The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-06-22
FUTURE OF POPULISM
Party Should Prepare to Take Advan-
tage Of DisanectiOn-HOw Our
Southern Friends View the Situa-
tiOns

In one Of the great battles Of history
the general of the French army was ap-
preached by an excited officer who cried,
''The battle is lost!" "Yes," was the cool
reply, "but there is yet time to win an
other" And SO it proved, for the re-
treating troops rallied and pressed for
ward in a still fiercer attack because of
their temporary repulse, and at nightfall
victory rested on the French banners.
In 1s48 the Free Soil party made it's
first campaign as national organiza-
ton. But it failed to receive single
electoral vote. In 1852 it met with a
like failure. In 1856, with substantially
the same principles, it reorganized under
the name Republican, and with Fremont
as its standard bearer, came very near
capturing the presidency.
The same results may follow the at
tempt Of the money power to destroy
the Peoples party through Its chosen
instrument-the Democratic party. That
the Democratic party is not honest, is
not sincere, is not in earnest in it's pre-
tended advocacy of reform no one seri-
ously doubts. The Chicago platform was
adopted for a two-fold purpose. The
first was to destroy the Peoples party,
and thus effectively close the door to
any chance for legislation in the inter-
ests of the people, the other was TO pre-
vent the overwhelming defeat of that
party in the nation, and, more especial
ly, in the South. In both directions
they were largely successful. They
seriously crippled the Peoples party.
They closed up their own ranks and pre-
vented thousands of their best men from
deserting that organization. Not only
did they stop the disintegration rapidly
going on in their own party, but they
induced thousands of our new converts
to return to their organization.
But at the present the Democracy is
confronted by condition fully as detri-
mental as the one that confronts Popu-
lists. There is one trait in the Demo-
cratic character that stands out pre-emi-
nently over all others, and that is love
for Office. A Democrat will accept any
kind of a platform if convinced that
there is an office at the other end of it.
Therein lies their danger. The electoral
votes of New York, New Jersey and
Connecticut are almost indispensable to
Democratic success. These states can
not be carried with free silver as the is
sue. In fact, no state north OF the Ohio
and east of the Mississippi can be car
ried by the Democrats if the campaign
of 1898 is repeated. This the Democracy
knows. This Bryan knows. Even in
the West free silver has lost it's potency
as a certain Office getter. The North
west is returning to it's allegiance to the
Republican party. Nebraska was saved
to the fusionists by scratch. Every
where that silver was the issue in 1898
the party was weaker than in 1896.
While this is true as to silver, there are
yet still other stumbling blocks in the
path of Democratic success next year.
If silver is abandoned there is no pos
sible chance to effect fusion arrange
ments with Western Populists, and that
means the certain loss of every Western
state carried by Bryan in 1896. 1t not
only means the loss of these Western
states, it means very much more.
The agitation of the silver question
has had the effect of educating the peo-
pie along the lines of monetary reform,
and they will not be easily drawn from
that proposition. While the silver
question is not paramount in Importance
it's discussion has brought before the
people some of the most important
phases OF the money question and pre-
pared the way for more advanced
position.
When the insincerity of the Demo-
cratic leaders is known, it will have the
two-fold effect of alternating from their
support the honest fusion Populists, and
that class of Democrats who are sincere
and in earnest in their efforts Ior none
tary reform.
When this takes place, as it surely
will, there is no place for those voters
to 60 but to the Peoples party.
While there are many Democrats who
will remain with the party, no difference
what it does, there are thousands who
will turn their backs upon it as soon as
it repudiates it's 1896 platform.
These are the elements of danger that
confront the Democratic party organi-
zation. To succeed they must have the
earnest support of the gold-bugs of the
East, and the money Of the trusts for
campaign expenses, while the Populists
and Free Silver Republicans of the West
must be lined up for the ticket It is
going to be very difficult to effect this
combination. Numerous conferences
have been held within the past few
months by the Crokers, Belmonts, Har-
risons, Stones and lesser leaders. Two
plans have been suggested. One is to
re-afirm the Chicago platform, add
planks against trusts and imperialism
and renominate Bryan. The other is to