The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-01-05
course would have defeated the Repub-
lican party!


lican party!
1t would have left the Populists of
the south, where the greatest strength
of the movement had been developed.
free to have fought th&r cld-time
enemy. 1t would also have strengthened
the hands Of the silver Republicans in
the far west states. instead Of hamper
ing them with fusion with de-
mocracy."
1t is useless now to say 1--WE told you
so.' 1t is worse than crying over
spilled milk. The Georgia delegation
adopted the suggestion and made a
gallant fight for it; but the fusionists
had too strong hold on the conven-
tion, and the day was carried for
Bryan.
After Bryan's nomination there were
two courses to pursue:
First: The no-fusionists could have
met, organized new party, nominated
another man, and begun at the foot of
the hill Perhaps that would have
been best, but it was not done.
Second: Stand by the action of the
convention; make the best of a bad sit
uation, and support the ticket without
any kicking, without any noise. with
out any jangling, wrangling, or suueai-
ing
AS rule. such was the course pur-
sued. And every man who Loyalty ate
MS crow Is in splendid condition to
say to those who fell into the fusion
trap, Don't you see that fusion is
failure? Profit by experience. Here
after let us keep in the middle of the
road and go it straight"
But the men who kicked ont of the
traces: who refused to stand by the
action of the majority, no matter how
bad that action was, are in poor shape
to call upon their friends to follow
them--or to dictate the future policy Of
the party.
We supported Bryan, not because he
was Bryan, but because he was the
nominee of the Populist convention.
Simply because the Democratic narty
got into the same road with the Popu-
lists for the time being, no matter if
they did steal our Populist thunder and
capture our Populist band wagon. it
was no excuse for Populists 10 Jump
over the fence and take to the woods.
That was not keeping in the middle of
the road-and no professions of loyalty
to middle le-of-the-roadism can make it
SO.
If pirates board the ship, 1t is no ex-
cuse for scuttling it. 1t is just the time
to stick to the old ship; regain posses
sion, throw the intruders overheard
steer her into port, put on new crew,
nail the old banner to the masthead,
and set her afioat again. Never give
up the ship!
But Democrats are not all pirates.
The rank and file of the Democratic
party are the equals of the Populists;
SO, too, of the rank and file of the Re-
publican party. The fault is in the
leadership. But leaders like Altgeld
and Bryan are not to be classed with
the Clevelands, the Hills, the Cor
mans and the Palmers. We shall be
proud of the day when men like John
P. Altgeld and William j. Bryan come
into the Populist camp and help fight
its battles under the Populist banner
fC uyl,n ho1y will 1>@
should the gold bug wing get the upper
hand again in 1900, as they are liable
to do
And with men like Altgeld and Bryan
to lead crowd Of bolting Democrats,
| millions of others will follow.
Is it not the part of wisdom to treat
such men with respect and considera-
tion, instead of calling them TRAITORS
and "tricksters?" There are millions
of good Democrats who got a dose of
Populism in 1896 which they will never
forget! They got such a dose of it
that they will never go back into the
old hog trough of Clevelandism--un-
| less driven there by the abuse of indis-
Greet Populist leaders.
1T SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN
THAT THERE is A WIDE DIFFER
ENCE BETWEEN DEMOCRATS AND
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
| And now, what of the future?
What shall the Peoples party do?
Is there any profit in keeping up a
wrangling over what has been?
Shall we throw away the gun, or
pick the flint and try it againo
The man who talks about the Popu-
| list party being dead does not know
| what he is talking about.
| We have seen too many dead re-
| from parties come to life again to be
| at all worried about the fate of the
| Populist party.
THE POPULST PARTY IS GOING
| TO LIVE, AND 1T is GOING To WIN.
1T MAY, PERHAPS, CHANGE ITS
| NAME, AND ITS LEADERSHIP-BUT
THE RANK AND FILE WILL TAKE
UP ITS PRINCIPLES, ADVANCE THE
LINES, AND MARCH FORWARD TO
A GRAND AND GLORIOUS VICTORY.
Its enemies cannot defeat it; traitors
! cannot hptrav IL nor ooy bo1 o<,,,;.o..