The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-09-15

Coxey will keep the party alive In Ohio
and that is more than could have been
accomplished by indorsfng the Demo-
cratic ticket
In Iowa the law does not allow two
parties to nominate the same candidates
as an excuse for naming a complete
ticket. naming one Populist for railroad
commissioner. And Gen. Weaver urged
the Populist convention to indorse this
mistake in asking the Endorsement of
the Democratic ticket. The law could
have been complied with as follows II
cooperation was desired: There were
five places on the state ticket to fill; the
Democrats could have filed two Of them
and left the others blank the Populists
could have filled two and left the other
blank; and the silver Republicans could
have filed the other place. This would
have complied with the law. 1t would
give the Populists a ticket and a plat
form of their own to work and vote for.
1t would keep the party and it's organi-
cation intact and the party would not
be split into two hostile factions as it
now is. l am in favor of the co-opera-
ton of the reform forces against the
Republican party on a basis that re-
cognizes the existance of the Peoples
party and it's essential principles; but l
will never vote to indOrse a straight
Democratic ticket. And the Democrats
should be given to understand this dis
tinctly. 1t looks to me as if they were
planning to eliminate the Peoples party
from the great presidential campaign
of 1900. The campaign in Ohio, Iowa,
Nebraska, Colorado and Virginia is only
a preliminary skirmish to the great state
and congressional campaign of 1898. If
we allow ourselves to be whipped into
line this fall Gas was nearly accomplish
ed in Ohio and Iowa., it will be an easy
matter to whip us still further into line
In 1898; and then in 1900 give us the
finishing blow. In 1896 the Democrats
appropriated three Of our principles; the
free coinage Of silver, the income tax
and the duty Of the government to is
sue all paper money without banks Of
issue. The Republicans are now plan
ming to appropriate three more of our
issues; postal savings bank, the postal
telegraph and the election of president,
vice president and United States sena-
h.
full or the Peoples party will be cruel
fed between these two thieves; we must
not allow ourselves to be betrayed by a
kiss. l am glad that the Populists OF
Ohio and Iowa had wisdom and courage
enough to put tickets in the field rather
than support straight Democratic tick
ct; but l regret that the reform forces
failed to get together on a proper basis.
In regard to the cooperation of the re-
form forces in the future I stated my
position in a recent circular as follows:
"The People party must assume the
| leadership Of the reform forces or be
driven from the field entirely. The
party that assumes the leadership is the
| only one that will survive" Last year
we allowed the Democrats to assume the
leadership. We must not let them do
so again or we will not be regarded as
an Independent party at all. In the flu
turc we must assume the leadership.
We cannot follow the leadership of the
! Democratic party for it does not demand
any change in the present economic sys-
TEN; it demands only a change in our
money system. The specialization Of
natural monopolies is the essence of
| Popuism. This position must not be
abandoned This cannot be secured I'M
der the leadership Of the Democratic
party-only under the leadership of the
Peoples party. E. r. LYNCH.