Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-07
HAS HAD ENOUGH OF FUSION
Hon. 3. N. Webb Of Custer Tires Of Raking
Ont Democrat Ohestnuts.
sEIs HARaNeTON KNEw ms BusINLss
one OF Me- who Helped Found the
POpulist Party Prefers RepubIiean-
tam 90 Tramckinp in PoIit-
ica1 Principles.

NJ. webb Of galloway. one OF the founders
Of the populist party and who wss a popu-
list member OF the state legislature from
this district q few years ago. Is out IN a
scathing letter In which he ~denounces the
fuslonists OF the state and county. and de-
clares he intends 10 vote the republican
ticket this fall. Mr.. Webb's letter is q very
interesting one. He writes:
IAN will now admit that NJ. c. Harring-
ton in 1898 was a political prophet. In his
famous letter to Juan Boyle that year he.
said; We must accept the inevitable. : .
There Is only one year to wait. and fusion
VIII be all over. There Will be but two
parties, and the recognized leaders Of the
democratic party now VIII be recognized
leaders then. Submit gracefully
when the fuslonists met at Grand Island.
hauled dow the popuIist flag. hoisted the
foul rag OF the democratic party and nomi-
mated upon q platform acceptable to demo-
Gratis a democrat for governor. who acted as
democratic committeeman under Cleveland
and opposed KEN in his hrst campaign for
congress. they not only humiliated and in
suited every self-reapecting p~opuiist In the,
sta.e. but turned the last screw in the coffin
lid Of the once proud populist party Of Ne
braska.
W NIG Au0A0M UDnNI8 VI C08tEA OO4hAN
met In convention and, at the solicitation Of
q mere handful of democratic allies Cali
lies') hauled down the populist nag IN the
county which gave the party birth and
nursed II until II became powerful and
strengthen they adopted resolutions that
no honorable popuIist cared to recognize as
being even Of remote populist origin-and
nominated q lifelong democrat to head the
county ticket. they not only sealed the
party's death warrant in this county, but
committed a crime against the integrity Of
the party. It's pledges and its own member
ship unequalled in the annals Of political
treachery and dishonor. Platform pledges
and resolutions are the Inducements offered
by a political party for the votes OF the peo-
Pile. They are the party's sacred promise
to do specific things. and are rs morally
binding upon a political party as any pledge
or agreement between man and man.
Go Back ON Premise.
'Put a few short months ago the fusion
and anti-fusion pops met at Broken Bow
in Joint conference. to arrive at a basis Of
understanding regarding the future policy
o. the party. At that conference resolu-
tions were adopted pledging the populist
party Of the county against any further
fusion In county, state or nation, and
agreeing to work on independent llnes. AS
q result Of the adoption Of these resolutions
- =..h skss understanding the mid-road-
ers were induced to disband their orsani-
cation, retire their COMMITTEES and return
70 the fold, believing that this pledge.
given at such a time and under such con-
ditions. would be faithfully and religiousIy
kept.
mo one then dreamed that any set Of
fusion 'heelers.' no matter how degenerate
would be braEen enough or foolish enough
within q year to place the party in q posi-
tion to be condemned by friend and foe as
an INSCRIPTIONS liar and pledge breaker.
But II has actually been done and popullsta
are now asked TO submit gracefully. in
plain English, to become democrats.
Certainly a party which Ii guilty Of
breaking Its pledges TO the people and OF
practicing the meanest kim Of deception
on its own membership "a unworthy OF
public coincidence or respect, and the man
who Is following such a party expecting to
get reform may as we'll hang his harp on
the willows.'
Just why $4,000 populists Of Nebraska
have been smothered to death and smoked
out by the 5000 democrats WHO followed
Mr.. Bryan out Of the democratic state con-
vention In 1895. Is no longer 8 debatabIs
question. Instead Of fulfilling the grand
work which Its founders intended and
which the rank and hle intended. the pop
uIist organization In this state has been
used as a mere tag for democratics to play
with. Up 10 1895 Mr.. Bryan had no party
following In Nebraska worth mentioning.
He was too much OF a democrat to become
3 pcpulist. but he aspired to national lead
ership and wanted a prestige. a following
to stay him up IN his struggle. not for pop
ulist principles. but for the supremacy Of
Bryan In the democratic party. To obtain
this prestige for Bryan fusion was born.
To maintain this prestige for Bryan pop
ulism was killed.
Perry Beyond Salvation.
'saitpetsr won't save the party. Bryan
don't want 10 and the fusionists can't.
Yet they hlunder ahead. bllndly and with
out hope. stiIl following the uncertain
footsteps Of q democratic politician who
has been twice repudiated By the sober
sense Of the American people. and twice
turned down by the sober Judgment OF his
own party.
one expects q democrat 70 read.
but the tine has come When every fusion
populist should be able TO read On every
0AL11AAtAf AZ ANNAt "A.AW8I - ~ NNAAN
crossroads these words; weighed IN the
balance and found wanting. II they can
not read them now. perhaps they can in
November when democrats. fusocrats and
several other kinds Of Gratis viii be buried
IN the same ditch.
when republicans left their party in
the early 900 70 join the populists. Il wa
was a big step. While the party was true
to its pledges they voted with it. Now that
the party has merged into the democratic
party. they will return TO their former AZ
niiations and ! glory In their spunk. / am
eoing with them. ! shall never again vote
with a party that Is ashamed to fight under
It's own nag At the coming election l shall
vote the republican ticket. a. the speediest
means Of Kidding the state Of political traf-
hckers. traders and double dealers, ana rs
the only means left to maintain the dignity
and honor Of respectable American citi-
zenshi9. z. n. WEBB"