The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-02-08
REPLY TO EDGERTON
Populist Chairman Washburn Of Bos-
ton Takes His Pen in Hand.
WHEN HE FAVORS UNION
It's All Eight In a Fighting Cam
paign, but Not So in an Edu-
cational One. Says the
Effete fastener.

BOSTON. Feb. 7.-George F. Wash
burn, chairman OF the executive COM
mittee of the peoples party OF Massa-
chusetts, who recently issued manifes-
tos calling for the peoples party to
separate rom the democrats and sug-
Sested the calling Of convention,
which appeal was replied TO by Hon. j.
a. EdgertOn, has made the following
reply to Mr.. Edgerton's recent letter:
Boston, Mass, Feb. !. Hon. j. A.
Edgerton, 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 law
yer with weak case, but you have not
made 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. ! do not favor the abandonment
of silver or any change in the plat
form, and my appeal must not be con-
s,rued To mean that you do not dis
criminate between planks. We made
a subordinate plank Of the issue, trust
ing to win by aid of the alliance. In
the order of the platform, scientific
money comes first. We forced the DEM
ocrats to champion silver, but we stand
ready to defend IL when necessary. l
have received hundreds of letters COM
ing from nearly every state in the
Union. representing every faction of
the party. and including nearly every
leader. and the unanimous sentiment
sustains my appeal. Your letter bears
the distinction of being the only one
opposed TO the Rocky Mountain News.
While | do not ascribe to you the in
tent, nevertheless your plan OF having
an identical issue with the demands
would result i'm union of the popu-
listic lambs with the Tammany tiger,
but with the former inside the latter
While il was possible To unite dur
ing a fighting campaign IL Is not wise
TO continue the union during an educa-
tional one. Your plan would force Us
to follow the democrats under their
banner when we should lead them un-
der our own. Your plan would humil-
late our brave people. while mine would
inspire and ennoble them. You favor
retaining a subordinate plank as an is
sue. i favor making the main one
which includes yours in the issue. You
favor plan that would factionize the
party and divide the West and South.
/ favor a plan that would unite all fac
tions and lead to victory. You favor a
plan that would suppress our main
planks. ] 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. favor one that
would add thousands of adherents to
our own fusion. for a campaign may be
pontlc, hut permanent fusion on iden-
teal issues means absorption and dis
| integration for our party. Disintegra-
tion from the same cause killed the
greenback party. Why should we in
Nite similar fate?
You favor an issue that may he
abandoned by the democrats through
out some form Of compromise. favor
plan that would not be affected by
theSc chahges. iou loNur plan that
would enable the democrats To absorb
the peoples party and pave the way
for union of the two wings of democ-
racy. leaving the future of reform a
forlorn hope. ! favor a plan that would
force the democrats To advance to our
position rather than 10 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 attention of
the people; should an International
agreement he reached by republicans il
Noulu itdNe the SILVER FORCES Stfdnutn
without an issue and afford them an
excuse for backslding. The issues |
favor are the ones that will command
the attention 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 popu-
lists will place our party at the head Of
the column of reform with the demo-
Gratis protecting the rear our defense
of the greenbaoks will send thousands
of voters to our ranks. The radicals
of to-day are the conservatives of to-
morrow. If we educate the people be-
tween elections. scientific money metal
will become the conservative measure
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 he an infor-
NAL unofficial conference i'm Memphis
Tenn, Feb. -. II will he attended by
leaders of the party from every see
tion of the country. ! believe the reso-
lutions adopted al the time will I've so
emphatically in favor Of independent
action as tn lead 10 official endorse
ment by our national committees. In
| calling a separate conference you have
unwisely added to the confusion. Yours
fraternally.
GEORGE F. WASHBCRN."