The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-08-25
Our Mistakes for the Past BegetA
Wisdom for the Future.
E. R. LYNCH

Our M1bt0kep 1OT tnc TdoV 0eSct0
WisdOm for the Future.
Editor Representatives:
Dear sir-'I had money, had friends
1 loaned my money, lost my friends,
lost my ey."-Francis Bacon
The force of the above quotation can
/ we'll be applied to the situation in the
Peoples party on account of its unfor-
tunate alliance with the Democratic
party during the late national cam
paign. We had a party, we had friends,
we loaned our party, we lost our friends.
we came near losing our party. Note
the following clipping from the St Paul
Broad Axe:
The middle of the road Populists in
Ohio have nominated Coxey for govern
or They have no hopes of electing him.
but they expect to embarrass the Demo-
Gratis and the cause of silver. The con-
vention which nominated Coxey was COM
posed of acknowledgements
element and Hanna's money pad the bills.
Positive proof of this fact was brought out
by Rev. J. H. Taylor. who was Il dele
gate to the convention. But in spite of the
most damaging evidence of the corruption
by the Hanna agents and the ant-fuson-
lists. the convention paid no attention to
the charges"
This paper usually proclaimed good
Populistic doctrine although Democrat
ic in name. 1t was one of the most
eloquent and persistent advocates Of
the fusion" deal. In times past we
had had occasion to quote from its edi-
tOrials many good items ON the policy
of the reform forces. Can it be posi-
bile that the "cloven foot" of our sup
posed friends will now appear, since
they have found out that the Peoples
party have determined to conduct their
own campaigns, and nominate their
own candidates in the future?
The above item is certainly a remind
er of the attitude which our political
allies bestowed upon the representa-
tives of the Peoples party upon nearly
every occasion when the committees
or representatives Of both parties
would meet after the conventions met
and adjourned. The chilly and indiffer
ent manner in which our committees
were treated, was oftener aggravated
by being totally ignored or openly in
suited. The experience which our
representative committees received
from the vulgar, arrogant and Phari-
saical action and policy of the Demo-
cratic committees left but one impress
sion behind and that was, "They were
the real thing" I'VE could furnish the
feast, they could furnish the appetite"
1--WE could furnish the votes, they fur
nish the candidates.
The good book says that the wise
man changes his opinions often, the
fool never" And while l do not lay
claim to great wisdom 1 still can REG
ognize a fact which seems most clear
now, but which a year ago we thought
was a probability. l certainly urged
the plan of fusion" with all the zeal
at my command year ago. l be-
lieved that the amalgamation of The
reform forces meant real union. But
the hoggishness Of the Democrats at
their national convention at Chicago
made this union impossible. We sup
posed that and made 4. In proving
the problem we found it scarcely made
one Why? We found Democrats who
received the Endorsement Of the Popu-
lists openly cutting them on the ticket
We find POpulists retaliating on the
Democrats We find large sections of
irtc oit vOtincr at all
or voting the Republican ticket to re-
Duke the leaders for placing them in
such a ridiculous and humiliating posi-
ton that they should either vote for a
representative of corporations Or be
branded a traitor. Men are only hu-
man, and will resent any insult, or
humiliation, and this resentment aas
been given in a most substantial man
ner. Thousands of Populists repudiated
the whole deal, and would do so again.
but will cheerfully lend their support
and enthusiasm as of old when our
party cast off it's entangling, humiliat-
ing and disastrous alliances. This our
party will do in the future. The re-
suit of that great gathering of patriots
at Nashville on July and Z is be-
ginning to leave it's impress upon the
destiny of our party. BY the return of
confidence, and loyalty of the rank and
file, the nomination Of straight Popu-
list tickets, and a signal victory of the
true Populists over those for revenue
only in Ohio and Iowa. 1t is no won
der that organs like the one above
mentioned, are beginning to show their
real colors, they recognize the fact that
this independent policy Of the Peoples
party will surely disturb and possibly
wreck their little ambitions to reach
the pie-counter. The slurs and filings
at what they contemptuously call mid
dle-of-t he-road Populists, betray their
true feelings towards the Peoples par
ty. We did not know that we had any
other kind of Populists. We have had
a few masqueraders" who were both
NOISY and ambitious and being eter-
nally in evidence gave color to a sup
position that they represented a large
section of our party as being in favor
of their disastrous policy, who would
wreck our party and the hopes OF pos
terity, land them in office. But they
are marked and their fate is sealed.
They will find that the party which