The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-01-05
AN UNJUST ATTACK.
Major Bowler and Jim H:ll.


We are surprised and grieved to find
in the Minneapolis Journal of last Fri
day an interview in which Hon. ]. II.
Bowler, of Bird Island, spits out all tee
unprovoked venom Of his heart and
soul upon us.
We have not deserved it. We have
been most gentle and patient with this
nan.
urged and insisted that we sho I'D
abandon the Peoples party and turn
Democrat. And this not on the ground
that Democracy was right, but simply
because he thought it was going to win
in 1860, by the election of Mr.. Bryan
to the presidency. We told him, in re-
ply, that we had helped to establish the
Peoples party and could not abandon it.
That while we had no personal hos
tility to Mr. Bryan, and many other
Democratic leaders, we had no assur-
free silver in 1900; that the money
power were taken by surprise in 1896;
and that the nomination of Mr.. BRYAN
was an unexpected and sporauic out
burst; that the plutocracy would prob
ably pack the next Democratic ma
tional convention and throw BRYAN
overheard. But, we said, even if -
Democracy stood firmly for free silver
there were greater issues than that b.
fore the American people.
Major Bowler left us in a state OF
high disgust, and has since been at
work to drag the Peoples party into
the embrace Of Democracy. We regard
this as treacherous. If he desires tn
get into the Democratic band-wagon
will stop him.
Subsequently he wrote us a threaten
ing letter, in which he told us, in ~
eQuivOcal terms that UNLESS WE
SUBMITTED TO THE LEADERSHIP
OF S. M. OWEN, THE LEADER OF
THE FUSIONISTS AND FOLLOWED
HIM SUBMISSIVELY INTO THE
DEMOCRATIC CAMP, WE WOULD
HAVE TO LEAVE THE PARTY. AND
WOULD TAKE BUT VERY FEW
WITH US.
We were greatly tempted to publish
this letter; but we did not desire to
have another quarrel on our hands and
fOrbore 1t seemed to us that the IN
heritance of a few thousand dollars.
from New England relative, had
turned the majors head and that when
the winter came on he would cool off.
and his enlarged Uranium would again
shrink down to its natural proportions.
We did not recognize in his natural or
acquired gifts that which entitled him
to drive the Populists, like a flock Of
geese, into the Democratic manure
yard, by fourishing the club of his
own mental greatness over them: or by
invoking the horrors of S. NJ. Ovens
displeasure
NNNA~ANA uiu VIC UIlluh lie ndQ any
right to speak for the Peoples party
When 1t was started and for long time
thereafter, he continued to be a Demo-
crat; and never joined it until it had
developed large vote in Renville coun-
ty. He was fusionist before he owned
anything to fuse.
In 1891 neither political party had a
majority in either branch of the state
legislature; but the united votes of the
Populists and Democrats were neccs-
sary to organize either the house or
senate as against the Republicans
Major Bowler was the chief fugleman
in organizing the house, by persuading
the Peoples party members to support
Democrat, Hon. E. T. Champlin, tor
speaker, and in return for this success
ful fusion" he became the Speakers
clerk.
The battle between the railroad
corporation and the people reached a
heated crisis. at one stage of the ses-
sion and it was possible for Mr.. Cham
plin to decide a parliamentary uues-
ton upon the side of the railroad or
upon the side Of the people. He vio-