The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-11-16
HOW TO ORGANIZE.
Populist Workers, Attention!

FOpul1st WOrkers, Attention.
Editor Representatives:
VIII you present these individual views
to serve as suggestions for discussion to be
settled at the committee meeting to be held
In Minneapolis Nov q, to which all true
Populists are most urgently invited? AS
the tried friends Of the Omaha platform
(Wesenberg with his silly yarn about
changed name to the contrary, the only
obstacle that stands between us and success
is insufficient generosity. Given, to start
with, but one generous man in every cOun-
ty-generous towards his neighbors, with
his money talents and time-and in 1900
manhood, not dollars, will rule. The time
is ripe for the logical step in evolution out
lined in the Omaha platform.
True, our party has been defeated by
fusiOn. She has retreated ever since 1896.
Now let us show the world that she fell
back only to become reorganized at Gin
cinnati; there to regain strength. and from
now on she VIII advance, armed, like a
modern battle ship, with the most effective
OF weapons Ohe referendum and imperative
mandate), never again yielding, until she
has lifted up all of the poor struggling sons
OF toll and misfortune. Such ship may be
launched in this city on the ed Of NOvem-
Der. All POpulists are urged to come. You
need not be called to another committee
meeting perhaps until 1900 if you will come
and do your duty now. If not you prevent
general concensus of opinion as to i'm
before any aggressive educational campaign
can be begun. If you do not attend this
particular meeting you desert magnificent
craft ready to sail the sea, to hands that
may wreck her. and that very shortly. so
lar as Minnesota is concerned.
Consider the circumstances
Flrst-What incentives can our poor party
give to encourage brave, generous, honest
workers?
second-What shall be understood by the
n or,v
Third-HOw can we enforce our rules?
Fourth-What shall we do do with men
In our own ranks who Islander their fellow
workers?
Ffth-1n the future can charges of "bood-
ing that will most seriously decrease the
size Of our vote if not indeed entirely ruin
our party be diverted (See article XI. sec
tIon z. A State Plan) except by Obeying
the spirit of No. National plan, and for
bidding true Populists from again indors-
Ing either Republican or Democratic candi-
dates, even such lesser evils as Albert
Berg?
6th What shall be the duties respective
~ or the national. state. congressional,
county and precinct committees? Where
shall the duties of one begin and the other
! end?
7th. To what extent and how can we
refer all party management to the rank
| and file without loosing the concentrating
| aggressive force of a single guiding head
DcCduSe SuCIl VITAL questions nave never
! been properly and clearly settled and
| printed is the reason why organized plu-
| tocracy has repeatedly and easily put to
| route reformers, generally proceeding little
! better than an uncertain rabble. Rules
| viii not make saints, but they can help
| saints with only mortal common sense to
keep from becoming anarchists. You may
! be able to give the correct answer to these
| questions. Certainly no answer can ever
be expected from certain class of poll
ticians, small and large birds of prey. how
| ering like vultures over the cities and who,
! to obtain hold Of party. so as to sell 1t
| out. too quickly to be observed and frus-
| trated. in a case where to get proof II
next to impossible. assume titles Of Eek
| ecutive' or Organization committeeman
Thus even in reform party you can get
! one man power that will debase the
noblest intent. But we must not see a
| magnificent plan spoiled by a black ink
| spot. What are you country members
! who are largely responsible for this sad
| state of affairs, by not taking part your
! selves, but only finding fault with lead
| ers,' you ought never to have allowed to
exist going to do to prevent these things
! Some Of YOU whom l might mention.
ought to be ashamed for hiding away in
! silence, when you can make your lives
| useful to others. How, I say, can the
great common people prevent the leader
from selling a principle for national Of
| flee, and the small sneak-thief on the other
| hand. from putting into his own pocket a
| S. bill that ought to have mailed several
| hundred valuable reform circulars?
| We think the Cincinnati plan has given
| in outline, the best possible of human an
swers. Let us. therefore, fill out the de-
tails for our state in harmony Herewith
| No. national plan expressly refuses tC
| make the payment of any money fee what
| ever requisite for admission to precinct
clubs. Other honorable means must be de-
| vised for raising the money, as by Great
| ing a class of honorary members. who vol
unteer some stated sum, or the raising o.
money be left to the discretion of thu
organizer.
A wholesale use of uninstructed proxies
Is an evil. On the other hand, to say NJ
proxies shall be allowed is as great an evil
In our wide state under the impoverished
condition of our farmers, Il you refuse al
| proxies you create the very danger yol
! should avoid. For you place the whole
| party at the mercy of some subcommittee
| almost always few men living in the cities
| in league with two or three others travelling
! on free railroad passes. Let the proxies be
| specifically instructed in writing.
1 understand by the word ito organize.
as applied to our party work the coming
year, the power of collecting and spending
money for the circulation of literature, hir
ing building Of halls holding of meeting
and putting into execution any and all othe
proper devices for the spreading Of on
tenets and increasing of our party member
ship. An organizer should be able to repor
the status of all voters in his allotted sec
ton, and be held to a strict account for tn
size of the vote of his respective part o
the country To the accomplishment of thes
ends it is necessary that, as In an army
those under him in rank faithfully eXecut
his directions When they or he disobe!
prove unfit soldiers, court martial the guilt
2 by the imperative mandate. The organize
| should keep an account of his receipts an
: expenses a full record of his work and
l ! complete list, not only of the officers an
/ | committees but of all the regular member
: of the different precinct clubs under his 81
/ | pervision. Thus the organizer becomes tn
most important factor in cur party. He
Y the same as executive committeeman {
4 campaign committeeman. And who, f
: Minnesota. until 1900, is good, WISE homes
: devoted, intelligent enough to be all thi
= organizer for the people?
+ know of no man, no dozen men, in who's
Z hands l. for one would be willing to tru:
# so sacred a work. What then? Some mu
It be organizers or you have anarchy. Nal
i the state central committee keep that pow
h of Organization" which is properly !
n own and not throw it away into the hant
of a few men, known as a sub-committe
Have the whole state divided into q Sc
tfons and each OF the q cOmmitteem'
choose that bunch of the counties, tow
ships or wards as his section nearest Whit
he lives and over which he is to be Il
"a ORGANIZER.