The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-04-06
BUT SHE WILL WORK.

The argument Of this fusionist, that
the Peoples party must form an alliance,
or ''co-operation" with one Of the old
parties to attain results is based upon
the idea that the people are too ignorant,
or corrupt to vote for just and equitable
laws, that will, when enacted, promote
the interest of the masses. And when
the straight Populists insist that a vic
tory at the sacrifice Of principle is not
a victory at all, and begin to talk about
educating the people until the majority
will vote for the reforms embodied in
the Omaha platform, your fusionist be-
gins to shake his head and say: You
can't do it! You can't do It! It won't
work! It won't work!
A friend discussing this branch of
the subject once said: "Such assertions
remind me that there was never any
thing great attempted in this world, but
some old fogies were ready to predict
failure and croak: 1T won't work! 1t
won't work.
1T is matter of history that when
Morse invented the electric telegraph he
went to Washington and urged our
congressman, reputed the wisest men in
the country, to make small appropria-
tion to enable him to stretch wire to
Baltimore, whereby he might demon
strate that intelligent messages could be
transmitted over it. Congress refused
the request and answered: 1T won't
work! 1t won't work. But it will
work.
when Fulton constructed the first
steamboat and turned its bow up the
beautiful Hudson river, there were old
fogies standing on the bank who pre-
dicted failure and declared: 1T won't
work! It won't work. But it did
work.
When Watts constructed the first
steam engine destined to change the
methods of transportation the world
over, there were old fogies 1ounging
about the shop, who shook their heads
knowingly and affirmed: It won't
work. They were certain machine
could not be constructed, that, when fire
and water was supplied would generate
power sufficient to transport a train Of
cars across continent, and they said:
1t won't work! 1t won't work But it
did work.
when Solomon undertook to erect
magnificent temple to the Most High
God, without the sound of ak, hammer
or tool of iron, there were probably old
fogies sitting around on the hillsides of
Judea, who declared that the wise man
was crank, and they said one to the
other: "A house can't be built that way.
It won't work! 1t won't work.
But it did work. The stones were all
squared and numbered in the quarries
whence they were taken, the timbers
were felled and prepared in the forest Of
Lebanon, conveyed in floats by sea Joppa
thence by land to Jerusalem, where they
were set up by the aid of wooden mauls
prepared for that purpose, and when
the appearance of being the handiwork
of the Supreme Architect of the uni
verse than that Of human hands.
And if there had been one of these
old fogies in the Garden of Eden, when
God caused the deep sleep to come upon
Adam and took from his side the rib
from which he made woman, he would
doubtless have announced in prophetic
voice: %, she won't work! She won't
work.
But she will work, and being the last
of Gods handiwork she is the best, even
if she did engage in fusion movement
with the serpent to secure place at the
pie counter (tree of knowledge). And
now the reformers Of this country have
taken q rib from the old ship OF state