The representative., 1900-03-15
POPULIST. NOT MONOPOLIsT.

Editor Representative: e. A. TWitch-
ellis comments on my letter in your last
issue need a little attention from me lest
the kinks in his string Of absurdities
trip some loyal Populist to a bad fall.
: E. A. T. says 1T is not denied that some
few men blew up some mining property
1t is more than probable that not over
three or four men were guilty
j. r. Sovereign, former grand master of
the Knights of Labor, says in his testi
mony before the house committee on mil
itary affairs, sit was evident there was
preconcerted action in blowing up the mine
and in an article published in a paper
edited by him the following appears:
Bunker Hill Destroyed One thousand
determined men wreak vengeance on the
scab NINE" The article said that half of
the 1000 men were masked and armed
with Winchester rifles, and described the
aWe-inspirng scenes as 900 pounds of dyna-
mite were placed under the mine concen-
traitor, one of the largest in the world and
it was completely wrecked after three ter
rife explosions.
Now l contend that 1000 men are not a
"feW," and that 500 masked men indicate
many were guilty, not three or four" as
Twitchell seems to think. But no mat
ter whether the number be three or
hundred, every man of them ought to be
most severely punished according to my
idea of law and order
if man is fool enough to march with them
he must suffer the consequences. No hon
est, law-abiding citizen ever gets in such
a gang. innocent miners do not carry
guns, clubs, stones and go masked. II a
thug gets shot or pinched he will try to
get out any way he can, that is demon
strated in ever criminal court in the land
but the protestations of a Hayward or
BliXt or any other bad man carries no
weight. except in the minds of prejudiced
friends. Permit me to say that if more
Popuists would ask sensible questions
swer them fairly and honestly, instead Of
by slurs, inuendoes and stringing together
lot of sophistry and false conclusions. to
try to bolster up bad cause, that Popu-
lism would not SO often stand for damfool-
ism as it does today in the minds of the
public, thanks to the persistency with
which extreme sOcialistic cranks claiming
to be POpullsts insist teaching princi-
pies which are not to be found in the Oma-
ha platform, such. for instance as single
tax. public ownership of all machinery. ad-
vocacy Of the strike and boycott, and the
continual backing up of these detestable
weapons of barbarous age. Frankly, am
not that kind Of a Populst, and never
was. Because l believed in and advo-
Gated many things to be found in the Oma-
ha platform does not prove that am
obliged to believe in every plank of the
platform and that ought to swear by the
fool talk" of every other man who
chooses to be classed as Populist..
What l believe in that will 1 support,
but that which I cannot approve 1 will op-
pose. and that Is the right and privilege
OF every other man. Rockefeller probably
comes just as near to living up to the law
as ever either Mr.. Twitchell or myself and
he probably goes to q greater extent in
carrying out his monopoly schemes than
does the manager Of the Representative
nf1V hAo ~ a. ohS
quality Of the thing attempted to be con-
trolled. I am much better satisfied, Mr..
Editor, with the Republican idea OF finance
than am with the Democratic hodgepodge
and that was the reason why voted for
Mckinley in 1885, and why will not vote
for Bryan in 1900.
I vote as I talk, always, II 1 can; IL not.
then vote to further my ideas of re-
form as near as possible. certainly
will not refuse to vote at all, and thus
let those whom I consider enemies of nv
country and OF my principles get in a po-
sition to do great harm.
I aim to win, IL possible, but il that is
made impossible by the treachery of a But
Ter or an Owen then I will vote to kill
treachery by voting against the candidates
nominated by traitors. No half way busi-
ness in mine. Win or defeat the fellows
who trip us up is my advice
C. B. MABEN.
The writer of the foregoing letter Is
valued friend of ours and occupies
position in politics which is, to say
the least, unique. 1t has puzzled many
good Populists to determine from his
utterances where he was at
It is only from long acquaintance
that we have been able to place him.
In the early eighties Mr.. Maben was
clearly classed with the plutes, the
capitalistic class of Minneapolis He
was for some years a wealthy land
holder here; his fortune was estimated
high up In the thousands. It is said
that there is everything in mans
bringing up-that man Is largely
child Of circumstances and that educa-
tion and environments make the man.
Whether there be much or little truth
in these sayings, during these years of
prosperity Mr.. Maben became imbued
with plute ideas. OF course when he
owned large Jumps Of Minneapolis dirt
he didn't want any single tax. He
naturally took very decided stand in
support Of vested rights" sacred