticket will have, with only two tickets
in the fields
But no matter. Events will point
out the true course to pursue when
convention times come along. In the
meantime Kandiyohi county populists
stand by their own colors, as is evil
dent by the meeting last Thursday.
There is one thing we want to en-
phasize, spoken by Mr.. Guam. 1t is
this: Three campaigns and three cam
paign committees cannot fight win
ming political battle. That is as true
in politics as in war. Three generals
of equal authority cannot fight win
ming battle in war. Human nature is
so constituted that one man must be
in supreme command to lead great
movement or it will end in disaster.
That is the trouble with fusion.
We gave expression once to the hope
that the new democracy under Bryan
might have the genius to unite all the
reform forces under it's banner and
consolidate them into one army. Had
the democratic leaders proceeded in
the proper way last summer they
could probably have accomplished it,
at least locally. But instead of treat.
ing generously and manly with the
peoples party, they proceeded to in
trique with few self constituted lead.
ers of the party to swing us into line
by legerdemain. They knew no bet
ter than to apply old party tactics tc
populists, the very worst thing they
could have done. They instigate6
Dobbyn and his clique to assassinatt
those that stood in the way. And tha
is the end of Demopops, and the de-
mocrats have nobody to blame bu
themselves.