The representative., 1900-01-25

plain language as politicians ever use
but IL any of our friends doubt the cor
rectness of our reading between the
lines, the following press dispatch, dat
ed Lincoln, Neb.. Jan. 4, 1900, will be
sufiicient to convince them:
"A conference attended by W.. Bryan
was held here tonight by Populist ma
tional committeeman from Western
states, including Messrs. Robb, Of Iowa;
Edmiston, of Nebraska; Rozelle, of
Missouri. and Patterson, of Colorado, as
we'll as representatives of the party
from Wyoming and Oklahoma. One Of
the Populist leaders said the purpose of
the conference was to learn the feeling
in the West on the question of fusion
this year on the Democratic national
ticket. He could not, he said, speak for
the committee as whole, but the senti-
ment in the West seemed favorable to
fusion and to Col. w. J. Bryan as the
nominee of both parties. A question
Informally discussed was a new chair
man of the Populist national committee
and movement was said to be under
way to push J. H. Edmiston, of Nebras-
ka, for the place. Mr.. Bryan was active
in the conference. Chairman Marion
Butler, of North Carolina, has not vet
arrived"
Ye Gods!
The sight of such reformers as Tom
Patterson, Robb, Edmiston and Rozelle,
men who have been selling themselves
openly for the crumbs that fall from
official tables, is enough to make angels
weep! Edmiston would be fit success.
sor to Butler, as chairman, and If no
more subservient, would be more con-
venient for Bryan. Edgerton should be
retained as secretary, of course; and
Jaycay James should be permitted to
name the members of the executive
committee.
In this age of political trade, traffic,
trickery and treason, we assume to
speak only for ourselves, but we want
to repeat here what we have formerly
stated: Others may do as they please,
but for us and our house, WE WILL
NOT SUPPORT BRYAN OR ANY
OTHER DEMO-FUSIONIST ON THE
CONTINENT, we don't care who nomi-
mates him. We are one reformer who
cannot be made to believe Populist prin-
ciples will be promoted by going out
side Of our partry to find candidates to
represent us. and we don't intend to do
it, now or hereafter.
Later dispatches announce that
Chairman Marion Butler reached Lin
coin, Nebraska, in time for that Bryan
Patterson, Demo-fusion conference and
they also disclose the fact that Brieden-
thai of Kansas and Weaver of Iowa
were on hand as large as life, and as if
to add significance to this herding of
political swine and to complete the
roundup of the rooters, Hogg, of Tex
as, with his $50 pounds of avoirdupois,
was conspicuously present. It is openly
stated that the conference related to
the coming national campaign and the
question of the Peoples national con-
vention indorsing Bryan and the run
ming mate to be selected for him, pre-
sumably by the gang congregated at
Lincoln. Weaver, who seems to have
a mania for trading in politics, is quot
ed as saying that "the Populists must
no hn
ticket" and all the other fellows, ex-
cept Bryan and Hogg, are said to have
approved the sentiment. These typical
Democratic worthless simply listened
and-sawed wood. Our Mary Ann ap-
peared to be very reticent. He was
communing with himself, we imagine
something after this wise:
If the Bryan Democracy should con-
sent to permit the fusionists to have
the second place on the ticket, whose
plate but mine would it fall into? Hogg
has already said he would not be in the
way, and my deliberate betrayal of
Tom Watkins in 1896, and my assiduous
labors during the past four years in the
work Of doubling up the Peoples party
and placing it in Bryan's coat-tail pock-
ct, ought to endear me to the Demo-
cracy, and they will take me, il can so
manipulate the Popo-fusion convention
which am now providing for, as to
have
BRYAN AND BUTLER
ticket named by that aggregation Of
traders in and traitors to reform. This
is what am in Lincoln for today. This
is why Allen is writing to committee
men all over the country urging them to
vote for the committee meeting at Lin
coin, Feb. IL. and the convention at
Kansas City at just such time as the
Democratic managers may suggest. AL
len don't exactly say this, Of course, but
that is what he means. II I can only
work this rabbits foot which have
preserved from the Reform Graveyard
Allen and established in 1896, my Do
litical fortune will be immensely i'm
proved, for tied on to Bryan. I become
a beneficiary Of the odious Simmons