Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-08-13
POP. MANIFESTO
THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE DE-
CiDES AGAINST FUSION
At . Recent Session In Denver. The Com.
mittee Assumes to Speak for the Entire
Party. but will Have to Reckon With the
Rank and File.

Rank and File.
The populist national committee held
. meeting at Denver, and issued mani
festo, reafiirming the Omaha platform
and declaring against utilization with
either the democratic or republican
parties.
Speaking on the subject, Bryan's Com.
moner says:
1t will be noticed that the committee
not only assumed to speak for the party.
but assumes to be the party. 1t says:
1--WE, the populists Of the United States,
having this day at the city OF Denver
united forces," etc. The first questi' n
that arises is, What authority has COM
mittee to decide. in advance q a delegate
convention and without instructions from
the voters, the policy Of the party?
The committee declares that experience
shows the futility of fusion and that "the
time is now at hand when the united
peoples party should declare itself en-
phatically opposed to utilization with
either OF these Republican or democratic)
parties.'
Such declaration would not be out Of
place coming from a committee of the
middle of-the-road populists, for that
party SO declared in the last campaign,
but the regular populists favored fusion
in the last campaign and they have had
no opportunity to speak upon that Ques.
ton since. If the national committee OF
either Of the old parties attempted to
commit it's party to policy Numerically
opposed to the policy of the previous
campaign there would he protest from
the rank and file. Will the rank and Gle
Of the populist party be less firm in their
insistance upon a voice in determining
the party's policy?
In the second place it will be noticed
that the compromise is no compromise
at all but an open surrender OF the regu.
lar organization to the middle-of-the-
road organization. The united party
adopts in toto the policy Of those who in
1896 and 1900 bolted the regular conven-
ton and, while pretending great loyalty
to the populist party, gave what assist.
ance they could to the republican party.
FIN Nebraska the leader Of the middle.oi-
the.road movement OF 1900 demanded
and received Of the republicans federal
Office as a reward. The boilers only
polled about one thousand votes in
Nebraska and the returns showed that
the movement was either insignificant,
or that the men who talked middle-of-
the-road populism voted the republican
ticket. Having helped to defeat the
fusion ticket the boilers now secure from
those who voted the fusion ticket pro-
nunciamento against further fusion.
The most noteworthy part of the new
platform, however, is IT'S failure to deal
with several vital issues of the day.
While it adheres to the party's posi-
ton on the money question it fails to
make specific mention OF the trust ques.
ton or the question of imperialism.
Surely the populists cannot ignore the
trusts which are practicing extortion
without let or hindrance. And what a
travesty to call upon the reform forces to
unite to "obtain proper legislation where
by self government may be had for
themselves and posterity," and then pass
over in silence the assault that is being
made on the doctrine Of self.government
in the Philippines! Solicitude for our
own rights will avail but little if we ig-
more the rights Of others, and party
that is willing to suppress an expression
on so important a subject in order to con.
ciliate the men who helped the republic
cans carry ont an imperialistic policy
will not appeal very strongly to the
friends Of reform.
The new platform also fails to empha-
size the demand for the election OF sena-
tors by the people. This is a reform
which has grown constantly for thirty
years and is the gateway to other re-
forms. Until the senator is made de.
pendent upon the will Of the voters it
will be impossible to secure single ma
tional reform for which the populists
contend.
How can they hope to secure money
issued exclusively by the government so
long as the national bankers control the
senate? Today both Of the senators
from Nebraska are national bankers and
pecuniarily interested in the issue oil
bank notes and yet the united peoples
party is opposed to fusion with the demo
Gratis on candidates who are opposed ia
bank currency. Fusion gave to Nebraska
the only senator we have had in recent
years who defended the interests OF the