The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-08-27
MAINE POpULISTS

WuIV6 VI O2sVtV
National Committeem an Smith Says Pop
ism in Maine IL Not Dead but
Sleeping
THE communication below was
dated July %, but did not reach The
Independent until July 28-too late for
publication before the Denver confer
ence. However, as giving an insight
into the situation in Maine, it's publ
cation now will be helpful. II Mr..
Smith had used the word democrat
instead of ''fusionist," where he speaks
OF gallant Tom Watson, it would have
been more in accordance with the
facts. Here in Nebraska We had four
Watson and four Sewall electors. 1t
is highly probable that Bryans defeat
in 1896 was in no small measure due
to keeping SeWall on the ticket.-Ed.
Ird.)
Editor Independent: l received your
communication of May Is, also circular
letter of May 16, and several copies OF
The Independent | must congratulate
you on the noble work you are doing
in trying to gather our struggling
forces together for the coming fray.
In my humble opinion there never
vas a time in the history OF our coun-
try when reform was more needed
than now. Nor were the people ever
Eore dissatisfied and more ready for
a change than now. 1t therefor be-
comes the duty of every reformer. and
all of those who are opposed to the
two old parties, and who know our
whole social and economic system is
wrong. to assist in breaking up this
hellish oligarchy which will engulf
this nation and make a race OF slaves
more cringing and dependent than ever
chattel slavery was in it's worst form.
/ believe there will be divided
democratic party and dissatisfaction
in the republican party in 1904.
Now is the opportunity of the peo-
pies party; will we grasp it? | think
so.
It is with pleasure that I see the two
wings of the peoples party coming to-
gether.
rot dead, but sleeping. We have no
state organization at present. We are
waiting for the south, and west, to
start the ball rolling; then Maine will
wake up with her old-time vigor as
she did when we cast $4,000 votes for
the national greenback party-before
fusion cast her blight upon us.
The socialists of Maine and Massa-
cilusetts are hurting us some just now,
but socialism stands no show for
power; it is visionary and spasmodic.
II the people will not grasp populism
they will certainly not embrace social
ism. If they wish to become a factor
they must come back to the peoples
party.
| make a prediction. We hear it
said that the democratic party is dead.
The democratic party will never die;
it. don't know enough to die. But the
republican party will go into dissolu-
ton. 1t will die from It's own strength
and corruption and on its ruins will be
built up new party of the people from
the better element of that party and
democrats of the Bryan type. And
when the new party shall have accom-
plished it's mission and outgrown its
usefulness it will follow its predeces-
sors, the old federal, whip, and re-
publican parties, and on its ruins will
be built up new PARTY of the people
with new issues to combat tho demo
cratic party; for into the democratic
party all exploiters of labor will 60
These things must be or this republic
will be destroyed and all liberty lost
The fusionists made one of the
greatest mistakes of their life when
they threw gallant Tom Watson over
board and Endorsed Sewall. Watson as
statesman was to the wage-slave
what Phillips as an orator was to the
chattel slave.
If the fusionists had stood by Wat
son, Bryan would have been elected
He only needed about 500 votes in five