The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-03
FROM THE PEOPLE.
AN OPEN LETTER TO PopuLIsTs.

seattle, wash, May 2, 1900.
To the Editor: There are more voters
today than ever before in the state of
Washington who adhere TO the principles
or the Omaha platform. An efficient or
ganization throughout the state will align
the Peoples party in such force that a
forward movement will be made with
every assurance of success What has al
ways been wanting in the party is polit-
ical tact and strategy The astute and
professional politician is not permanently
with the Peoples party, preferring to ally
himself with those other organizations
where reward for his peculiar and really
valuable qualities is more certain and
substantial. The long-haired and impe-
cunious Pop cannot pay for such services,
except In the accidental crumbs of office
which he is now learning have too often
fallen to the unworthy. How rarely do
we hear OF office holders chosen by Dem
ocratic or Republican conventions who,
while yet the warm robe of official COM
fort is about them, enter into compacts
with other political examinations and who
dare openly announce their desertion from
the party which elevated them, On the
other hand, how easily does the nesting
warmed to distinction in the Pooulist
bosom fly to the cage OF that party or
ganization more capable Of appropriately
rewarding,
After polling twice as many votes in
Populist organization loaded itself up
with veritable white elephant in its
fusion with Democracy. Now, after n few
years. as this sacred white pachyderm
moves along, our Populist officials as the
astute politicians were named when they
came from the Populist convention are
nearly all dragging their bellies on the
ground in obseQuious alteration Of 1t.
II the Peoples party ever had a mis-
SION In politics, wherein has this been full
filled that 1t should now go out of bust
ness? In this connection one is amazed
at the course pursued and the position
recently taken by the Populist chief ex-
ecutive of this state in openly declaring
himself a Democrat In looking back
over the political record OF John r. Rog-
ers. now governor, we find in all his many
writings and speeches as a calamity howl
err for quarter of century. that he be-
lieved the one great evil existing in our
national policy was its recognition OF
metallic redeemable money. He thught
that the one only savior for the locust
eaten Kansas farmer and the poorly paid
wage Garner was the fiat dollar. OF the
three great principles announced at Oma-
ha on land, transportation and finance he
has contended that a settlement of the
financial question on fiat basis would
alone and of itself clear the way to uni
versal prosperity. and bring the shower
of mama to the starving millions. He
looked upon the transportation question
as one of minor Importance; while the
land plank, which was written by the
knights Of Labor and in the light of
Henry Georges single tax and Thomas
Jefferson's views, he held in such con-
tempt as to antagonize all the single tax
ers in the state.
We are forced to assume that Gov Rog-
ers antipathy to the two old parties for a
score of years has been solely on the
business and wisdom of fiat money Then
It fs not asking the governor too much to
explain what principle" In the Demo-
cratic platform 1t is that makes more for
his favorite ism" than can be found
equally In the Republican resolutions. 1t
is unquestionably true that both platforms
are for the reconciliation Of silver, one
by international agreement and the other
by act of congress. Now, wherein does
the Democratic more than the Republican
national platform make such a declaration
favoring fiat money that Is stronger in
principle than are the generalities OF the
Republican declarations? What declara-
ton Is IL that excuses the governor in his
unseemly haste to ambe over into the
Democratic pastures? There Is absolutely
no justification or principle for such a
toboggan slide, particularly while he
wears the three links of Omaha placed on
his lapel by Populist convention. A de-
cent REGARD Tor the those earn
est men who intrusted the principles and
autonomy of their party In his keeping at
Ellensburg would have taught him TO at
least not make his capitulation public I'M
til after the party whose servant he is had
spoken. Ut is true that his course might
be squared on the lines of policy, but no
selfish aspiration of his should induce him
TO desert and go over with his legions TO
an enemy. or even an ally He should
first surrender his credentials and then
act as a private citizen. The most hui
initiating spectacle Is the fiddling wanton-
ness with which he has distributed the
patronage of his office TO the detriment OF
his own party organization. and for the
construction OF bridge by which he
might walk over to the Democracy--a
party that haunts his dreams with the
hanshee shrek OF 'redeemable money!
Well may the Populist Spartacus sterniy
demand: What hast thou done with my
legionsF
The cynical feature OF the drama is in
its repetition Of the old, old method. The
bourgeois statesmen fall In the plentitude
OF their power before the fattery OF their
former enemies OF the nobility When tho
soft hand OF aristocracy Is gently laid on
the shoulder of a politically advanced
plebeian. and the scented breath of opu-
lence whispers IN the distended ear of the
essaying parvonu then there Is fall. my
COMMITMENT With all his courage. An
drew johnson thus fell 10 the Southern
Democracy. How irresstIbly pleasing IL
is to have those recognized long as occu-
pviug iordly place tell one that he ia not
a wharf rat simply because he came up
through the sewer OF Populism. How nat
urally does the frog distend himself when
BATTERED by the company Of the OK. How
comforting It Is to be told by the silk
stocking gentry whom one has been fight
ing for a quarter OF century with his
ereenback bolo that they have Just dis
covered nature had misplaced him among
tho common people. as no should always
have been with them--the elitei Old ben
Franklin al Versailles was the simple.
elorlors republican through all the fiattery
%, ROYALTY How few Frankllns has the
party grown.
what a glory would II have been to John
Il. Rogers had he. as executive OF the
state. 50 fortified and strengthened his
marty that the grand work Of education
c,,,tA have gone on faster fin the state nm