Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1898-03-01
For Fusion and Success.
Editor Tribune:

FOr FUSION and Success.
Editor Tribune:
One of the painful things about re-
form politics is the frequent sundering
OF old ties between friends and allies
which gradually divergent opinions
make inevitable. Not that old friends
become enemies necessarily but that
these Emergencies of opinion force
hitherto friends to pursue opposite
policies which result in the delay of
that success which all alike desire.
For some time past I have felt that
DR.. johnson and myself have been
drifting apart on questions of policy
only and his last communication con-
firms what heretofore had been only
indefinite suspicious. To say I very
much regret this is to express it mod
erately. I had learned to place great
confidence not ouly in his ability and
integrity but his sound Judgment and
practical common sense. We have so
few leaders who are strong in all these
virtues that it is hard to part company
with even one of them.
But while do not now question the
Doctors ability and integrity I am
forced to question the soundness of
his judgment as expressed in the let
ter referred to above.
Believing, as l do, that the attilia-
tion (and I would prefer consolidati }
Of every political element in the state
to the gold standard, monopoly and
the party in power could be easily tri-
umphant and achieve as much by way
of reform as can reasonably be ex-
pected in one campaign, 1 read the
letter of Dr.. Johnson referred to above
with a feeling akin to dismay.
The Doctors prophecy couched in
the last paragraph falls far short of
the goal. quote his words Il pre-
dict the peoples party state conven-
ton will be called to meet just after
seeding if not before, and that a
straight populist ticket will be put in
the field.' He should have added "and
will be triumphantly elected in Novem-
ber." But the Doctors judgment has
not so far lapsed as to venture any
such opinion. No doubt, however, he
will reply that he prefers defeat to
dishonor, that he would rather fight
for principle and fail than to surren-
der principle and triumph: So would
all earnest men.
Many of US have for II years been
fighting for principle and, so far as
politics go, have failed. Standing on
principle we can afford to fail for an
indefinite time to come if necessary.
But is it necessary? I think not.
Politics to be successful must be prac-
tical. You can load a platform down
with SO many good reforms as to in
sure its eternal defeat or so long as
human nature remains what it is. This
is the weakness of the Omaha plat
form as a practical creed. I pointed
ont when it was promulgated that so
many sweeping reforms could never
succeed in one campaign. I believe I
was right. It's promoters seemed to
think that the greater number of great
reforms the creed contained the strong
err it would be. If so they should have
gone further. They should have in
cluded the single tax and prohibition
at least. In great nation like this
reformations work slowly and revolu-
tions are effected only by means of
war. No one wants war. What then?
We must achieve reforms in the only
practical way, one by one. All his
tory confirms this view. Populism
stand to-day where abolitionism stood
SO or 60 years ago: It's mission is to
agitate. If it's adherants understand
this and realize that it can never
achieve the control in this country
but must be content to agitate and to
bc kicked and cuffed and ''hated of all
men" for the truths sake and to see
its reforms filtered through other par
ties by a process of evolution they are
at least pursuing consistent course.
All ready the democratic party has
absorbed a fair modicum of populist
doctrine. It's opposition to bank is
sues and its defense Of the greenback
as we'll as free coinage are pure popu-
lism and as much as ought TO be ex-
pected Of It lin the short period since
its regeneration In fact twas be-