The independent., 1903-06-04
Fact and Fiction

truth ana error, the IOIIOWlnB eQl-
torial from the Omaha Bee of June
is hard to beat. Tt is fact that the
fusionists in some measure failed to
perform as they promised-but this
was Insignificant as compared to the
failure to redeem pledges made by the
republican party. Timidity was thu
prime factor in bringing about fusion
defeat-the fear to do this or that be-
cause it would bring down the criti
cssms of the opposition. The fusion
legislature was afraid to limit the
clerk OF the supreme court to the SAL
ary named in the cOnstitution-be-
cause it might look like a partisan at
tack on the republican clerk. The fu-
sion regents were afraid to remove
Dean Reese of the university law
school after he had thrown down the
partisan gauntlet and made the race
for supreme judge, all the while
drawing his $4,000 year from the
state. The fusion judges are afraid
to go upon the stump, because some
republican might think it "undigni-
lied and SO on all along the line.
Timidity beat the populists in Kan
sas, it has done SO in Nebraska Start
ing out with a radical platform and
winning, the officers-elect have tried
too hard to be ultra conservative. The
Bee says:
AT THE PARTING OF THE WAYS.
Populism in Nebraska, as in nearly
all the states of the west, had its
origin in the popular discomfort with
railroad domination and extortionate
transportation rates. This sentiment
first took definite shape in the or
ganization of the farmers alliance
and finally eliminated in the peoples
independent party that held it's ma
tlonal convention at Omaha in 1892
and promulgated it's principles in the
Omaha platform.
The new party in its declaration OF
independence denounced the existing
old parties as degenerate and incom-
petent to cope with the great pro-
blems of the hour, but instead of CEN
terlng upon the paramount issue of
antl-monopoly, it scattered it's fire
over wide field and committed it.
self to visionary schemes of reform
that were in conflict with the nat
Iral laws of industrial evolution.
While the rank and file of western
popullsts were greenbackers and did
not believe in metallic currency, they
temporarily abjured their fiat faith
and joined with the bullionaires of
the mining states in the clamor for
the Tree and unlimited coinage of sill
yer. The railroad issue was thus
sidetracked and free silver made the
battle cry.
With the same facility of conversion
the peoples independent party was
switched by fusion from its original
third party independence to become
an adjunct Of democracy. The party
that had been denounced in 1892 as
the spawn of Tammany corruption
became the right wing of the reform
army in 1896. In that memorable
presidential campaign Nebraska was
the storm center and populism tri-
umphed under the flag of democracy.
Not because Nebraska had been con-
verted to free silver, but as the Sc
quence of calamity In the shape of
business depression and two success.
slVe years OF drouth. With the return
OF prosperity and the explosion of the
silver delusion, the only thing that
held democrats and populists together
was the appetite for division of the
spoils. When the state house and
the majority of the county court
houses were reoccupied by republicans
the cohesive power of fusion gradual
ly diminished and the leaders of the
dlslodged parties charged each other
with the responsibility for defeat.
And now the allied forces of reform
find themselves at the parting of the
ways. Ex-Governor Poynter, who
may be considered one of the pop
ulist Wheel-horses, has served formal
notice upon the Nebraska democracy
that the peoples independent party
will henceforth travel in the middle
OF the road without entangling al
liances. Governor Poynter admits
ruefully that the impending reorgani-
zation of the democratic party will
compel populists to abandon the coali-
tion which has proved such disap-
pointment. "The time is now ripe
saws Mr.. Poynter, ito line up the pop
ulist forces on the principles of the
Omaha platform for the fray of 1904.
Whatever disintegration has hap
peDed to our ranks has been caused
by our union with the democratic
party. Independent action will in a