The representative., 1900-09-27
A FUNNY LITTLE CUSS.

A FUNNY LITTLE CUss.
In speech delivered under Republi.
can auspices at the Fourth ward Re
publican wigwam in this city, last Mon.
day night, w. r. Dobbyn formally an.
nounced his allegiance to the Republican
party.
His audience was composed largely ot
Republicans. Many of his hearers had
read his paper, The Progressive Age
during the campaign Of 1896, when the
entire vocabulary of the professor was
inadequate to express his contempt and
hatred for Republicans.
These Republicans were disguised al
the mans hypocrisy and Kissed him into
silence.
The Tribune tells the story of this
mans shame in the following language:
On the whole. however, the speech and
speaker were we'll received. The audience
OF course. was largely Republican, and II
| gave Mr.. Dobbyn a most cordial reception
His address was somewhat long and dwell
mainly upon the shabby treatment the Pop
ulist party had received at the hands oil
the Democrats. On this subject Mr.. Dobbyr
was most eloquent Ha felt that he had a
grievance, and he did not hesitate to say
SO. Toward the close Of his speech be
took up the question bf expansion, and
ridiculed the idea that this country could
ever be in danger Of imperialism
NEVER FAVORED SILVER.
One statement in MI, Dobbyn's speech
came as surprise to some of his hearers
| He said that he had never been orthodox
from the Democratic standpoint on the sill
| yer question, but that he had fought the
insertion Of the silver plank in the Populist
more that he had never believed the silver
question to be the paramount issue in any
| campaign. rslcn
Mr.. Dobbyn began his address by refer
ring to the rise and fall of the Populist
| party. The movement had its origin, he
said, in the Farmers Alliance party. Then
it became the Peoples party, and finally
was fused out of existence in the silver
| party.
The year 1896, Mr.. Dobbyn said, present
ed crisis in American politics.
| "A pol1tico- psychic wave" he continued
| swept over the country, just recovering
| from prolonged period of financial string
| ency, and up from the struggling masses
came cry for the mobilization of all the
| protesting forces in the hopes of victory
for theory and policy which many
thought could work no additional harm in
| any event, while it might bring to the
| country speedy relief.
| Bryan was nominated by the Populists
| and the Democrats, but he failed to accept
our nomination He thought it would be
bad politics to do SO. Moreover, Tom Wat
son, our candidate for the vice presidency,
] was turned down in favor of Sewall. He
I remained on the ticket, however, and l was
very angry with him for doing so. In Min
| nesota Lind was nominated. He was more
courteous than Bryan; and he accepted our
nomination. but after he had done that he
| refused to fill any dates made for him by
our state central committee, and placed
| himself unreservedly in the hands of the
Democrats. This emboldened the Demo-
Gratis. They felt stronger than their allies,
and they soon made us feel that might
was right All these things were bitter
| pills, but We swallowed them.
PRESENT CONDITIONS DIsTAsTEFUL.
"Now it is four years later, 1900 The
Popultsts held their convention at Sioux
| Falls, and Bryan and Towne were their
| nominees I did not go to that conven-
| tion, but sent my alternate, a man who was
more in accord with fusion than l was my
| self. When l heard of Towne's nomina-
! tiop l at once said he would not be accept
ed at Kansas City and he wasn't. The
Democrats nominated Stevenson, and gave
Mr.. Towne a paltry 60 votes. Thus the ma
tional Populists were left without a ticket
in the field.
I'm Minnesota practically the same thing
has happened. The Populists went through
through the process Of nominating a ticket
in state matters, but the Democracy con-
trolls everything. and the day of the dis
solution OF one of the most honestly con-
ceived movements in the history of Ameri-
can politics has at last come. Honorabl
cooperation has descended to distasteful
abSnrDtiOn tn tho
ticating and swallowing processes of the
Democracy. Look at it in any way the
Peoples party is no more.
Meanwhile events occurred which COM
PEELED this nation to take her Just place
among the powers of the world. SPAIN for
300 years, had been ptacticing the most in
human tyranny upon the lCubans Finally
our government was compelled to interfere
and war with Spain was the result. The
history of that war is told in the happen
ings at Manila Bay and Santiago harbor
It lasted four months and resulted in a
striking reaftirmation Of the potency of
American manhood, courage and ability. It's
net result was TO take us from our place as
hermit nation and Place the mightiest
power in the world. 3
THE POPULIsT's. ALTERNATIVE.
1.-The new conditions growing out of that
struggle forced new political issues to the
fore. Bryan seemed anxious for a new
one was found. OtheTt issues not dis
cussed, are practically forgotten. Imperi-
alism' is the paramount tissue. Mr.. Bryan
has said so. We members of the Peoples
party, without state or national ticket,
and with our own issues overshadowed by
this dominant issue, constrained to
align ourself with one of the dominant
parties. Some of my friends have Joined
the Democracy; but most of the Populists
came from the Republican party in the be-
ginning. and l believe they will return
there"
Continuing, Mr.. Dobbyn ridicelled Mr..
Bryan's contention that this government
should not govern the Fiipinos without
their consent, and said no government in
the world had ever accomplished that mar
vel, rule only by the consent of the gov
erned. Foreigners, women, young men
and boys under 81 years of age in this
country are governed without their consent,
and yet" said the speaker, Mr. Bryan
prates of government only with the con-
sent of the governed. The thing is absurd
1t never has existed and it never will"
In closing, Mr.. Dobbyn announced his
allegiance to the Republican party, which,
he thought. was the party of the greater
America, of progress and advancement
The next speaker WAS DR.. A. A. Ames,
Republican mayoralty candidate. He was
cheered enthusiastically as he stepped to