The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-01-12

support by telegraphing to the conven-
ton, declining to accept our nomina-
ton, and our chairman put the telegram
in his pocket and denied, in answer %
a question by Mr.. Donnelly, that he had
received any such message.
If we had nominated our own can
didate for president and vice-president,"
said Mr.. D., major Mckinley would
never have been elected president. We
could have sent our speakers into states
like North Dakota. California, etc.,
which we lost in each instance by
small vote, and have rallied enough
Populists to have changed the result.
Fusion cost us great many votes; we
lost Populists who refused to vote for
a Democrat, and they lost Democrats
who were mad because the Populists had
nominated Mr.. Bryan. We could as
easily have combined our electoral votes
in the several states. with our own can
didates in the field, as we lid under
the banner of Mr.. Bryan; and if there
were enough anti-Republican electors
elected we would certainly, in
the two months that would
elapse before the electoral
vote was cast, have come to some under
standing that would have given us a
free silver president and vice-president.
And this would have preserved the al
tonomy of our party. We must learn
wisdom from the past
Mr. Foster said the convention was not
fighting for Lind, Donnelly or any other
man, but for a principle. Whoever was
selected must be asked to stand on the
principles of the party if he refused he
could 60
c. B. Maben, of Minnea polls remarked
that he could not understand why any
middle-Of-the-rOad Populist could consist
emily indorse a Republican for governor
and a Democrat for lieutenant governor.
Unless the candidates were taken from the
ranks of the nOn-fusiOniSts he would with
draw.
The selection Of permanent chairman
was then taken up. committee on nomln-
ations recommended Temporary Chairman
Long, but he declined.
Mr.. Donnelly moved that DR.. Johnson be
made permanent chairman but ]. B.
Dukes objected. If Mr.. Long declined, Mr..
Dukes insisted. the committee Of five
should make the nomination for the place.
While the committee was being chosen. DR..
Christian Johnson, of Wilimar, was called
on for a speech at the suggestion of Capt.
Nelson, of Minneapolis.
DR.. Johnson said he did not come to
speak, but to listen. He did not appear as
an extreme partisan, but he did believe In
the principles of the Peoples party as 1t
avoWed them in 1894. He an anti
fusionist, however, and he thought the mis-
take of two years ago should teach the
POpulists to avoid fusion hereafter. The
loss OF one congressman in the Seventh
district, he said was due directly to fusion.
with the attendant circumstances which
made the Pops appear as appendage OF
the Democratic party. 1t drove those
Populists who had originally been Repub-
licans back into the party. He had himself
supported John Lind his personal friend.
but it was under protest. The attempt to
perpetuate fusion, he thought, could never
be successful in any genuine reform
Viewing the campaign of 1896 now in cold
blood, he said, explanations could be made
now which were impossible in the then
state of popular feeling. Mr.. Lind had two
sources Of strength. He was Swede, and
the speaker was proud Of him as such But
he got aside from his popularity on ma
tionality grounds, about 10000 votes from
Republicans, the enemies of Gov. Clough.
He was supported by the friends Of e1-
Senator Washburn. Had he then been
elected could he have appointed any Popu-
list Democrat to any office? No. He
must have picked his appointees from the
w. D. Washburn silk-stocking brigade in
Minneapolis. That was the evil Of fusion.
! He could not see any triumph for Peoples
! party principles in that He would lead a
forlorn hope to the death so long as he
! could do it with honor. Lind. he believed.
| was too much Of q man to be used again
| as a cats paw to pull any ones dirty
| chestnuts from the fire. The only saliva
! ton Of the Peoples party was the CONVEX
| sion Of $1,000 or $1,000 Republican voters
| and that could never be accomplished by
| fusion. Kandiyohi county Pops had nearly
| wrested that county from the Republicans
| in 1894, but the fusion of 1896 had ruined all
| their achievements. The Democrats were
trying to steal the Populist organization
| in every Populist stronghold. Another
fusion would give the Republicans 10000
| plurality In the state. The old time
Peoples party men should declare now and
| in unmistakable terms against fusion. The
| men behind 1t should be men who could
command the confidence Of the rural mem
/ bers No matter how good and loyal the
Peoples party men Of the cities might be-
! the country districts were suspicious OF
| the cities. They did not want to be sold
| out again.
| The committee appointed consisted Of
| Messrs. Bonham. ST. Paul Moore. Mime
| apOllS, u. II. HOPKINS, ftenNllle COUNTY
| H. Rahilly, Lake City; Peter Shipman, Ii
| Sueur county.
| Mai Hotchkiss, of Preston, spoke by
| invitation during it's deliberations. He
| likewise favored Independent action. In
| deed an invitation being extended to the
| best fusionist present to present the argu
| ments of that side. no one responded.
| The committee then recommended fo1
| permanent chairman DR.. Johnson, of Will
| mar but he declined, he being wanted OF
| the resolutions committee. The Seventh
| congressional district had only one othe
! representative present. So Mr.. Long Wa
| continued until the resolutions committee
| could report
| A cheering letter from Iowa middle of
| the-roaders was read by Secretary Fay
| A letter from T. j. Meghen to 1gnatiu:
| Donnelly said Mr.. MeIghen was detained
| by his farm work and a severe cold.
| Scott Mcdonald. called on, said he coulc
| not get recognition. Fusion was in lin
| with Populism. Every plank In the Omaha
platform aimed to conciliate some dis
| satisfied element Minnesota had not hat
| fusion. The Peoples party had been TRADED
| OF by miserable political "grafters." Thu
| party should not disntegrate. but shouit
| fight on for victory with the initiative anG
| referendum and other worthy reforms.
| J. B. Dukes, of Minneapolis, was also In
| vited to speak in behalf of the cities. H
said the city Populists were not disruption
| lists and wranglers. That impression hat
| grown he said from the doings of rene
| gades who still claim to be Populists.
a collection was then taken UP to pa.
for lighting the hall. and the resolution
| committee was appointed by congressional
| districts as follows:
m