The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-01-25
CALL TO ACTION COMING.

Cheering News-The South Moving.
Hon. Milton Park, editor of the South
ern Mercury. of Dallas, Tex, and chair
Peoples Party, appointed at Cincinnati,
last September, has this to say in a re-
cent issue of his paper:
Quite a howl was raised by the half
baked Populists and Free Silver Demo-
Gratis" throughout the country because the
straight Popuists dared meet in national
convention at Cincinnati, last September
and express their views on the political
situation and suggest a plan of action for
the future. The opposition press malicious
ly circulated the report that the meeting
had been countermanded-hoping thereby
to throttle in Its incipiency any further
effort Of the people to free themselves from
the rule of the bosses in both of the old
parties. as we'll the traitors in the
Popul st party. The plan did not work
The convention was held and steps taken
which, if carried out, will place the Popu-
lists throughout the nation in a stronger
position than ever before. The confusion
and distraction resulting from the late war,
together with the state elections last fall,
had much influence in diverting the peo-
pie from the work mapped out by the
straight Popul:sts at Cincinnati. Now
that these are all in the past with the
opening of the new year. every Populist
In the nation who knows what the fight
is about should bestir himself at once and
get to work organizing, educating and
pushing forward the work of reform. The
plan OF organization suggested by the Gin
cinnati convention which we published
in the Mercury last month, will do the
work if the boys in the trenches will only
put it into operation.
At an early day the chairman of the ma
tional organization committee will issue a
call to action to the Populist forces every
where, and then the work should begin.
From recent number of Our Home"
published at Marshville, North Carolina
we learn the feeling in that state:
The Peoples party of North Carolina has
fused with everything that couldn't out
run 1t Or climb tree, until it has fused
itself into such a shape as not to demand
any more bids and of course it will! go out
of the trading business whether it's lead
ers want 1t to retire Or not. This lesson
OF fusion and its results has been costly
one and has demonstrated more forciby
than ever that fusion always sounds the
death knell of reform party In North
Carolina in 1896 the Peoples party presented
the awkward speca cle of fusing win both
the old parties at the same time. Last year
1t first made a proposition to fuse with the
Democratic party on a certain line Of prin-
cipes, and this being rejected by the DEM
Ocratic party, it then arranged fusion with
the Republican party on a basis of fair
division of the officers. This placed the
Peoples party on the defensive and it was
forced to make a campaign in which it
could not make an aggressive fight and in
stead of making gains 1t was disorganized
and its forces scattered. So the history
of the Peoples party has been the history
of every other party that organized to
fight the old monopoly organizations and
then effected fusion with the parties that
are directly responsible for the pressure of
the times and against which the new party
was organized"
1t is great point gained when the
Populists of any state reach the conclu-
sion that fusion means destruction.
They will find it easier to convert in
dividual Democrats than to convert the
Democratic party. THE leopard cannot
change it's spots, nor the Ethiopian the
color Of his skim" and the Democratic
party will be the Democratic party as
long as there is a single Democratic lead
er left alive. An organization which sur
wives Jimmy Buchanan and Grover
Cleveland is immortal-prussic acid will
not faze it.
We have received private letter from
that distinguished Populist, Gen. Will
liam Phillips, of Marietta, Ca, from
which we take the liberty of quoting
few lines. He says:
ut took money, whisky, the full negro
vote, the Republicans and the gold DEM
ocrats to give Gambler half the majority
he claimed. We had an anti-bar room
plank in our platform which cost us 25.-
600 to 10000 Populist votes. On the
other hand, at least Is per cent OF the
original Democratic strength refused tn
vote. My judgment is that with proper
organization that vote is with us to stay.
and, with the prohibition plank left out
WE WILL CARRY GEORGIA IN 1900"
They are organizing referendum clubs
all over Georgia, just as We are here in
Minnesota.
In 1900 the Democratic party will be
blown into fragments by the free silver
question and the Populists will carry the
country.
We have survived our greatest danger,
the fusion game, so cunningly set up
by plutocracy in 1896 for our destruction,
we have lost nothing but a few office
seekers, who have dropped into fat Of
fees by the way and will trouble us no
more; and all we need now is courage,
energy, honesty and perseverance. The
real Populist has more days work" in
him than any other man, because be
feels he is doing Gods work in trying to
save mankind from destruction. 1. D.