The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1900-10-03


40 the Peoples party was In 1896 form
q sort Of comradeship. united and
cemented by fraternal ties. Our party
organisation extended to every county
and election precinct IN the state. and
had already given hundreds Of countv
offices to men within our ranks.
In 1894 the Peoples party had tough:
in deadly combat with the Democratic
party for second place among the polft-
ical parties in the state and come out
victorious. At the beginning Of the
campaign Of 1896 the odds were all in
our favor. It was a moral certainty
that II the Peoples party were let alone
It would practically assume the rank
the ease in other Western and North
western states.
ITO save themselves and their party
from extinction by Populism the Dem
.ocratic leaders got up the scheme OF
fusion. They pretended to reform their
party TO suit the Populists. brought
out Bryan, the Demo- Pop, to serve az a
bait, and secured the cooperation OF
certain leading Populists in choppins
up the Peoples party into mincemeat
to be fed into the lean carcass OF the
Democratic donkey. In this state. how
ever, there were serious difficulties to
overcome in getting the Populist meat
into the belly of the donkey. because a
large ma 1ority Of the Populists had
formerly been lifelong Republicans
and still retained their prcjudices
against the Democratic party.
I'm this dilemma the Democratic
leaders got up the brilliant idea OF a
free silver Republican party, a sort of
political mongrel. a triple cross be-
tween the cattle. elephant and donkey
species, to act as a medium through
which the Populists of Republican an
tecedents might be led into the Demo
cratic fold Charles A. Towne of Du-
luth and John Lind of New Ulm were
selected as star performers in the
comedy in Minnesota. What followed
il history and need not be repeated
here.
Now, I do not really blame the Dem
ocratic politicians for fighting. by fair
means or foul. their rival. the Peoples
party. Self-preservation Is the firsl
law of nature. But I do think that
! John Lind did not do the fair thing
when he consented to allow his popu-
larity and influence to be used against
the Peoples party and In favor Of tho
Democratic party. Without the PEG.
pies party Organization John Lind
could never have been made got s.ss1or
OF Minnesota, and yet no sooner was
he elected than he began pulling every
string in his grasp to build up tbs
/, Democratic party at the expense Of the
Peoples party.
! "Reviewing the movements Of the
| fusiOnists during the last four years
| and especially in the light Of recent
events. am satisfied that John Line
was genuine Democrat as early a.
| 1886. but that like Towne. he has il
turn been playing silver Republican
and orphan at easy stages. in 0rder 4
Z q able to copdfct~the wild and rsfrac-
| tory Pops over the rough and rugged
road from Populism to Democracy.
For instance. ct the Populists' state
| eonventton In Minneapolis In 1895 some
/ leading Ropulisss desired TO see Mr.
| Lind 1ace to face and ash him some
J PLATA questions ~ TO his relation 70 thl
| two paTties-ths Democratic and Pop.
ulist--in ease he should be elected. HI
was In Minneapolis. but he could not
be located ~ the Popuhsts In question
| although the fusion leaders had him
| where they could put their fingers a.
him 1t any time. After his nomlnatior
| he was brought In the room 20 nnakl
his little speech to the convention, and
after II vas made he vanished a. sud.
i denly - he appeared. Now, John Lind
have every reason to believe, knew 81
this desire on the nart Of many prom.