The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-06-08

is POpul1St and now much he Is a
Democrat; and the Populists suffer by
being called Democrats and tho Demo-
Gratis suffer by being called Populists.
And then we have to be labelled, on the
official ballot, Peoples
Party" and our old Republican reform
ers gig back, appalled,, by the name OF
Democracy, which they fought for near
ly half century,
There are those who tell us that the
Democrats are not sincere in their eff
forts for fusion; that they do not love
but despise us; that their whole game is
to swallow us alive, as they have done
in other states; and that if we become
Peoples Democrats" it will not be long
until the word "Peoples' will be strick-
en- out, our party destroyed and nothing
left but the word Democrat.
While we still adhere to our own
view, that We had better turn our backs
altogether on the offices, until we can
win them as Populists, nevertheless if a
union of forces is foredoomed to carry
the day on the 18th inst, the propoA
lions of Messrs. Stewart and Meighen
are infinitely more acceptable to us than
the fusion plan of 1885, with it's shame
full tickle me Tommy and I'll tickle
you" game.
AS we understand the ideas of these
gentlemen, there would be no "fusios,''
but TEMPORARY NEW PARTY
WOULD ARISE, FOR THAT CAM
PAIGN ALONE. BOTH THE POPU-
LIST AND DEMOCRATIC PARTIES
WOULD BE LAID ON THE SHELF.
FOR THE TIME BEING.
One thing is certain: under such a
plan, the Populists could not be ignored
in the conduct of the campaign, as they
were in 1896; when Democrats were
pushed to the front and Populists pulled
to the rear.
We would under that plan, still pre-
serve the Peoples Party organization
intact and continue our efforts to make
converts right through the campaign, as
would be but one committee to conduct
the campaign: the committee of the
Independent party. We would get upon
the official ballot by petition. We would
in that event, ask that the chairman OF
the central committee of the ''Independ-
ent party" should be a man Of POpulis.
antecedents; so that no one could
charge that the new movement was sim
ply trick to make Populists into Dem
ocrats. The name Democrat" would
not appear in the whole contest.
Understand clearly the position OF
| the THE Representative:
We are in favor of the Populists going
it entirely alone but if we are to be over
whelmed, by the concourse of Demo
Gratis and Republicans tc
be brought upon us, on the 18th inst, by
the arts of F. c. Gibbs, S. M. Owen, Prof
Dobbyn, E. r. Lynch, ETC., then we are
in favor of stamping out fusion" and
creating new party.
This is our choice of evils
Neither would we be willing to sup
port an independent party, even as a
temporary expedient, for one campaign
UNLESS 1T PLANTED ITSELF
SQUARELY UPON THE OMAHA
PLATFORM, AND MAKE IT'S FIRST
PLANK THE INITIATIVE AND REF.
ERENDUM!"
But we have 10 idea the Democrats
would consent to all this The Omaha
platform is stencil in the nostriis Of {
good many OF them.
But, as our correspondents intimate
an offer Of that kind would unmask the
hollowness of all this Democratic tall
! about "all thinking alike" and if 1t wa:
/ refused our own ranks would be thence
forth solidly united; and with vigor
; GUS campaign we would capture half The
Democratic votes and large part o
the Republican vote, and sweep TIL
state.
Talk it all over, friends; and COM
prepared to do what is best and wisest
| D.