People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1898-03-18
OUR LITTLE SAY.
w. S. Morgan.

We also have little tale to unfold.
We began our fight for reform in 1874,
twenty-four years ago. We cast our
first vote for g Peoples ticket put out
through the influence of the Grange, in
Missouri, that year. Since that time
we have never faltered in the cause of
reform. We have labored hard and
made many sacrifices to help the work
along. We have spent time, money
and the best years of our manhood.
We have aided in building up three
political parties. We have seen two of
them-the greenback and union labor
party-fused out of existence. We
have witnessed the demoralizing effects
of fusion in the Peoples Party and
know that it means it's destruction if it
is not killed.
We know that fusion has its origin
in the hearts of selfish politicians who
want to take a short cut to the pie
counter. We know that these men put
up false pleas of patriotism and policy
that deceive thousands of honest men.
While all this is going on we know
that, while it will give these schemers
a short season at the pie counter, it
will inevitably destroy the party just
as it has destroyed the greenback and
union labor parties. We know that if
not stopped, all our work, all our sac
rifces, and that of thousands of other
sincere and earnest men and women
| will be worse than lost. We feel that
another generation will have to come
onto the stage of action before the
people will have confidence enough in
leaders to again rally to the cause of
humanity as a political party.
Is it any wonder, then, that we have
no patience with fusion or it's advo-
Gates We have borne much, and hop
ed against hope, that we might be mis-
taken, and that some good might come
from fusion. But we have watched
and hoped in vain. While some little
good may be accomplished in a
particular locality it only serves to
clothe With responsibility that which
means disintegration and death gener-
ally. Never, under any circumstances
will we submit to it again. We are
willing to forgive and be forgiven, and
join once more with all who, although
they advocated fusion, now see the
mistake and are in favor of straight
independent work. But we want the
fusionist to go where he belongs, to
no longer pose as Populist and from
now on, in conventions and under all
circumstances, we notify them that
between us it is ''war to the knife and
the knife to the hilt."
Our feelings are intensified in this
matter by the sacrifices we have made
and the twenty-four years work we
have behind us for the cause.
Shall we see all that work come to
naught that few men, most of whom
have not been out of the old parties
long enough for the gangrene to dry
up, shall have a position at the pie
counter?
Are all our sacrifices to count for
nothing?
Are we to listen now, and blindly
follow few men who have only re-
Gently left the piratical ships of the
old parties and assume that the proper
thing for us to do is to steer our craft
up along side of an old party hulk and
commit ourselves to the tender mercies
of its pirates?
We give due notice now that we will
do no such thing, and men may yell
Hanna, and Doodle, and bolter until
they are black in the face it will have
no terrors to us We will stick to the
old Populist ship until she sails tri-
umphantly into port under her own
flag, and with her principles nailed to
her masthead, or, if she sinks. we will
be found standing on the deck by our
guns fighting for the great cause of
humanity until the waves shall roll
over us and it is impossible to fight
longer. a..senss
But if we go down we will fail fight
ing under our own colors, and not
those that have been dishonored by a
thousand broken pledges, and prosti-
tuted, in the name of patriotism, to
foster corruption, despoil the ballot,
rob industry, depreciate honesty and
encourage political methods that are a
disgrace to our civilization.
If to be true to the cause of Populism,
which is the cause of suffering human
ity, is to perpetuate dissension and
bring down upon our head the denun-
Citations of the place holders and place
hunters, and results in our ship being
tossed in stormy waters, then we say:
mail to the mast our holy flag,
Spread every threadbare sail,
And give her to the god of storms,
The lightning and the gale"