The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-06-22
s. NJ. OWENS ATTACK.


perfect report of our remarks in the
Peoples Party convention of June Is:
'He was reused from his revery by
unanimous cries of "Donnely' from all
over the hall. So vociferous was the unruly
crowd that the sage had finally to advance
to the platform. He stood facing the null
titude for moment with great frown
upon his face; looking like the lion defeated
but still beliigerent. and terrible in his very
extremity. Then, as the cheering cOntin-
ued. he smiled passing acknowledgment
MY friends. you are splendid fellows on
Donnellian? OF course the crowd was at
once IN Mysteries. Continuing. the sage
said: Il am not in the mood to speak to-
DAY. feel as If l were attending
funeral" Without attempting any of his
qld-time oratorical tricks or pleasantries
situation with an intensity and earnest
ness that was pathetic in view of the for
lCrn hope he was leading.
. III we go into this campaign tagged to
the end of the Democratic party we will
be worse whipped in Minnesota than We
were in Oregon the other day" He then
lists were offspring of Republicansm with
talnts OF past prejudice still remaining.
and they would be driven back to the Re-
publican party if the Populists were swal-
lowed by the Democracy.
IF you force them to it. the middle-of-
ticket, said Donnelly the first rsas'' threat pM
made by the anti-fusion element IF the
mid-roaders leave this hall dissatisfied.
cried Donnelly He said point blank that he
had no hope of the party carrying the state
fusion or no fusion: this year, and there
lore was VAS. IN favor of making a direct fight
However" said he. at may be possible
70 md an avenue out Of the trouble at
hand but If so it will be but a choice of
evils; We can perhaps. assume a position
which will keep the party intact We can
f feS9ly y; this year to put no ticket in the
same. Then we can come together all Of
US from all the parties as citizens. in q
Independent citizens ticket and place it
before the people without calling 1t Populist
or Democrat; If we can do this I will sup
hut to keep peace I would concede that
much Let us bury all differences and let
there be 40 ostracism. no tramping Of any
man or men In the mud. 1t Is not neces-
sary to abandon the party by so doing For
our good state central committee can call
convention of Populists in 1900. If we had
Such an arrangement fairly conducted, and
with mutual liberation and kindly feeling
prevailing, we, might succeed We could
With to rne re peS1e to ana brs is q party
hood and courage enough here to do this
we can succeed without friction: If not
means death to the party. Let us rise
above faction and pick our best men to
formulate such citizens movement for
nope that good sense will rule the hour
Let us be patient, reasonable. intelligent
and wise and do nothing in haste or in
hatred
The reader will perceive that we did
not mention the name of S. NJ Owen
and that our remarks were full of the
spirit of kindness, Cancellation and good
will. We were trying to point out 4
way whereby the elements opposed to
the dominant party could be united.
without any sacrifice of pride or prin-
ciple on either side. The speech, it
was evident, made great impression on
the convention, and if S. NJ Owen had
taken the platform and indorsed our
views, the convention would have ter
minated in the holding of a non-parti-
san, Independent, citizens gathering,
satisfactory to every one But he had
been for weeks loaded up with venom.
like a passion blinded rattle snake in
August, and he commenced the most
shameful attack upon lis ever known
in the history of this country. We
publish the Times report of his re-
marks:
Then came the sensation of the day. No
sooner had Mr.. Donnely quilted the stage
than Mr.. Owen came rapidly forward and
He looked terribly in earnest, and trembled
with suppressed excitement. In a deter
mined manner he began with delibera-
tlon tnat SAID Il am going to have my say,
and cut deep.
He began by referring to attacks on his
loyalty and honesty ana assertions that he
in sci,
ate earnestness he Numbered his denial and
ms defiance. asking any man to point to
pIclon or even that suggested disoyalty to
the party: Il defy any man living to prove
to the slightest extent any charge hurled
at me by my enemy. ] have been slandered
and bounded for two years, but L have been
silent under 1t all for the good of this party
TOR the salvation of our movement to pre-
vent factlonal fight in our ranks and be-
cause L could not bring myself to waloW
IN the mire into which 1 was invited to
the good of the party l would not be the
cause of any factional fight in our party.
and l kept my silence. But now silence is
broken. broken. L propose to show who is the
Show him up shouts Gibbs. Mr.. Owen
t tbnl reviewed his connection with the
cratic nomination for governor when it
meant election by large majority He
took slap at Donnelly thus: "fn 1883 the
man who ISLANDERS. me was supporting Bill
Merriam and getting good money for it."
Great confusion followed. and it was sew
era al, minutes before Owen could go on
This man prates Of loyalty He never
felt a, single sensation of fidelity in all his
life that could not be disspated by the
sight OF little lucre. Now he comes here
and tells us to be loyal AS to fusion can
only say that to me principles are more
than parties. If the Democrats will vote
for what we believe in we will welcome
them gladly under any name whatever I
want to see principles triumph. We car
together we should today be the debating
party, and it would be the Democrats thai
would be tagging us. But we have been
disrupted by SANDER and dishonorable acts
of pertidy. This man is leader who never
smiled on a movement without bliChting
IT. He supported the Republican party in
1883. and for the first time in the history
OF the state that party was in the minority
he took the alliance party under his wing
and lost 10000 votes and finally killed if
Two years ago he said he would ruin me
he has been at it ever since. But the two
years that this man has been pouring all
the venom of his nature on me have been
the most prosperous years of my life His
enmlty and vindictve scurrility brought me
trends by scores who formerly held aloof
friendly terms with this monster"
Here followed regular riot. The crowd
was in perfect confusion, and a stampede
seemed imminent. For ten minutes Owen s
| But. he stood his ground and patiently
waited. You shall hear me if 1 have To
wait all night" cried he.
Mr.. Donnelly came to the rescue when a
fair chance" he said. Il only want the
opportunity to defend my character from
the assaults made upon me-"
been silent from high and patriotic motives,
but when this man hurls his dastardlv