The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-08-18
the rock against which waves broke,
while the hills behind US slept In
peace.
A MISTAKE.

peace.
A MISTAKE.
ulists used half the amount of energy
during campaigns that they expend in
Quarreling among themselves at other times
they might accomplish more actual results
at the polls on election days.
There is no quarrel among the Pop
ulists. The unanimous action taken by
the Nashville conference shows that
they are of one mind. There are, of
course, a few individuals who look upon
a party simply as something to advance
their personal futures, and who would
sacrifice any or all of it's principles to
get into fat Office. But these, how
ever noisy and conspicuous they may
be, are but an infinitesimal part of the
whole membership.
If all those in the state who call them
selves POpulists, could be got together
in one great plain, and the resolutions
of the Nashville conference could be
submitted to them, there would not be
a corporal's guard that would vote
against them. Even those who talked
about pulling down our banner and
merging with the Democrats have sunk
into silence or now talk the other way.
There are probably 100000 Populists
in the state of Minnesota OF these 3d.
900 are not politicians, but honest,
plain, intelligent men; who are not
candidates for Office, but support the
Peoples Party because they believe its
success will advance the prosperity of
the whole people. Then there are, pos
sibly, one hundred men who are IL
stinctively politicians. They ask con-
stantly, What is there in this for me?"
When they perceive that our party has
100000 votes they begin to plot how
they can unite these 100000 votes with
100000 other votes, and so get control
of the patronage of the state. This is
natural. The men who represent right
eous principles have just as much--in-
deed more-claim on the offices, as tli5
men who represent policies injurious
to the country. A man can espouse the
peoples interests and at the same time
keep his eyes wide open for his own in
tereSts.
The trouble Is that the passion for
office and plumber is so strong that
sometimes the politician is ready to
sacrifice the principles Of his party;
and he is surprised to find that when he
has effected his fusion those who had
been drawn to the party, through devo-
ton to its principles, refused to follow
its standard further, when the princi-
pies are eliminated. Hence two and
two do not always make four. They
are not always equal to one.
To build up great new party men
must put away from them the hope OF
reward. They must fight for the right
for the rights sake. Those who, at their
own expense, attended the Cincinnati
convention in 1891, and the St. Louis
and Omaha conventions in 1892, could
scarcely hope for personal advantage
or preferment thereby. They had no
fixed body of votes-no majorities to
count upon. They were deluged with
abuse and ridicule-as cranks, idiots,
lunatics,-creatures who ought rot to
be allowed to run at large All the
tremendous powers of the Plutocracy
and all it could buy were directed
against them-wits, artists, cartoonists
poets, orators, editors, skillful liars, and
hundreds of thousands of the ineffably
lesser hirelings-were all let loose
against them. The men who were trad
ers and officeseekers were not in the
ranks then. They refused to go to
our conventions even when elected as
delegates. They were hanging around
the baggage wagons, ready tc loot"
them if the battle went against those
whose colors they bore.
But as soon as the party Gin 1922
carried twenty-five electoral votes, and
was supported by over a million voters,
a new breed of patriots rushed to the
front; not to still further advance the
cause Of the party, but to trade it away
for some personal advantage AID the
result was that they weakened and de-
moralized the movement to an iude-
scribable degree. The Nashville con-
ference has inspired new hope, and will
save the party.
Ten thousand men that are terribly in
earnest, and stand shoulder to shoulder,
and strike as one man, are worth more
to q cause than fifty thousand half
hearted, trading, tricky creatures, who
are ready to scatter like flock of black
birds at the report of gun.
We know how natural it is for men
to desire to win; and yet how few there
are in this state who would be person.
ally enriched if the Democrats and
Populists united in 1900, and swept the
country? We do not suppose a dozen
Republicans have received good fat Of
fees, in this state, from Mckinley.
How many of those who read this ar
ticle could hope for such an office,
If fusion gave us victory,-and of those
who hoped how many would be disap-
pointed? The civil service laws have
reduced the patronage to small proper
tions
And if we united with the Democrats
and won in 1900, would not the DEM