The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-11-09
tency enough about 1t to redeem a sin

tency enough about 1t to redeem a sin
gle pledge it would make.
There has never been a time when tho
old parties did not promise the people
enough. The trouble has been that they
would not do what they had promised.
The chief indictment against the politi-
clans of the old parties was that they
were consummate liars. Every Populist.
before the folly of 1896, proclaimed by
tongue and pen that the more the old
parties promised the more they should
be distrusted. At Cincinnati, at Omaha.
at every conference, danger flag was
put up at the pitfall of old party prom
ises. Into this pitfall went the Green
back and Labor-Union parties. If there
was any difference the Democratic party
was more treacherous than the Republi-
can party. AS rule the Republican
party did not promise to carry out Pop
ullst ideas, and the Democratic politf-
clans did. They adopted straight Green
back platforms in states where they
Greenback party was strong and grow
ing. These promises began back as far
as 1868, and continued all through the
subsequent years.
And, oh! how the Democrats prayed
for chance for full power-the presi-
dent and both branches of congress. At
last they got it. And what spectacle!
Grover picked the whole thing up by
the tail and set it on the Republican
trail-the Republicans had been follow
ing for years. The party was nothing
Grover was the whole thing.
And so it goes now. Bryan is the
whole thing. The same men who adj
vised me to vote for Grover are now
abusing me for not supporting Bryan.
And some Populists are among the Bry-
an shouters-at least men who call
themselves Populists. They seem to
forget the danger pit of false promises
They would tear down the danger sig
nails and abuse those who insist upon
keeping them up. They prefer to be-
lieve In lie and be ID
But to return to the disintegration Of
the Peoples party. 1t is little wonder.
It may be guilty of fanaticism. It may
have committed mistakes. 1t may have
advocated visionary and impractical
schemes, but the worst sin it ever COM
mitted was it's dalliance with the rotten,
corrupt and polluted politicians of the
Democratic praty. To have it's once
trusted leaders and advocates to ride in
the same bandwagon with the erstwhile
of the false prophet of Buzz
Yards Bay, the murderers of the Green
back and Union-Labor parties, was a
stain that became a stencil in the nos
trils of thousands of men of all political
parties who had, up to that time, been
willing to accord honesty of purpose to
the followers of the Populist banner.
To assume that the Democratic party
is or can be a reform party is folly
that is objectionable even in a political
novice. Its broken pledges of the past
are a living monument of its present
depravity. Its new promises only adds
to it's iniQuity. Nothing short of sack
cloth and ashes for a thousand years
would answer as sufficient badge of
repentance. Having assailed the ma
,ional public crib with such voracity as
% be kicked out by an indignant peo-
pie, it now seeks to restore itself by the
of every crime in the deca-
ogue. Wherever it has the power and
t is necessary, the sacredness of the
,allot has been attacked and the will
# the people set aside. In one state it
teals the livery of Populism to sustain
tself, while in another it caters to the
interests of Wall street.
The Democratic party Of today is
lothing but an incongruOus and unman-
geable mob with an abnormal appetite
or spoils. Among its devotees can be
ound men of all shades of political be-
ef from ox-cart observatism to double.
cared lightning fanaticism. In its ranks
re men who could join any party on
arth conscientiously and without
hanging principles. A catechism that
,ould embrace the Democratic faith
rould resemble a crazy quilt after hav-
lg been through Kansas cyclone,
leeped in Nebraska blizzard and
corched in hell. II the Democratic
arty were in power today it couldn't
eform lousy hen, because it couldn't
gree on q remedy. II it has any mis-
on left upon earth it is to show what
ind Of a conglomeration of all-around
ranks can exist without tempting the
lercy of God or exciting the wrath of
le foolkiller.