The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-01-13
A MISTAKE WAS MADE.

1nlnKS frlnclpleS are more IMAM Men.
Editor Representative:
l do not suppose am competent to
write anything for the columns Of
IHE REPRESENTATIVE, by way of adj
wee or instruction to the many read
ers of that excellent paper, conse-
quently what little l may have to say
will be addressed to the editor-in-
chief personally.
am supposed to belong to what is
termed the rank and file of the Pco-
pies party, or what was the Peoples
party before the st. Louis convention
met. Just one of the most humble of
the laboring class. . e1.
voted the Republican ticket from
the birth of the party up to 1894, but
in August CHANGED to get hold of
copy Of The REPRESENTATIVE, and
after reading thoroughly before the
next issue OF the paper had sent in
the required fee to have it sent to my
address. l have continued to read, not
only The REPRESENTATIVE, but sew
eral other papers advocating reforms
of various kinds. 49, .s....
soon came to the conclusion that
the Republican party had drifted
from its mOOrlngS and no longer rep
resented the best interests Of the peo-
pie; but by the innate cussedness and
dishonesty of the leaders had set up
form Of government totally at vari-
ance with the will. the wishes and the
and that the Repu blicanism of today
was but name, hardly shadow Of
the genuine RepublicaniSm taught
and advocated by Lincoln and Jeffer-
son.
There is no one cause, but several
com bined, why the Peoples party met
with such disgraceful and ignomini-
Gus defeat on Nov. 3rd. In the first
place our delegates showed a weak
ness and lack of backbone in accept
ing Democrat as their candidate for
president; totally ignoring better and
| older men, who have spent years in the
cause of reform. and were pledged to
the Omaha platform, and in fact were
the orfginators of the platform. Such
were lost sight Of en- tirely and allowed
to be trampled in the dust. Think
they should have said to Bryan, under
the existing circumstances, right then
and there, I'VE accept you as our can
didate on condition you swear allegi-
ance to the Omaha platform, and pub
licly renounce .legiance to the Demo-
cratic party and Sewall as running
mate. and if you have the stamina to
do that you are our man." and il not
Norton or some other good man takes
the perSimmOns, right from the word
go. Under such conditions we might
have been defeated, of course; but the
hide would have been left. But being
defeated as We were by our own party
lessons the chance for success materi-
ally in the future.
1t is true we had all hell arrayed
against US. and some of our leaders
showed the white feather when the
bugles' blast sounded Ito arms boys"
is it any wonder we are now inquiring
where are we at. / must say have
nearly lost faith in all mankind
tits no joke, but serious matter
that has got to be looked square in
the face. If we don't have better
management in the future our cause is
lost, and il we are not already dead we
are but one step this side OF oblivion.
l am already we'll UP in the seven
ties, and have but little expectations
Of ever going through another presi-
Dental campaign. Buff sc. be that /
am on earth in 1900 and permitted to
vote, let me cast my ballot for some
man who represents principle in
stead OF party, and has the courage
and backbone to stand up and pro-
claim to the world: II am for Liberty
and Humanity" OLD BLISS.
Pine Island, Mimi.