The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-06-29
THE RESULTS OF FUSION.
The Omaha Conference Controlled by
the OHice-HOlderx.
(From the Chicago Express.)

The Omaha Conference Controlled by
the OMce-Holders.
From the Chicago Express.)
The Omaha convention in 1892, doubt
less came nearer voicing the demands OF
true reform than has any national body
ever assembled in the United States, ana
| one of the resolutions adopted by that
body declared emphatically that office
holders should not be delegates in a
Peoples Party convention.
The evil results of the political ma
| chimes built up Office-holders and con-
trolling both the old party organizations
was certainly enough to prompt the
adoption of such resolution and it is
, certainly true that the refusal of the
Peoples party national committee to
| obey that resolution was the main rea
son for the action in 1896 which has led
the party to the verge of disruption.
In Omaha at the recent meeting of
| the national committee there was viv-
| id illustration of the evil effects of the
disregard of that cardinal principle Of
| POpulism which has been set aside by
| the dictation of leaders who have form
ed machine to govern the Peoples
Party, and are running it under the
same corrupt rules which obtain in the
| old parties.
| On an investigation touching this par
ticular point we found that the situation
| was more threatening than we had ever
supposed.
Noticing that seven or eight Nebraska
office holders, drawing salaries from the
state, were present and holding proxies
from various other states, we began an
inquiry with the following result. We
found that every man, drawing a salary
from state or nation voted with the fus-
| ion wing of the committee.
Every congressman holding place on
| the committee, who was present was a
| fusionist, and so was every proxy, ad-
mitted to represent any officeholder.
To be more specific we shall name a
few Senators Allen and Butler were
| leading lights in the body. Senator
Butler also voted in proxy of exCon-
gressman Pence.
Congressman c. A. Barlow and c. II.
; Castle of California, with proxy, James
| Gum of Idaho, with two proxies ana
Delegate J. Y. Callahan Of Oklahoma,
all came direct from Washington to help
defeat straight Populism. J. c. Bell,
member of congress from Colorado and
a member of the national committee,
was represented by proxy; and his
proxy was W.. j. Danforth, of Chicago,
| ILL.,, an employe of the Democratic ad-
| ministration in the water department of
| this city.
Congressman w. D. Vincent of Kan
sas, was represented by Prof Frank
Parsons of the Manhatten Agricultural
| College, ]. w. Breidenthal, state bank
| commissioner of the Sunfower state,
| was present and voting.
! Among the Nebraska Office holders
| whom we found on the committee and
always voting with the fusionists were
j. w. Edgerton, railroad commissioner;
j. A. Edgerton, clerk in state house; j.
w. Porter, secretary of state; J. 0. Yeis-
| er, member state legislature; H. A.
| Dawes, superintendent deaf and dumb
asylum; D. Clem Deaver, steward deaf
and dumb asylum; c. w. Hoxie, super
intendent state reform school and J. A.
Edminston, state oil inspector, who held
| a proxy and cast two votes. o. w.
Hendee, an ex-employe for some distant
state, as did ever so many other Nebras-
ka fusionists who we do not mention,
as their official salaries are not matters
| of record.
We have been told that several have
| been missed in making up our list, but
we hope the boys will not be offended
| for we devoted our spare time for three
| days in trying to get at the facts.
| We found by actual computation that
| the official salaries represented amount
ed to $4,000 per annum. and this was
all state or national, and all for fusion.
| Among the anti-fusionists we found
one office holder, county treasurer,
John H. Boyd of Delta county, Texas.
| Now we do not say that because man
| holds an Office he is not good Populist.
but we want to call attention to the fad
that a political machine has been built
up in the SO called Peoples Party and
that Office holders drawing $4,000 a
year secured places on the committee
and were all on one side Of the one most
vital question affecting party organiza-
ton.
| Office holders can only dominate party
action By disregarding the Omaha ordi-
| nance.
This they have done and now ma
chine has almost as complete control as
it has of either old party.
| What few concessions were granted to