The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-16
No MORE FUSION FOR Tim
z. HI. AUSTIN, OF NATIONAL PEO-
PLIES PARTY COMMITTEE,
WRITES ITO BUTLER
EACH TO Coz IT'S OWN WAY
Thinks That y Uniou ON n National
11cket Is 1nexpedfent and to
the Advantage of Neither
rpf Them.


the national c9mrnittee Of the Peoples
party, has writteR a letter to Senator
Marion ButlerggiFfng his opinion as to
the proper ceuESe for the Peoples party
to pursue in the ndxt national campaign.
lie thinks fusion 4bn rational ticket IS
1nexpedfent; each party should pursue
its own course. Following is Mr. Aus
tins letter:
Dear Sir-Wtth the experience Of 1896
anu lSG0 before US, I am convinced that
fusion upon national ticket, through
the me0um Of national convention, Is
no longer practicable nor desirable. Flu
sion is only applicable to local con iftions
is too large to hold the party under obi
cations to fuse with the same element in
Al localities. Had the PopultSts ut Sioux
Fails nominated candidate of their own
party Tor both president and vice presi-
gent, Mr. Mckinley would have received
FEWER electoral votes than he has now
to his credit With ticket of our own
we could have left the three great par
ties to their respective fates ia such
states as Pennsylvania and Mississippi.
our votes cuts no figure in those states,
{ put III such states as Nebraska, Colorado
ana Kansas union of strength could
nave been secured on the anti-McKinley
electors to a far better advantage than
was obtained In the recent campaign.
without our Endorsement Mr.. Bryan
would have pulled much stronger vote
IN such states as New Jersey, Delaware;
Maryland, Connecticut and New York.
With an Independent ticket of our own
in the field Mr.. Mckinley would have
polled a much smaller vote in South Da-
kota, Kansas and Nebraska. In the East
Democrats voted against Mr., Bryan be-
cause he was populfst; in the West,
PopuliSts voted against Mr.. Bryan be-
cause he was d Democrat
CASE OF WEAKNESS.
In seeking to unite our forces We have
weakened them. Like two drowning men
the parties have held each others hands
While sinking. By our fusion on the ma
tional ticket we have driven all contrary
interests into one solid body, and thereby
greatly augmented their fighting power,
and have at the same time destroyed our
own best energies I'M the various localities
throughout the United States. Democ-
racy is the natural friend of the Popu-
lists in the West and Northwest,
stranger in the East, and a natural enc
my in the South. Therefore, the Popu-
lists must be left free to adjust them
selves to local conditions as they find
them, to fuse or cooperate in their re-
spective localities with any friendly force
they may find at hand. 1 have no faith
in or liking for the so-called Mld-foad
Populist party. Their motives and lead
ers they have had. in the past puts them
out OF consideration. / plead for the
great Peoples party that has come out
Of two great national campaigns with
clean hands and untarniShed honor. The
party tried the experiment, fought brave
~, made great, patriotic sacrifices, dis
from all obligations. Great credit is also
due to the Democratic party that fought
with us. individuals in both the fusion
parties have made mistakes. It is only
natural that such should have been the
case. Sound Judgment must properly die
tate that no censure be made upon either
party as a whole, because of the una
Voidable mistakes of few of the ind1-
vidual members. Experience has brought
wisdom.
GO THEIR RESPECTIVE WAYS
The wisest thing to do now is that each
party shall loose It's hold upon the other
and with mutual good wishes strike out
for the shore. True reform must come
through congress, the several state leg
islatures and the judiciary In trying to
eject executives, We have decreased the
number of both Democrats and PopuliStS
in sepates and houses of representatives,
national and state.
I can conceive of no circumstances
which would justify any other than an
absolutely independent action in the next
presidential campaign I believe mem
bers of the party should be left free and,
in fact, encouraged, to fuse or cooperate
with any friendly element. or use any
other honorable methods, in local cam
paigns, that will bring them victory Es-
pecially should this be their privilege on
legislative and judicial candidates. Wher-
ever exceptionally great men, with un-
usually strong personal and @olitical
qualidcations-for: example, Gov. John
Lind of MnneSota-are available for
ton with another party for their election
must continue to be advisable and could
in no way be Injurious where the party
otherwise keeps itself independent But
i'll all such cases the party in that par
ticular locality should be deemed the sole
judge of the situation and in no wise
subject to censure by the national organ
ization because of local methods applied.
If such a course is adopted at once, l
believe the number of Populists in legts-
latiye halls will increase rapidly. This
iCht ha elp Of ho
next president into the house Of repre-
sentatives, but by that time we have
enough men in that body. to take care of
it, Better risk 1t there in the hands of
congressman than in the hands of the
trusts.
MAJoR1TYs TYRANNY.
We are face toIface with the fulfllment
of De Tocquevifte's Brophecy-the tyran-
mission of the Peoples party to enter
the fight for minority representation and
for public ownership of all public utili
ties. On most EttlB other questions the
us, but on these two issues they dare not
pretend to agree, for to do so would be
to themselves promulgate the doctrine
Of their own destruction. We cannot and
| care not to discard a single principle
heretofore enunciated in our national
| platforms. but we cannot build up a Pc
| litical party with panaceas, cure-allS or
specifics, which cur competitors them
| selves pretend to keep in stock. No other
| party dare oppose public ownership or
| minority representation With our allie
| ginance to the fundamental principles Of
| our party reaffirmed, and a specific dec
| laration for both public ownership and
| minority representation, a new era daWns
| for our party-a dawning that cannot fail
| to bring hope of better things to the peo-
| pie of this country. Public ownership
| will go far toward destroying monopoly.
| Minority representatio ton in the legislative
| and judicial branches IF state and ma
| tional government will create opportunf-
| ties and chances for political prefer
| ment outside the dominant party and re-
| move the ban of social business and po-
| litica1 ostracism from men who have
| opinions of their own and the courage to
| express them.
TINE WILL NOT CHANGE.
This is the way I see things at this
| time am unable to foresee any prob
! able circumstances promised In the fu-
ture that will likely Justify me in q re-
| vision of these conclusions. Your great
| work and heroic self-sacrit1ces In behalf
| of the common people, and my abiding
| faith and absolute confidence in your
personal integrity and sound judgment
! leads me to address to you personally, in
| consequent preference, an opinion in no
| sense private
Minnesota Member, National COMMITTEES
Peoples Party-oEf
WANTED A. WARM COAT.