The San Francisco call., 1897-09-12
But It Will Seek Refuge in the
Arms of Social DEM
0oraCy.
Middle-of-the-Road Members Dis
gruntled and in Open Re-
bellion.

would seem that lis days are mum bered
as an inde pendent political factor. Nor
q does It's ailment appear 10 be more OF the
disease OF economic failacies than a burn
ing desire Of its leaders TO enjoy pubic
official life The brotherhood OF man sem
tlment which is woven into the brio OF
the party's various declarations OF prin-
ciples, has been used so often as st p
pingstone to office by professional politl-
clans that the rank and file are beginning
to be suspicious of the whole movement.
1t will not be denied by any one who is
acquainted with the personnel of the
PEOPLES party that among its mem bers
may be found very many men OF high in
tegrity and great personal worth who are
sincere, however mis- taken they may be In
their effort to bring about better and
more satls tying condition OF existence to-
the masses, but the fact remains that they
have no substantial basis to build upon.
Hitherto the rank and file have not taken
into acc punt the Inducements their organi-
cation offers to the chronic office-seeker,
Du their understanding is being eniight-
ened these days in way that will be al
most sure TO culminate in disruption OF
the party by the force of sheer disgust at
the insincerity of their leaders.
At least this is the conclusion a disin-
terested observer OF the inner workings of
the party and an interviewer of the lead
ers OF the several factions would naturally
come to.
Sundays CALL contained an interview
with prominent mem ber of the county
committee Of the Peoples party, in which
a great many of the secre: troubles of the
organization were exposed, but Commit
teeman Joseph Asburv Johnson. VINO is
one of the shining lights of the party, says
the interview referred to does not recite
anywhere near all the troubles OF the
party in San Francisco, land what is true
of the party in this community" says Mr..
johnson, us substantially true OF local
organizatiops generally"
What is the underlying cause of the
troubles of your eommittee?" Mr.. john
son was asked last evening.
THE underlying cause is the greedy
am btion OF little coterie of professional
office seekers which has for its leader Bur-
nett G.. Haskell. These men have no use
for the Peoples party except as they can
use its organization for their personal
present or prospective advantage"
Does Haskell and his followers consti-
tute the majority of the committee of
100?'
No, the middle-of-the-road membe
are in the majority, but they are so dis
gusted with the Haskellites and their
methods that they take little or no inter-
est in the committee meetings, and sell
dom attend. Tney know that Haskell
and his cotere are using the M achinery of
the party to accomplish their own ends,
which are personal, political or any other
kind OF advantage that may be secured
through the Populist vote. And the sur
prising thing about 1t all is Haskell is not
legally member of the committee, al
though he and his friends dominate it
completely.
'Haskell was a mem Der of the general
ommittee as well as of the executive
committee. but subsequent 10 his election
be removed TO another district, which
really invalidates his mem Dership. He
holds on, however. and the committee
Just let him d o 1t, but because, as | have
said, the midde-oi-the-road members are
too disguised with his performance TO at
tent the meetings"
why do not the Simon pure Popu-
| lists make grand rally and oust the Has
kelliles?"
Haskell appears to exercise a hypno-
tic influence over the mem bers which they
do not seem to have the power 10 resist.
Why, he influenced ray own son to turn
against his father, and since then the rela-
tlon between my boy and nv self has been
so strained that we are practically sTan-
gers. You may say that Haskell has
broken up all family ties as between my
son and myself. Is it any wonder tnat
true and good men would refuse 10 attend
meetings under such conditions and cir
cumstances?"
SIS there any truth in the report that
the Haskellites had a man stationed at
the foot OF the stairs last Saturday night
to keep members from going up to the
hall so as to prevent quorum?'
81 do not know Of my own personal
knowledge that it is true, but the gather
ing of quorum could have been defea ated
that way. Had there been quorum we
middle e-of-the-road members would have
had good working majority, and we
would have settled several little matters.
| should have resigned from the COM
mittee had there been a quorum. am
too much disgusted with the way the
party machinery is run in the interest of
political iobbers to be longer identified
with it,"
will the middle Of the-road ring of
the party be able 10 rescue the general
| and executive committees from the Has
kelites at the January election? ii not,
what will be your next mover"
1T has been said that The middle -of-the
road Populsts would ultimately join the
socialists. While every intelligent Popu-
list is naturally a socialist, we will not
JOIN What Is called the Socialist party.
There is no doubt at ali that the Populist
party in all communities will be reor-
ganized in the near future upon the
lines of the principles of the social
democracy. Intelligent Populists under
stand he nature of social democracy and
are in profound sympathy with its prin-
pies and purposes"
us the Populist organization 80 weak
that 1t cannot stand the brunt of hot
campaign?''
"The misfortune of the Peoples party
lies i'll the TACT that it is constructed along
| the same lines as the old party organiza-
tions and subject to the same manipuia.
tious of the leaders and bosses as those of
which the Haskell type in our local poll
tics is an offensive example. In this con-
nection l want 10 say that no self
| respecting Populist would vote for Bryan
for any Office under any circumstances"
80 the public may consider the Popu-
list party as good as absorbed by Debs'
Social Democracy?'
II say that every intelligent and honest
| Populist is naturally and consistently
Socialist, and my observation as we'll as
conversation with leading Populists justi-
| fes me in saying that in the near future
there viii. be a union between the Peoples