The representative., 1900-03-29
KEEP AN EYE ON DEBs.

action in committees, etc. !. ..
KEEP AN EYE ON DEBs.
The Washington Times, good Demo-
cratic paper. speaking of Debs' claim that
he will poll more votes than were cast for
Gen. Weaver, the Populist candidate, says:
Gen. Weaver polled 900 900 votes in 1892
out Of a total Of less than II, ,O0O, 900. and
that II Debs runs over the million mark
1t is safe to assert that fully three-fourths
Of his votes will come. from the element
that would support Bryan were Debs out
Of the field, and that q million votes lured
from the Bryan column will mean the de-
feat of the Nebraskan by q larger popular
majority than in 1896 The Times thinks
that Debs' support will come mainly from
New York. Illinois. New Jersey, and Indiana,
juncture are quite hopeful of carrying. The
Times adds:
The Debs' candidacy will 30 confuse the
issues in the minds of q large element of
New York voters that unless something Is
done to sidetrack him 1t is feared the real
Democratic growth will not be strong
enough to carry the Democratic ticket
through. What il true Of New York In
this particular II true Of the other states
named. Especially can this be stated Of
Illinois, which has in Chicago an element
Of Debsites almost as numerous as New
York city possesses. The question then
Of interest to Democrats 10 how to elimi-
nate Debs from the problem. He cannot
be Influenced by argument. No reward
Of ONCE can be offered him. a. was Of
fered to Powderly by Hanan in the last
campaign for his support Of Mckinley.
Debs' record as q wild agitator precludes
consideration Of his name for any place
of importance in the public service. If,
therefore. the Hannaites are wise-and they
have been called nearly everything else but
f0ols-they will see TO- it that Debs stays
on the track. even II 1t costs them more
money than they had to spend In Illinois
in SO.
The Republicans will not need to use any
money to keep Debs on the track, nor will
1t be possible for the Democrats to buy him
OF with money, for however fanatical Debs
may be, he is honest and conscientious, and
not susceptible to bribery OF any kind. II
he makes the race-and there is every rea-
son to believe that he will-he is going to
be quite an important factor In the cam
paign.
There is no reason why the middle Of the
road Populists shouldn't drop their presi-
Dental ticket and line up for Debs, for
Socialism embraces all there is in Populism,
and something more. This will be the
frst year In which the Socialists have an
peared in the held in a presidential election
with q candidate of national reputation, Of
engaging personality and brilliant oratori-
cal ability 1t IL the custom Of the candi-
dates Of the minor parties to take the
stump. while 1t Is q sort of unwritten law
that the dignity OF tho candidates Of the two
great parties requires them to remain at
home. Bryan broke over this rule four
years ago, and he may DO SO again this
year. II he does, he will find in Debs
foeman worthy of his steel.-Minneapolis
Tribune.
In the foregoing the Tribune loses
sight of the fact that in all instances of
fusion it Is the newer and, more radi-
cal party that yields position and does
the fusing.
If the Tribune's statement lis correct
that there is no reason why the Mid
dle-of-the-Road Populists shouldn't
drop their presidential ticket and line
up for Debs. because Socialism en-
braces all that there is in Populism and
something more" the same logic could
with equal force be urged as a reason
why Bryan Democrats should drop Bry-
an and line up for Barker and Dom
nelly.
The Tribune's apparently inconsistent
advice will. however. be appreciated
when we consider that q union OF the
Populists and Socialists would make
most certain the defeat Of Bryan and
his fusion hackers, and help re-elect
Mckinley. The Tribune is talking for
Mckinley. ev...
There will be lots of surprises next
fall when the canvass shows how many
voters went to the ballot box with
knife up the sleeve for Bryan and his
following.
Thousands Of voters who hardly be-
long to any party in the present chaotic
state OF affairs, even IL they believed
Debs too radical. would prefer to see an
honest man win in the open field in q
fair and manly fight, rather than see
Bryan triumph by the aid Of stolen
Populist votes. The supporters of
both the Cincinnati and Debs tickets
would sooner see both those tickets
pulled down honorably than to obtain
the votes Of some other party under
false pretenses. RI ~
The Tribune may be right II it's idea
is that q Midroad Populist can never
look back, but always looks forward
along the line OF reform.
The Cincinnati people will be glad IN
see the smoke OF Debs' guns in the
coming fight. E.A. r