The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-08
NO UNION CONVENTION.

Seattle. Wash, May 7. 1900
To the Editor: My attention has
been directed TO circular signed
Il. d. Mclaughlin. chairman Peo-
pies party state central committee. O.
thousand copies of which have been sent
broadcast throughout the state accom-
panied with Il request for an immediate
answer. ! know OF no old-time '92 Popullst
in Seattle who has received one. couple
of paragraphs from II are quoted that the
reader may understand the scope Of the
article and also appreciate my criticism
II reads in part as follows:
Il would therefore like, that you learn
as soon as possible what names our people
In your county desire to propose II any.
as nominees of our party for any of the
offices to he filled: and that you inform mo
of such preference, with the reasons for
their choice, at your earliest convenience.
"Wiil YOU also inform me as soon as you
can canvass the matter. IL our people in
your county prefer to stand alone this
year, or to effect some kind OF alliance
with the Democrats and Silver RcpubIl-
cans, and II the latter. what In their
Judgment, is the best plan upon which
such alliance should be made?
Fusion. such az We have formerly had
does not seem possible to many Of us.
while a union convention. with equitable
representation to each Of the parties there.
to; with the delegates appcrtioned 20 each
party thereto selected In each 81 the corn-
ties by the county conventions cf each such
party; each party having its appropriate
voice in the nomination OF al candidates
and other business OF the convention. and
which will adopt a platform In line with
those lately adopted In Nebraska and Ore
gon seems TO meet the approval Of many
Populists. and TO be considered the best
and most reasonable plan yet proposed
I'VE DO not believe that our PARTY organ.
ization should be Abandoned; nor that we
should I'm case OF any alliance. surrender
our party autonomy TO any greater extent
than is necessary TO be done by the o her
parties thereto"
Following the above circular the word
has been passed that a state convention
composed Of 20 Democrats. 100 silver Re.
publicans ard 20 populists would make
such n union convention as would reafflrm
the Omaha platform and give the Populist4
a fair representation On the ticket Rui
suppose II WON'T Suppose ifiy-one 81 the
silver Republicans go with the Democrats
and adopt the name q "DaDoc stic t-cket'
for their roster7 Suppo@e they throw va
down real hard. what is 20 be dane7 J,
win then be too late % do anything bat
lament lack Of wisdom. and feel rernorss
at having abetted the destruction II our
PARTY organization. l. there not a better
safer and nanlier course 70 pursuep While
the state chairman sayE Fusion. such az
We have formerly had. does not seem pos.
sihls 20 many of u.s." question the sound.
ness % hls opinion. Why can we not fnsa
as we did I'm 1857 VIII not those present
office holders who have recently becorno
apostate P0pulists. trust their rensmfna-
,ion to any but Democratic conventions
Those men who we're chosen AZ FLeug-
burg by Populist convention mus. brln
back their credentials 70 their source Of
power and give an accounting OF their
stewardship. But there's the rub. Their
apostasv can be politically justified only
by sanction az their electors The neces
sity fer this can be avoided only by hold
Ing such a union convention ar is inquirel
for by the Mclaughlin circular. 10
Democracy az Washington has always cen
depended on by the Republican party 10
do the wrong thing at the right time. BY
insisting on the proposed method If a
union convention every nominee therefrnm
VIII he defeated by a0.Ga votes The Pen
pies party is as dgniied in numbers as "a
the Democracy. AZ a distinct organization
IL is entitled to treat with Representatives