Willmar tribune., 1902-04-09
WEsENbERc's OLD TUNE.

WESEWbERGS OLD TUNE.
The Duluth Skandinav, which has
taken for its work. the turning Of all
populists into the republican party,
devotes a couple of columns in its last
issue to attacking the address issued
by the editor of this paper by direc-
tion of the state committee OF the peo.
Piles party. The TRIBUNE will not
dwell on the re flections on the editor
and the charges Of attempting to re-
habilitate the peoples party on pur-
pose to sell it out to either the repub-
licans or democrats. 1t would be just
as easy to cast sretlections on the
Skandinav, and insinuate that the to-
kens of improved financial conditions
in the business. office of said paper
which the paper Enthusiastically exhibits
are due to its flop. But this is a mat
ter of principle, not personal m matters,
and these insinuations will have no ef-
feet on thinking people. AS Wesen-
berg still claims to believe in the prin-
ciples of the peoples party it becomes
only a question of deciding how those
principles can best be brought before
the American voters for discussion
and decision. He wants the populists
to join the republican party and try
to reform that party through their in
6uence at the primaries. We fail to
see how this can be done. In the first
place, populist cannot vote the re.
publican ticket at the primaries. He
will have to vote their ticket blind this
year in order to gain a standing il
the party two years hence. How can
man who believes in. the principles
of the peoples party vote the repub-
lican ticket? The populist believes in
bimetalism. While the immense gold
production Of recent years has to some
extent relegated this question to the
rear, we have no assurance that this
will continue. If the gold supply re-
turns to its normal proportions the
demand for the metals in the arts will
soon reduce the supply so as to cause
money stringency and bring the old
question to the front. The republican
party stood for gold monometalism at
the time when gold was scarce, show
ing that it wanted dear money How
can q populist vote for that party?
The populist believes in government
issue of paper money; the republican
party is opposed to it and wants to
give the banks monopoly of the is
suing of money. How can populist
vote for party so Numerically op-
posed to one of the principal planks in
our platform. Thei populist believes
in government ownership of railroads.
How can he vote the same ticket that
the railroad magnates support with
al their power9 The sspopulist be-
lieves in government by the consent
OF the governed. {: How can he vote
for a party that openly violates this
fundamental principle of our govern
'nen,? In short, every plank in the
republican party, and every position
aiken by that party on the burning
questions of the day is anti-populistic.
For the populists to join that party in
the hope of reforming it would be
about as sensible as for a regiment of
soldiers OF one army to join the entire
'rmy OF the enemy in the hope Of capt
uriug it.
The populist who can swallow the
republican doctrines as preached to-
day ought to join that party immedi-
ately. If the Skandinav believes in
said doctrines it is in duty bound to
advocate them. But it should not try
so lead them on any such stools er-
randi as to attempt to reform the re-
publican party by joining it.
The only way to preach principles
effectively is to have a party behind
them. True, those who bear the brunt
of battle in this fight must not expect
any personal reward. It will be a
long fight, and may at times appear
almost hopeless; but If our principles
IRE right they will triumph ultimately.
We are willing to work together with
all who haye the same end 10 view,
but we can see no sense in joining an
organization that has persistently op-
posed every material point in our
platform.