People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1897-08-06
AS 1T is IN KANSAS.
a Brief Review of the Situation by True
Blue PopuIist,
ABE STEINBERGER.

Brief Review of the Situation by a True
Blue PopuIist.
ABE sTEINBERGER.
Has the reader ever stopped to think
that this is the first time in the history
of political organizations that the peo-
pie at the p]ows, in the shops, the fac
tories, and the toilers on the highways,
have ever risen up to defy their chosen
leaders 1t is BETTING that such q
magnantmous revolt should mark the
closing days of the nineteenth century.
The people had begun to distrust all
political leaders; had almost come to
the conclusion that they could not
trust themselves, SO often have they
been deceived, But, when the deter
mined representatives of the Peoples
Party assembled in Nashville, and sent
out ringing, patriotic address, and
created national committee in whose
hands every true Populist will not
shudder to entrust the work of re-
organizing the party on true Populist
lines, all realized that new light had
dawned. The rank and file of the
Peoples Party were not satisfied with
the management of the last presiden-
tial campaign, as planned and enforced
by the men who had worked them
selves to the head of the organization
at the St. Louis convention last July
They were insulted when they learned
that in the ante-rooms of the great hall
in which the Peoples Party held it's
nasional convention in st. Louis, were
quartered Senator Jones, of Arkansas,
chairman of the Democratic national
committee, Governor Stone, of Nilsson
ri, and their lieutenants, where Allen,
Weaver, Tauberneck, Rozelle, Butler,
and other leaders of the Peoples Party
at that time, would turn out the lights
and leave the great convention in dark
ness and confusion, and slide into
those private rooms and consult with
the Democratic bosses, as to the best
course to pursue, in order to make the
delivery Of the Peoples Party to the
Democracy, complete. Such conduct
On the part of the men who had been
honored by the Populist voters of the
nation, brought the party face to face
with one of two propositions: Either
TO dissolve the party absolutely or to
break away from the men who had
betrayed the cause and organize on
true Populist lines, placing the party
in an attitude which would assure all
it's votaries and men who desired to
study it's creed, that in all future move
ments no such tactics would be tolera :
ted or even countenanced.
But this is all ancient history. 1t is
not necessary to grieve over the spilled
milk of the past The men who have
betrayed the Peoples Party will never
be in position in future to deceive the
same following. The Nashville Con-
ference. whose delegates came direct
from the people, put it's feet down up
on fusion for all future work, and
without fusion, the tricksters will be
helpless 10 deceive the trusting mem
bership Of the party. The days of But
lerism, h4lenism, Weaverism, are rele-
gated to the rear for all time The
plan of reorganization adopted by the
Conference, has safeguards thrown
around it which insure the highest and
most effective action. AS the people
assembl in straight Populist conven-
tions, in county and state, they will be
enabled to select their own national
committeeman, and the road to travel
for the disposal of all the leaders not
in accord with the people, is short,
straight, p ain one. More than one
third of the members of the old Ma
tional Committee, of which Mr.. Butler
is the chairman, and a Bryan Demo
crat from Nebraska, named Edgerton,
is secretary, would vote today for a
reorganization of the Committee, and
as the various states, not in accord with
the conduct Of the last campaign, meet
in convention, they will soon swell
that number to majority. No one
can question the legality of such a
procedure. 1t is under the rules made
tor the government of the National
Committee, by the last National Con-
vention, hence must be binding. In
the mean time, the National Educa-
tional Committee elected at Nashville
by unanimous vote of the great Con-
ference, will push forward the work of
education, lining up the true Populists
in every state in the nation, and fusion
tre3a;a i'll find themselves helpless to
ironeSe eQe work
1ta " 0rk of organization along