The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-07-13
CAN WE UNITE.
Can All the POpulists BE Brought To- |
Kether:

We think it is.
In 1896 the Democrats besieged us.
They tempted our leader with promises
of Office; they pretended there was no
difference between us in principle; that
I'VE all thought alike" and should
all march under one banner"
All this was very plausible and very
tempting. The sharp fellows rushed
around with marvellous activity, because
they saw before them the prospect Of
personal reward; and the innocent null
titude attributed to devotion to reform
the zeal which was only cunning selfish
ness
And it seemed to the unsophisticated
that if the Populists had 100000 votes
and the Democrats 100000, all they had
to do was to pass a resolution to unite
them, and straightway we should have
100000 votes. They did not realize
that human minds are not bricks, to be
hauled from one enclosure to another,
without protest. Among these 100000
there were all varieties of character.
There were thousands of Popul1s1s VINO
hated Democracy more than they loved
reform, and thousands of Democrats
who hated the Populists more than they
did the Republicans. All the mutual
prejudices, distrusts, hatreds, suspicious
made themselves manifest at the ballot
boxes.
But the conditions have all changed.
Fusion has resulted in confusion and
defeat. While a few have obtained Of
fees by combination, a hundred times
as many have been disappointed and
are embittered against those who sue
ceeded The fellows who have won will
have no further influence over those
who have not won.
Here in Minnesota the great advocate
of fusion was S. NJ Owen He declared
that if the Peoples party platform of
1892 was too radical to suit the Demo-
Gratis, they would make one, in 1896,
that would be acceptable to them. He
| had never been Populist at heart, but
| a Democrat He assumed the Peoples
| party cloak because Democracy was in
hopeless minority. He thought he
| saw United States senatorship ahead
| if he could turn over the P. P. votes to
| the D. O. p
But when the legislature met in jan
| select a candidate to whom to give the
complimentary vote of the united forces,
Ovens name was not even mentioned!
, Now he declares that he is out Of poll
tics forever. 1t is a great pity he did
not go out of them before he was born
He has done infinite harm to the cause
of reform, without any profit to himself,
and he is today the most unpopular man
in this state.
Then there is that miserable fellow.
Dobbyn, Owens right-hand man, who
| advocated us in his paper for the presi-
dency, while plotting to remove us from
no office from the judicious Gov Lind,
and HIS PAPER HAS SUSPENDED.
He is reduced almost to nothingness.
There is little left of him but his ma,
jestic beard. If that was shaved off
there would be vacuum in nature; and
the historian could write opposite the
hole: Here WAS Dobbyn!"
And there was Frank N Stacey, who
made himself badly conspicuous in the
| 18th Of June 1S9S) convention in trans
ferring the Peoples party to the De-
mocracy. He ran for a local Office in
Minneapolis, and was defeated; Gov.
Lind did not appoint him to any place,
and we are told he has disappeared
gone where the woodbne twineth.''
And there was T. j. Caton-the PRO
fessor'-who turned over 100 votes in
the 18th Of June convention to the
Democrats, in return for promised
Democratic support for himself for
congress. He was badly beaten, and
now avows himself an out-and-out Dem
ocrat! Bully for him. He has gone
where every other man is candidate.
L. NJ. Aver, who pocketed the P. P
campaign funds, has gone to the Pacific
coast; and "Bub" Williams, who was SC
yirulent and dishonest in his abuse OF
ourself, is now climbing the mountains
of Idaho, with more spirit in his pocket
than there is in his soul.
Lynch got position under Sheriff
Phillips, as legal adviser (?) and his
persistence in holding on to the public
teat was the secret of the terrible figh
Phillips made to retain the Office OF
sheriff. Lynch wanted a position under
Gov. Lind, but he, too, failed to connect
The governor knew him; and the gov
ernor is sensible man.
Even Austin, the bulldozing chairman
of the 10th of June convention, is dis
gusted with results, and swears-with
pyrotechnics-that the Peoples party
will never again fuse" with DemOc-
racy!
We mention these personal details
not out of malice toward the individuals
named. but to show that next year the
Peoples party will not be driven BY
these men again into the Democratic
camp.
This being the case, we see no reason
why all real Populists should not get
! together in this state in 1870 and