The representative., 1899-11-30
MINNEAPOLIS M1Nk, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER
"The Cipher In the Plays
and on the Tombstone''
Mr.. DONNELLY'S New Book.

hubbub. The fate Of William ]. Bryan
is sealed. He cannot win a single
electoral vote north of Mason and DIX
on's line in 1900. The Republicans
gave him the state of Nebraska this
year as bait. They want him to be
nominated next year, knowing that he
is the easiest man for them to beat
Had he lost Nebraska this year he
would have been ruled out of the ma
tional Democratic convention next year.
For this reason the Republicans let that
state go by default. This is an open
secret among politicians in that state.
We can now get fair perspective of
the political neld, and see the fatal folly
Of fusion. 1t has ended as it always
ends. 1t has practically killed the new
party, and not strengthened the Dem
ocrats In the slightest degree. On the
other hand, 1t has been q great Cod
send to the Republicans. 1t has driven
pack into their ranks nearly all those
Popullsts who were formerly Republi-
cans. This is the way it always works;
and it is one of the strangest things in
human history that men can never
learn this fact. Had we let fusion
strictly alone In 1896, and since, the
Peoples party would have been
triumphant In 1900.
Will this lesson be OF any use to the
fusion gang? No! Not bit of it. It
is still Bryan and Democracy with them.
The. whole West Is coming up for fus-
ion next year, and this will wind up the
reform movement for the next ten
years. It will give Mckinley a clean
sweep, and the Horace Greedy campaign
will be repeated.
Now what OF the future? We have a
Midroad organization which hope will
be the core around which will grow a
new party; but unless we can knock a
little common SENSE into The heads or
our leaders everything will 60 by the
board. Just now everything is chaos.
We have nominated Barker and Don
nelly, subject to a referendum vote of
the rank and file. The very men who
did this have since agreed to go into
national convention with the fusionists
when Butler calls the same. Now which
is which? The Butler convention will
nominate Bryan in just five minutes by
the watch. In the mean time this
stupid agreement has knocked In the
head the formation OF precinct clubs.
1t is simply impossible to organize such
clubs under the circumstances. The
moment we broach the subject our men
say: What is the use Of forming such
clubs If we are going into national
convention to settle the matter?" 1t Is
impossible to answer the question and
we are hoored at once. This gives the
fusion gang every advantage. But few
Middle Of -the-Roaders will attend the
Butler convention. Here in Maine we
are all for Barker and Donnelly and we
certainly shall send no delegation to the
Butler convention to be made footballs
with. l must frankly confess that I am
about tired Of this idiotic management.
The men who lead the Middle-of-the
Road movement don't seem to know
what they want themselves, and have
been backing and filling for three years
until they have got everybody and
everything in a muddled and confused
condition. In Gods name, Is this
thing to continue?
We are now talking about a referen-
dunn vote. How are we going to take
it? And then what becomes of the
agreement to 80 into the Butler conven-
tion? Men who go into convention
are supposed to stand by It's action.
This is the genius of our form Of party
government and men who vote are al
ways looked upon with contempt. They
can never carry any weight or follow
ing. A few Of our men will doubtless
70 into the fusion convention. After
Bryan il nominated, as he will be,
what can these men do? l shall have
more respect for them IL they support
Bryan than IL they bolt and come with
us. They would do us more harm than
good.
again repeat, I am tired of such
management. helped secure the
nomination of Barker and Donnslly
and / shall stand by them as long as
they are in the field. Other men can
do just whatever they please, but my
decision is made. II that ticket is over
thrown then shall put my ballot where
it will give Bryan and Democracy the
blacklist eye,
One more word and am done. Many
of our Middle-of- -the-Road papers are
shouting against expansion and our
soldiers in the Philippines. In this
they are following the exact footsteps Of
the Democrats. II they are going to
make that an Issue what ls the need Of
their existence? The Democrats have
pre-smpted that ground. We have Just
heard tho verdict Of the country on that
issue. also. Whenever an American
Army ii in the field the loves and hopes,