The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-08-31
THINKS HIS
PARTY WAS
BETRAYED
A Prominent Populist
Makes Protest.
A SACRIFICE OF PRINCIPLE
BELIEVES IN OPPOSING THE
DEMOCRATS.
Refused a Fusion Nomination Be-
cause an Acceptance Would
Mean Surrender of Self
Respect
A SACRIFICE OF PRINCIPLE
BELIEVES IN OPPOSING THE
DEMOCRATS.

The manner in which the conscientious
Populists of the State look upon the
fusion arrangement by which their party
was sold out to the Democrats through
the manipulations of a few men who were
seeking office and were determined to
have 1t at any price is illustrated by the
following statement from one of the most
prominent and most respected Populists
in the State
Editor Call: have been asked by some
Of the friends of Hon. C. A. Barlow why
l cast my lot with the middle-of-the-road
or straight Populists at Sacramento, and
why / accepted their nomination for Con-
gress in the Sixth District against the
said c. A. Barlow, the incumbent who
was elected as a Populist two years ago.
AS there may be others who would like to
know, few of my reasons Will be given
in the following article:
1t is deemed sacred right belonging to
every man, no matter to what political
party he may belong, to oppose by every
honorable means at his command every
other political party, and 1t is the duty of
every party to sustain its members In the
exercise of this right.
No action had by any convention or
party trenching upon this right can bind
its individual members without their con-
sent, even though such action be sane
toned by majority of such convention
or party.
This right from the very nature of
things is inherent in the individual, and is
not subject to majority rules. 1t is so
sacred that any infringement upon it by
any party convention, no matter by what
majority thereof, is in derogation of the
spirit and policy of our Government and
subversive of every principle Of political
ethics and public morals.
The convention held at Los Angeles Oc-
tober 22, 1891, which first organized the
Peoples party in the State of California,
and in which 1 participated, guaranteed
to every man who should become a mem
Der a free and unincumbered political
home, free rom the domination or in
fiuence of the old parties, both of which
were by this as well as by all subsequent
Peoples party conventions most We
hemently denounced as being antagonistic
to the best interests of the common peo-
pie of this commonwealth and unworthy
of public confidence. The Peoples party
was built up under this guarantee. and
under this opposition to the dishonored
old parties. Any disregard or sacrifice of
this principle by any faction of the Peo-
pies party should be considered by it's
loyal members as an abandonment of it's
organization and a sacrifice of it's princi-
ples-a holland l believe any court of
justice would so hold.
Fusion contaminated at Sacramento
by a domineering faction of the Peoples
party was theoretically, practically and
to all intents and purposes surrender
Democratic party, and l, a Populist, could
not and would not become party to such
action, preferring to stand with my own
party and nominate a regular, straight,
middle-of- the-road Peoples party ticket
as distinguished from the fusion ticket
This convention was pleased to tender
Sixth District. I accepted. I would have
declined and gladly have presented the
name of the said Hon. c. A. Barlow had
he remained loyal to the Peoples party
and its principles, but 1t was my under
standing then, and it still is, that he had
measurably abandoned both party and
principle.
1t Is a principle of Popullsm incorpo-
rated in both our National and State
platforms that office holders shall not
participate in making such platforms, in
manipulating nominating conventions.
Mr.. Barlow unquestionably used, ac-
lively, his personal and official influence
to bring about fusion between the Popu-
list and Democratic parties, thereby deny
ing to every conscientious Populist his
guaranteed right to oppose the Demo-
cratic party or brand him as a bolter for
SO doing.
Mr.. Barlow accepted an appointment as
Committee for the State of California
Mr. Barlow participated in holding con-
ferences with the officers of other politi-
cal parties while in Congress.
Mr.. Barlow has been publicly charged
and 1t has not been denied so far as 1
know, with having participated with 9TH
ers in issuing an ana address tI advising Popu-
platform other than any heretofore adopt
ed by any National or State Peoples Par
ty Cow ention.
Mr. Barlow participated In the meeting
of the National committee of the Peo-
pies party at Omaha in June of this year,
all of which is in fragrant violation of the
principles of the party that honored him
with seat in Congress. By these acts
the servant has sought to become the
master.
/ do not impugn Mr. Barlow's honesty,
his intentions may have been good all
through, but no amount of good inten-
lions will suffice to cover up or counteract
the injurious effects of his abandonment
Of principle . 49,
ton a lack of knowledge on the subject.
for such ignorance would be fatal, nor is
the fact that others have been guilty of
the same errors any defense in his case.
The fundamental principles relative to
the inherent and guaranteed rights of
members of the Peoples party are of
vital Importance and are necessarily in
volved in the question Of fusion, some lit
tie Swimming editors, who never get be-
low the surface of any subject they
aspire to treat. to the contrary notwith-
If a political party desires to disband
1t has the unquestioned right to do so,
but no party has the right or the power
to commit its members to the support of
the individual member and to him alone
and cannot be honestly delegated or sur
rendered.
this State If you would have Peoples
party principles prevail, you. must stand
the principles upon which it is founded,
until they trump throughout the land
Keep forever In your mind these facts
and axioms: The solving of new problems
requires new forces; no party having once
become corrupt can ever become true
reform party-iitt has a..d not the power. If it
come. if at all, from new organization
free from such dominant and corrupting
influences as now handicap both the old
parties.
old party at this time Is destructive to
it's existence. Every Populist leader, in
Guiding my friend. Mr.. Barlow, have all
along said that the Democratic party is
a party Of pledge breakers and sppoilsmen.
to combine or fuse with 1t for purposes of
reform would be stutifying ourselves and
with the disreputabe old parties.
The world would say and justly, too.
that we were insncere, that We were
frauds. that our pretentions Of reform
were deceptions. our opposition to the old
parties and their practices is a sham, q
delusion and a snare, that we were false