The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-10-23
Circular no. i.
To the Peoples Party Voters of
Idaho

Our purpose IN giving thepub-
lie an authorized statement at
1his time, is simply that of max
ing our position clear upon the
political questions that are now
before the people for solution.
There have been so many contra.
dictory statements in the press,
and so many different opinions
as to the position of the Populist
party in the state campaign, that
we deem it necessary to have an
authorized statement from those
who know the facts.
The one thing desired by the
Populists of this state is the cleo
tion of Bryan to the presidency.
To that end, and with it only in
view, they are in favor of form
ing close and harmonious union
with the democrats and silver re-
publicans in this campaign. They
favor the return of someone to
the United States Senate who is
not in sympathy with the policy
of the republicon party, and they
also desire the triumph of the
fusion state ticket in this state.
We make this statement deliber-
lately because we are in touch
with the rank and file of our
party. and we know whereof we
speak.
Our purpose has been to form
a harmonious fusion of all silver
parties. With this end in view
it has been our desire to secure
an agreement between the three
silver parties whereby the NOM
inees of the the three parties
should be the same. Before en-
tering into into negotiations with
the democrats, we secured the
opinion of every leading Popu-
list in the state, and through our
committeeman felt the pulse of
the Populist vote. The result
was an expression of opinion ab-
solutely overwhelming In favor
of fusion.
Since ascertaining this, it has
been our desire to promote a
union with the other two parties,
and after the agreement was
reached with the democrats, we
attempted to secure the declina-
tions of our nominees who were
to give place to democrats, and
while we had all these declina-
tions, or the promise of them, at
an early stage of the. campaign,
yet some influence has lately
been at work that has prevented
our getting a few of such decli-
nations.
Knowing, as we do, that the
great body of Populists wish a
fusion and approve the one form
ed by US. we shall give our un-
qualified support to the regular
fusion ticket. We do not sane
ton the action of those populists
who have been and are now
standing in the way of harmon
ious union, and we cannot see
our way clear to support them,
either openly or secretly. We
urge every populist to support
the regular fusion ticket, and we
believe that practically all of
them will do so.
1t may be urged that we have
Exceeded our authority in ar
ranging this fusion, but in reply
we would say that, while the
state convention made no fusion
with the democrats, yet there is
a power to which we owe a high
er allegiance than we do to the
state convention. The populist
voters of the state almost with
out exception have declared that
they favored this fusion, and it
is to them that we owe our al
legiance. The state convention
in the heet of passion did not
unite with the democrats; the
populist voters, after cool and
mature deliberation, declare in
favor of it. We can do nothing
else than to obey the voice soi
our people, rather than to tech
nically stand upon the failure OF
the populist convention to dc
that which the populist voters
sent them to Pocatello to do.
But the committee was great
! ly hampered in its purpose to
form a fusion with the demo
crats by the efforts of some OF
our own people to prevent such
action. All kinds of arguments
were advanced as reasons why
such action should not take
place. Schemes untold were un-
folded looking to a straight tick
ct. Those pursuing this course
blindly shut their eyes to the
unanimous sentiment of the
party. and advocated such ac-
ton as would be hailed with
SatiSfaption hv tho repuhlieau