The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-05-25

lines and associations in order to bring
questions of vital interest to the people
prominently to the front and to keep
them there until they are settled right,
We must stand aloof from all entangling
alliances with either old party.
GROWTH OF THE PEOPLES PARTY.
The history of Populism shows most
wonderful growth, so long as reformers
stood firmly by their principles and re-
fused to compromise with error. It is
true our strength was mainly in the
North, Northwest and South, because
the insidious influence of overgrown
wealth had already sapped the founda-
tion of the Temple of Liberty in the
East, and converted the industrial
classes into state of practical peonage.
But with all the disadvantages under
which this political infant in swaddling
cloths labored, it's demands was so rea-
sonable and it's arguments so convincing
that ere it was six months old it muster
ed an army of 1,055, ,424 as stalwart pa
triots as ever drew blade in freedoms
cause, and in two years this army had
increased to 100000 we'll trained SOL
diers, and their ranks were being re-
cruited daily and hourly from among the
noblest, purest and best in the land. The
West and South furnished the greater
number of the Peoples Party voters, not
because the views entertained by re-
formers were of sectional nature, but
sufferers from the policy inaugurated
and kept in operation by both the old
parties, and it is rational to believe that
had not our leaders allowed themselves
to be beguiled by the old Democratic
hag, disguised as a free silver syren in
1896, we should have had today the Sec
ond, if not the first political party in this
country, harmonious in it's organization;
advantageously .encamped on the high
grounds of principle, inpregnibly in
trenched behind the battlements Of
right, it's council fires blazing with en-
thusiasm and its votaries ready to press
forward when the word of command
shall be given in 1900 to victorious as
sault upon the legions of pelf, plunder
and piracy, who too long have despoi,ed
the wealth producers of the land and
raided every department of our national
government
1t might be interesting to note that in
the election of 1892, the vote cast for
the Peoples Party candidates by Sec
tions, was as follows:
The six New England states...... 6,916
The four Middle States. ...... 26,112
The five Middle Northern states. S9,O66
The Is Southern states. ...... 435, ,O12
The Is Western states. .49S. .318
In 1894 the party standing by the i'm
mortal declaration of principles pro-
claimed at Omaha, refusing to tempor-
ize and fighting valiantly for the eman-
cipation Of labor from the serfdom
which corporate combines and monopo-
listic greed were rapidly fastening upon
the bread winners of this country, it's ad-
herents had increased more than so per
cent over the preceding election, and had
we pursued the same policy the same or
a greater increase might have reasona-
bly, been expected in 1896.
EVILS OF FUSION.
The enemies of the people, alarmed at
the wonderful growth of the reform SEN
timent, set themselves to the task of de-
vising some scheme to deceive the public
anew, and knowing the seductive in
fuence of political ambition selected fu-
sion as the apple of discord to be cast
into Populist ranks.
The Chicago convention, as a part of
the preconcerted plan, appropriated the
free silver plank of the Omaha platform
and the Office holders and Office seekers
in those sections which had shown re-
suits most satisfactory to reformers,
raised the cry of union of forces"
Moved by their own selfish ambition
they were oblivious to the fact that the
very influences which made it possible
for our brethren of the Northwest to ac-
cept William J. Bryan, would have
driven the Populists of the South, had
they yielded to the expediency or argu-
ment to a coalition with the Republi-
cans, or, what in my judgment, would
have been as bad, an unconditional sur
render to their most implacable enemy
and humiliating return to the fold
of bourbon Democracy. Neither alter
native was acceptable to the genuine
Southern Populist and being abandoned
by his Western brother, and unwilling
to surrender to Democracy, or to make
terms with the Republicans, he could do
nothing more than stay in the middle
of the road and watch the procession go
by.
This course of procedure was not of
our own choosing. It was the result of
conditions which environed us, and
while we claim no credit for the con-
stancy and zeal displayed by the South
ern Populists in maintaining the true
faith we trust in the Drovidencn Of God