The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-06-29
che Cable Is Spread.
Organization
Department.

(Send letters for this department to
DR.. H. B. Fay, Al Washington avenue
south, Minneapolis, Mimi
James H. Ferriss, in the the Joliet
News of June 16, in an outline OF what
he expects will be done at the Buffalo
conference next week, states that Sen
ator Marion Butler, of North Carolina,
national chairman of the [despoilers OF
the1 Peoples party, will speak for the
Populists."
God pity Jim's judgment
AWFUL.
A Populist, otherwise truly good,
writes this week: Il cannot work unless
l think there is a show OF success. y
Cannot work unless there is show Of
success, brother? Can you not look
any higher than the pie-counter? Re-
call anti-slavery days! The black
devil, fresh from hell, by whispering to
many Populists not to work until there
is a show of success" has brought, by
these contemplate words, Populism
into reproach as being of party COM
posed only of discordant elements, mall
contents, without an ennobling motive
power. The highest possible success
known is to acquaint those in your pre-
cinct, brother, with the principles of our
national and state referendum plan Of
organization. Show the rank and file"
how they can thus not only take the
power out of the hands of political
bosses and venal newspaper men, and
set it up in club in your own farm
yards, and you have won success. Then
you can Idle game"
A GOOD LETTER.
A report comes that it was announced
by one Jones, of Texas, and w. S. Nor
gan, of Arkansas, that their states re-
spectively could not and would not
adopt the precinct or club system of Or
ganization recommended by the con-
natl and Endorsed by the national Or
ganization committee. This is to be
regretted by every true Populist because
it implies reputation and disunion. In
1892 the campaign following the Omaha
convention, the Populists of Texas Or
ganized over $500 local clubs. With
the exception of few large towns, the
entire state was covered with them.
The result at the election in November
of that year surprised even themselves.
The POpulist vote reached over 100000,
but little short of $4,000 votes for every
1000 club organizations. In the follow
ing year these clubs were allowed to
dissolve and scatter, very grave mis-
take. 1t is undeniable that If these
clubs had remained intact the circula-
ton of our reformed press would have
been much larger, the bulk of our liter
ature augmented and the Populist vote
much larger in 1894. So in the face of
these facts, this man Jones announced
that Texas will not again go into the
club organization. 1 think these two
gentlemen are both mistaken. 1 am
slow to believe that the reform press of
Texas and the rank and file of the party
throughout that state and Arkansas are
prepared to repudiate the plan of the
national organization committee, and
thus endanger the harmony of the Pop
ulist party. I believe that the work Of
organization will go on in these two
states, nevertheless, impeded and op-
posed somewhat, perhaps, by a class Of
men who claim to be managers and
bosses, who, if the club organization
prevails, must unite with them and take
their chances or drop out altogether.
They prefer neither but are in favor of
line of campaign policy by which they
themselves can become prominent.
There is another class of men in both
Texas and Arkansas calling themselves
Populists who have been greatly scared
by the shadow of Marion Butler, for I
understand that Butler opposes the
club organization system. He is aware
EDITORIAL COMMENT