Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1897-02-12
BAY STATE PoPuLIsT COMES BACK
Letter to Edgerton ON Democracy
and His own Party.


and His Own Party.
Boston, Feb. 7.-George F. washburn,
chairman of the executive committee of
| the peoples party OF massachusetts, who
recently Issued manifestos calling for the
peoples party to separate the peoples
party from the democrats and suggested
| the calling of a convention, which appeal
was replied to by Hon. ]. A. Edgerton
secretary of the national committee of
the 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 Committee, Lincoln, Neb-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 away the actual dan
gers that threaten the life Of our party
and the reform press 1 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
der Of the platform scientific money comes
first. We forced the democrats to cham
pion silver, but we stand ready to defend
1t when necessary. I 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. Your letter
hnor tI,a 5Ia4t~
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 a 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. 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
people, while mine would inspire and en-
noble them. You favor retaining a sub
ordinate plank as an ISSUE favor maxi
ing the main one which includes yours.
the ISSUE You favor a plan that would
factionize the party and divide the west
and south. I favor a 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 adherents to
another party"
Opposed to Fusion.
II favor one that would add thousands
of adherents, for 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. I favor plan that
would not be affected by these changes.
You favor a plan that would enable the
democrats to absorb the peoples party
and pave the way for union of the two
wings of the democracy, leaving the flu
ture of reform forlorn hope. favor a
plan that would force the democrats to
advance to our position rather than to re-
cede from theirs. You favor a plan that
WouAu WTeCk anu ruiu Ill the reform pa
pers of the land. I favor a plan that
would preserve and prosper them. Should
other questions absorb the attention of
the people. should any international
agreement be reached by the republicans,
it would leave the silver forces stranded
without an issue and afford them an ex-
cuse for backsliding. The issues favor
are the ones that will command the atten-
ton of the people during the next four
years. Why attempt to force one issue
when the people will discuss the others?
This move on the part of the populists
will place our party at the head of the
column of reform, with the democrats
protecting the rear. Our defense of the
greenback will add thousands Of voters to
our ranks. The radicals of today are the
conservatives of tomorrow. If we edu-
cate the people between elections on sci
entific money, metal money will become
the conservative money of the future, until
the paper dollar shall finally take its turn
and become the money of all nations. The
next battle may be fought on scientific
VS.. metal money.
There will be an informal, unofficial
conference in Memphis, Tenn, February
%. 1t will be attended by leaders of the
party from every section of the country.
1 believe the resolutions adopted at the
time will be so emphatically in favor of
Independent action as to lead to official
Endorsement by our national committee,
In calling separate conference, you have
| unwisely added to the confusion.
GEORGE F. WASHBURN."
| FROM SALT LAKE TO LOS ANGELES.