The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-03-09
(From the Pioneer Press. J

The pOwWow of the Populists at Min
neapolis couple OF weeks ago appar-
emily left things very harmonious in the
ranks, but a little closer inspection re-
veals the fact thai the mid-roaders and
the fusionists are not bi: closer togeth-
er today than they were before the Min
neapolis meeting. The fusionists claimed
victory as the result Of the meeting
Of the state central committee, when as
a matter of fact the nlil-roaders got
away with most of the honors. The COM
mittee was not called together to call a
state convention, but the anti-fusion
faction wanted a convention called and
it was. The state committee also fol-
lowed middle of the road idea in pasing
the representation on Ovens vote in
1894, rather than on BoWler's vote in
1896.
The mid-road committee wantel the
convention between May Is and June Is,
and the state central committee ac-
quiesced. The former faction also sue
ceeded in preventing John Lind, Senator
Dubois and others from addressing the
committee meeting until all these things
were settled.
The fusionists, led by Owen, Bowler,
Dobbyn, Lynch, Ringdal, Reishus and
others are putting on a bold front, and
hope to control the convention by the
O of ;o1 1;J
yer Democrats. They are, however, will
ling to admit that the other faction Is
not alone the personai following of DON
nelly, but is very stroag in many coun-
ties.
The weakest point with the fusionists
is that the leaders of the faction are
almost without exception, seekers after
office. They expect to run for office
and want the Democratic vote to help
them in. They have openly announced
that the issue of their campaign is to
be a reduction in the freight charges on
wheat from the Red River valley. The
silver question and other national issues
are to be left out on the theory that John
Lind will carry large Republican vote
if he does not meddle with 16 to l..
Down with Jim Hill and the Republi.
can machine" will be the slogan, and
party organization may be wiped out SO
long as they get into Office.
The middle-of-the-road faction is
composed Of another and different ele-
ment. Impracticable theorists they may
be, but they cling to the Omaha platform
as a second Sermon on the Mount, and
they are thoroughly imbued that nothing
else is worth fighting for. They believe
religiously in the preservation of the
autonomy Of the Peoples party. Don
nelly is one of the central figures in this
faction, but with him are such men as
DR.. Johnson, eX-Congressman Boen and
Halvorson, ex-Senators Probstfield and
Borchert, L. c. Long, T. ]. Meighen and
host of others.
A MID-ROAD VIEW.
The following question was put to one
of the mid-road leaders the other day:
Suppose the fusionists carry the con-
vention and put up the same ticket as
two years ago, what will you then DOR
He answered.: The Peoples party con-
vention cannot nominate any but POpu-
lists for any office without unanimous
consent Inc convention is called TO
nominate a full ticket and must do SO
an OH ;tc no Of
convention does not want to do it's duty,
there will be plenty left that will. Rest
assured, the state convention will put a
full Populist ticket in the field for state
officers. But in my opinion fusion will
be dead before June Is. And if fusion
aspirants for county offices come down
to the state convention to pack 1T for
fusion we will see that they have
straight Populist candidates to contend
with at the polls in November Two
years ago we allowed the fusionists to
try their hand. This year it will be diff
ferent. We are prepared to contest this
issue for the preservation of the party
to the bitter end"
But isn't this cutting your own
throat?'
well, our throats are cut now If the
fusion program goes on. The fusionists,
whatever they may have been, are not
fusionists now. With the exception OF
a few, they are old party Office seekers
that have sneaked into our ranks. They
hate real fusionists worse than any out
and-out Republican or Democrat. All
they wanti is our votes to get into Office. y
Suppose John Lind announces himself
an Independent candidate for governor,
would the Peoples party convention be
likely to take action to throw the Popu-
list vote for him?"
John Lind would get the fusion vote.