The representative., 1898-05-04
MIR. BOENS VIEWS.
The Founders of a Party Entitled to
Preference.

MN 0OENS VIE w Ss
The Founders of a Party Entitled to
Preference.
Hon. H. E. Boen, ex-congressman and
editor of the Fergus Falls Globe in a re-
cent editorial upon the present situation,
and approaching party nominations Of
fers what will seem to many Populists
very sensible suggestions. We quote as
follows:
We favor peace and insist on justice be-
ing meted out to ALL rar as that is
possible, whether it be in politics or affairs
Of state.
For that res son we have deprecated the
fight between Donnelly and Owen, both
of whom have stood as leaders of different
factions of the Populist Party in Minnesota
The charge Of treason and double dealing
has been made against both of those able
man.
We do not believe a word of it.
Both are good, able men, DOnnelly, Of
course, leading in ability, and both are
entitled to the confidence and consideration
of the Peoples Party.
If the Democrats are honest they will
take up as their platform, the principles Of
the Peoples Party.
If they do not do that we ought to have
nothing to do with them.
And II the Democrats adopt princi-
ples they are welcome to the offices, pro-
people have confidence.
Mr.. Lind for governor, is admittedly the
strongest man to pit against the Republi-
can machine candidate for that office.
He is neither a Democrat nor POpulist,
but a free silver Republican.
1t has therefore long been orr OOiniOn
that he should be put up by the two par
ties as an Independent candidate.
II that is done, his election will in our
opinion, be assured
DOnnelly and Owen can both be taken
care Of
Donnelly can be indorsed for United
States senator, and Owen can be sent to
congress from Minneapolis.
given something else to do than to be
Thus those intellectual giants can be
fighting each other.
personally we have no ak to grind; but
we have now lived in Minnesota 80 yeaN,
and we should like to see the state wrested
from the grasp of the thieves who have
mercllessly plundered it ever since it was
admitted to statehood.
But to do that the assistance of the hated
Populists is needed
state Mr. Boen deprecates fight between
our party leaders.
AS between nations, so between indiv-
lduals, war is sometimes unavoidable.
Populists everywhere will recall that the
war between Mr. Donnelly and Mr.. Owen
Is a comparatively recent affair. In
1890 Mr.. Donnelly supported Mr.. Owen
for governor on the Alliance ticket and
made numerous speeches for him. Ger
ta1nly this was not the act of an enemy.
In 1892 Mr.. Owen was candidate for
United States senator and Mr.. Donnellv
was candidate for governor. In this
campaign also Mr.. Donnelly threw his in
| f1uence whenever possible for Mr.. Owen:
In 1894 Mr.. Owen again ran for COVER
nor and at the mid-winter meeting of the
state alliance Mr.. Donnelly made strong
speech advocating his nomination and
again at the state convention later ad-
vocated Mr.. Owens nomination. It was
during the campaign of 1894 that Mr..
Owen reached the zenith of his popular
ity and political influence in our party
due in great measure to the friendship,
the speeches and the warm Endorsements
OF Mr.. Donnelly. Certainly up to this
date there was in Mr.. Donnelly's friendly
Endorsement and assistance of Mr.. Owen
| no casus belli.
In 1896 Mr.. Owen went to California
and in his absence his friends put him up
again for congress and he received strong
support for the nomination in the Repre-
sentative and surely this was a friendly
act on the part of Mr.. Donnelly. For
many years and through many cam
paigns Mr. Owen had received the most
earnest, effective and valuable support of
Mr.. Donnelly and his paper
Following the conventions of 1896 Mr..
Donnelly began retrospect of political
events with which he had been connected.
He recalled the fact that in 1894 his de-
feat for the presidency of the alliance
was simultaneous with the height Of Mr..
Owens influence in the alliance organiza-
| tion. He remembered that at the state
convention of 1894 MrOwen was in con-
troll as the gubernatorial candidate o.
tine party and dictated the make up of our
large state central committee on which
| there was selected not a single prominent
friend of Mr.. Donnelly. Coincident with
this absence of Mr.. Donnelly's friends On
this committee circular was issued by
this committee or members thereof from
Mr.. Owens Office to establish a rival
paper to the Representative. In 1896
after nomination for congress strongly
| recommended by Mr.. Donnelly Mr.. Owen
naturally held prominent place in the
party councils. To a great extent his
word, his wish was party law and very
largely because Mr.. Donnelly and his pa
per had inspired the rank and file with
confidence in Mr.. Owen, in his honesty,
his fidelity to party and in his staunch
Populism.
Under these conditions we all know
what occurred at st. Louis.
First, Mr.. Donnelly was pulled off the
committee on resolutions or platform com
mittee and Mr.. Owen substituted in his
place. Think of the Minnesota delega-
ton retiring the author of that second
magma charta of human liberty, the Oma-
ha platform to make place for man so