The herald., 1898-07-16

Peoples party, II 1t shall ever succeed II
dominating the affairs of this country
will owe Its success to fusion.with voters
not now In sympathy with its fundamen.
tai tenets. There are two strong politi.
cal organizations In this Countrywide
parties-and these will alternate In the
control OF national policies, as the large
and growing independent vote is thrown
to the one or the other. So long as the
Democratic party shall stand for the
rights Of the masses as against the classes
1t will constitute the most formidable or
ganization opposed to Republican ten
denotes in this country. It may not be
able, unaided. to vanquish the hosts OF
plutocracy in the next national campaign
but we shall have continuing faith in
the practical wisdom, patriotism and
reserve common sense Of the rank and
file Of both the Silver Republicans and
the Peoples parties-neither of which
may alone be able to control the electoral
votes Of a single state-and unwaverine
confidence that when the time comes
they will be found marching shoulder to
shoulder In defense OF common principles
and in support of common ticket.
But on the other hand, in the improb-
able event Of the Democratic party in the
nation being dominated by the small ele-
ment within it which is Democratic only
In name, because holding to theo-
ries essentially Republican, we shall
expect to see It abandoned by all
who are Democrats from principle, and
who cannot be persuaded to subordinate
conviction to sentiment, or be allured
from the straight path of duty by a false
signal. When the party name no longer
stands for popular rights, it will fall to
pieces from its own weight. It will not
be worth saving. 1t will not deserve
countenance or support.
The success Of practical reform, under
the conditions that exist. may be realized
only through coalition, and those who op-
pose it are simply impractical theorists.
They are in fact little better than those
who have made reform necessary,
for they obstruct it's progress in another
way They are heroic in the sinking of
a Merrimac in the channel, but they arc
nevertheless unable to prevent the egress
OF the enemy supposedly bottled up in
the harbor. He can only be overcome
and forced to Internationally surrender
when there IS perfect concert of action
between the allied forces when the field
pieces Of the Populst army pepper the
enemy in the rear simultaneously with
the shower Of 13-inch shells from the
turrets of the big Democratic battleships
in front.
1t docs not lie in the mouths of Republi-
can orators or newspapers to challenge
the morality of fusion. That party is
the mother and the father of fusion. Flu
sion is the offspring Of Republican deter
mination in the first instance to secure
control Of New York City and thereby
dominate the state and nation and sec
ond Of Its unconcealed purpose born of
conscious necessity of breaking UP a
Solid South. The Republican party
never hesitates to fuse in doubtful dis
tricts. With 1t fusion Is patriotism,
whenever success without 1t Is impos-
sible.
Few sensible Populists, we fancy, will
be misled by the taunts Of the opposition
that they are willing to sacrifice principle
for pelf. Without control of the admin
istrative offices, reform in their manage
ment Is an iridescent dream. Demo-
Gratis as well as Populists. want office,
as a matter of course-not that individ-
uals may grow fat from feeding at the
public crib, but that honest, fearless, pa
triotic representatives of the reform ele-
ments may be placed in positions where
they can render practical service to the
people, where they can give to them the
kind Of government they advocate-sta-
BILE, efficient, economical, prudent, pains
taking. decorous governmental, for
and by the people.