The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-08-13


suppose that spontaneously and nat
urally out of this situation third par
~ should spring into existence. 1t is
orly under similar circumstances that
successful! third parties ever do appear.
Those were the circumstances that
gave birth to the republican party IN
the national politics of the fifties, and
to the populist party in the western
and southern politics of the nineties
Suppose, then, that these things should
happen, what part would the paper Or
-ganization prematurely projected at
Denver play? 1t is not difficult to pre-
dict with an almost absolute certainty
of verification.
The paper organization would well
come the revolters, saying: Come
along with u.s." 1--WE are the original
Jacobs" I'VE date back to the Omaha
platform . ETC., Don't set UP for your
selves, but join us" But the revolters
would not join them-not unless they
happen to be very different from all
the political revolters of the past un-
der similar circumstances. They
would not take the paper organization
6SIlOuSly, dAu lAotCNu VI JOAAA~o
they would rush into the formation OF
an entirely new party. This might De
very inconsiderate on their part, but
it is what they would do; and it would
be the natural thing to do, if the wave
of revolt were really produced by an
urheaval OF sentiment among the com
mon people. Then what? Would the
Taper organization dissolve and 60 in
to the new and spontaneous move
ment? Most of the rank and file
would, perhaps, and SO would such CT
its leaders as were at once intelligent
and disinterested. But the paper Or
ganization would be kept up, on plu-
tocratic money, by grafters anu their
dupes; it's remnant of managers and
managers would raise a hue ard cry
for loyalty to the brave organization
that had stood up for Righteousness il
the discouraging days of small things;
and, mere skeleton though it would be,
it would be utilized by the old parties
as club with which to demoralize and
beat back their really dangerous en-
envy. This prophecy of future posi-
filities is based upon the evidence OF
raSt experience.
Under no circumstances can the Den
yer organization rise above the grade
of a side party; and real fight be-
tween democracy and plutocracy fur
nishes opportunity for the designing
and more astute among the leaders OF
side parties to put them into the ser
vice of plutocracy as guerrillas to
make confusion among the commons.
1t would have been the part of wisdom
had the Denver conference adopted a
different policy. 1t would have served
its cause better by recommending q
suspension of organized action. and
fostering among those it represented
that virtue of patience, in which re-
formers are extraordinarily deficient,
but which is as necessary in political
warfare as the virtue Of perseverance
with which they are abundantly sup
Ilied.
The Minneapolis Journals cartoon
list tried his hand at picturing Thar
mony in the Populist Party" An old,
long-whiskered farmer sitting on a
dry-goods box, bow in hand playing a
harmony" on his reform whiskers,
which he uses in place of violin. The
music rack is labelled Omaha Plat
form" Hat, "Pop Party"
PAUL DIXON PLEASED.
The united peoples party. That
sounds good.
Part of the work of the organization
committee appointed at Denver will be
tc bring populist harmony in the
states where there are conflicting COM
mittees. This will be easy work now
Populists probably would never have
reunited had conditions remained the
same. The bulk of the western pop
ulists were thoroughly convinced that
the democratic party had been cap
tured by patriotic and progressive men.
while the southern populists knew, or
thought they knew, that the nomina
ton Of Bryan and the adoption of the
Chicago platform by the democratic
convention was merely a politicians
trick. But conditions >have changed
and there is no hope now, even among
western populists, that reform will be
obtained through the democratic party.
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