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Vol. XV.
LINCOLN NEB., AUGUST 20, 1903.
No. 13.
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SENATOR ALLEN REPLIES
Beffreta Tht the Commoner Should Un
dertake to Undo the Work of the
Denver Conference
Editor Independent: In The Com
moner of the Vih inst. a rather caustic
comment is made on the Denver con
ference address and on the determina
tion of the populists to put a presiden
tial ticket in the field in 1904, and for
declaring itself "unqualifiedly in favor
of national political action." It is as
sumed that the conference did r t have
authority to speak for the party. But
whether that is true or not, it is ques
tionable (because The Commoner is
not a populist journal) whetner it is
in a situation to raise the point of
legularity of the conference's work.
Complaint is made that fusion pop
ulists have surrendered to the middle-of-the-road
populists and it is stated
that the latter supported the republi
can, ticket in 1900.
A general onslaught is made on the
middle-of-the-roaders, they are char
acterized as unreasonable, and it is
said they gave aid and comfort to the
republican party; and other charges
r re made against them.
It is finally urged that an" appeal be
made from the regular populist or
ganization, "to the members of the
j opulist party," to undo the work of
the Denver conference. It is to be re
gretted that The Commoner, as well
as some other democratic papers,
takes the view it does of the situation.
: The tenor, of the article is that the
populist party must be disciplined for
not subordinating its will to "the wishes
of the democratic party. In other
words, that the populist party, must
le destroyed unless it agrees to subor
dinate its wishes anu platforms to the
democratic party's wishes and' plat
forms. Complaint. i3 made "that the action
Oi the Denver conference will have a
tendency to weaken respect for the
Chicago and Kansas City democratic
platforms.
: Let us examine the situation and
eee what the duty of the populists is.
The party was organized in 1890 as a
p:otest against both the republican
end democratic parties and to accom
plish reforms that neither of them
had the . disposition or power to ac
complish. The party has held three
rational conventions and promulgated
three national platforms. It nominated
General Weaver for the presidency on
its first and on the others it nominated
Mr. Bryan, although Mr. Bryan is not
a populist..
A majority of the party supported
Mr. Bryan in 1896 and 1900 and would
support him again if he were a can
tl'date, because they believe that by
l is election some of the reforms which
they advocate would be sooner made
piacticable. But Mr. Bryan, to the
regret of the reformers everywhere,
fn'led of an election.
Populists did not fuse with tin dem
ocrats in supporting Mr. Bryan,- but
made an independent nomination. At
ro time had they any intentions to
abandon their party or to become dem
ocrats, but simply co-operated with
the liberal wing of the democrat;? par
ly to secure Mr. Bryan's election
In the mean time it is doubtful it
the republican pnrty did more io dis
organize the popnlist psrty and to ab
sorb its membership than the demo
cratic party did. Repeated protests
of populists, that the democrats should
not try to disorganize the party, but
let it work out its own problems in its
own way, were ignored and the work
of proselyting went steadily on.
The attitude of The Commoner
makes plain what many populists be
lieve, namely, that it was the inten
tion of the democratic party to absorb
the populists; and now that indepen
dent action has been determined on,
this assault is made on our party ; and
it is evident that if we refuse to fur
ther march in the rear of the demo
cratic column or under its flag we are
to be repudiated and disciplined.
Populists nowhere owe any alleg
iance to either the Chicago or Kan
sas City platforms. It is a matter of
ii'difference to them whether these
documents "are voted up or voted
down." Their. faith lies presented by
the Omaha and subsequent platforms.
These are the tests of party fealty.
Ihe Commoner article makes no refer
ence to these platforms, or to the
duty of populists to support them, but
seems to think that we should desert
cur platforms and make common
cause with the democrats in upholding
the Chicago and Kansas City plat
forms. Why so?
I am quite certain that the asser
tions that the middle-of-the-road
populists are dishonest, is as a rule a
n.istake. There are dishonest men in
all parties and doubtless there are
some in the middle-of-the-road wing
of the populist party; but I am confl
cent that the majority of them were
honest, though mistaken in their ac
tion of 1896 and 1900.
The assertion that "the most note
worthy part of tne new platform is its
failure to deal with several vial is
sues of the day," is a total misconcep
tion of the aim and purpose of the
Denver conference. It was disrinctly
understood that we had no authority
to promulgate a platform and that the
vital issues are continued in the Oma
ha platform of July 4, 1892.
We do repeat in substance the
Eddress, the cardinal doctrines of
populism; but it must be said with a
due degree of modesty that The Com
moner, not being a populist, does not
stand in a position to tell populists
what they shall put in or take out of
their platform or address.
I have been and am yet a firm and
loyal supporter of Mr. Bryan. I would
vote for him for president in a con
vention or out of it, and confidently
Lelieve that the time will come when
he will reach the goal of his ambition
and where, in consequence of his great
ability, he can be of incalculable ser
vice, to the nation. -
But we did not support Mr. Bryan
because he was a populist or because
he accepted the doctrines of our plat
forms; nor are we prepared to say
that, Mr. Bryan himself not being in
the. race, he has any right. to furnish
us a candidate for the presidency or
to direct us as to the course we shall
pursue. . If there was the slightest
hope of Mr. Bryan controlling the na
ticnal convention of his party and re
ceiving the nomination; if it were not
ai parent that the reactionary element
of his party will dominate itsr next
convention, there might be some rea
son for populists to hesitate before is
suing an address to the people. - - ;
Respecting "fusion," or more prop
el ly . speaking co-operation in the
state it will be observed that the op
position extends only to national po
litical action. It was directly under
scod in the conference that each state
should be left to control its own local
affairs; "that the policy of fusion or of
independent action should be deter
mined by parties of the respective
states, and I feel confident that no
member of the conference haj the
slightest intention to refuse honorable
co-operation locally as long as that
can be done to the advancement of our
cause. .
That Judge Sullivan will receive the
nomination of the populists cf this
r.tate and their hearty support for the
gi eat office he has filled with such
signal ability, is a foregone conclu
sion. But assaults on populists and
their motives, and carping cr.-ticism
vill not have a tendency to induce
them to give their full strength to
ctmocratic nominees. It would, in my
judgment, be the part of wisdom for
cmocrats and populists to work in
harmony on issues held in common;
and neither should make any attempt
ai disorganizing the other, but appeal
to the intelligence of the people to
support the party that challenges
their enlightened judgment.
The populist party is a national
entity in spite of protest or bitter
criticism. It will pursue the couise it
thinks wise and best and wih continue
to exist and grow. It has no intention
cf dying.
It is going to considerable length
lor democrats to say that the populist
Tarty should disband and be absorbed
by the democratic party. With equal
propriety populists can say tht the
democratic party should disband and
be absorbed by the populist party
which in my judgment would be the
wirer thing to do.
If indirectly lending assistance to
ihe republican party is a thing to be
avoided, and I think it is, this can be
a? easily accomplished by the demo
crats becoming populists as by pop
ulists ( becoming democrats.
By all means let us have perfect
h&rmony in our local action that we
riay accomplish needed reforms; and
let those who are sneering at and
(.uestloning each other's motives,
cease for the common good.
WM. V. ALLEN,
qajsj 'uostpspj;
Editorial and Other Comment
DflDIII I CM onthe
r II II I I Q If I Denver Conference and Mr.
I W i v ' i i W III Bryan's Protest.
ERIC JOHNSON HAPPY.
We publish in another column the
result of the conference of the repre
sentative men from all parts of the
Union of the people's party, that met
in Denver on the 27th ult. They
liung to the breeze anew the gcod old
Uied and true populist banner. Topul
ists, read it. It has the true ring.
Yes, it will do your heart good. Fusion
with other parties is at an end. Now
let the populist convention at Grand
Island be consistent. Let it go ahead
und nominate a ticket without refer
ence to any other party on earth.
This will not preclude it from nomi
nating Judge Sullivan, if it so decides.
His excellent iecord on the bench
during his first term, his faithful ad
herence to popunst and reform ideas
r-akes it perfectly proper and con
sistent for the populists to nominate
bim. There is ample precedence for
such a course. The populist national
convention at Sioux City, in 1900, went
outside of the party for both of its
candidates. Nominate, however, for
:e-gents an entire new set of candi
datesthe old ones betrayed the trust
reposed in them. We trust further
that the democrats will not nominate
ihe same candidates for regents. What
of it if we do not elect them; it will
be worth more to have it definitely
settled as to the relative strength of
the populist and democratic parties in
the state and the several counties.
Besides the republicans will not have
the opportunity to truthfully taunt
the populists with inconsistency in
fusing. Erie Johnson, in Waho (Neb.)
New Era.
The' Lincoln Daily Post (dem.)
echoes Mr. Bryan's protest in a short
editorial.
THE COMMONER'S VIEW.
The last issue of The Commoner
contains a caustic criticism of the
Denver conference by the editor, Mr.
Bryan, and, with a fatherly sympathy
offers gratuitously a lot of second
hand advice to the "few misguided re
formers" who composed that confer
ence. After quoting the address sent
out by the conference, he proceeds to
dissect it-as follows: (Quoting from
The Commoner.)
This criticism will no doubt sound
strange to such members of the con
ference as ex-Senator Allen, Attorney
General Calderhead, Editor Tibbies of
The Independent, and others who in
Ihe last campaign were firm friends of
Bryan and the fusion movement.
1 hese men were honest when they ad
ccated fusion. They are honest now
when they say they see no hopf for
reform in either of the old parties.
They are reformers first, before being
partisans. To say the least of it, it
if! unkind in Mr. Bryan to charge them
with being secret aliie3 of the repub
licans. An alliance in one campaign does
not signify an alliance permanent. To
oppose the reorganized democracy
does not imply an alliance with the
republicans.' ,
The Denver conference did not as
st. me the authority to promulgate a
rlatform, nor did it in any way en
croach upon the regular organization
of the party. What it did was wholly
advisory and simply Indicates to the
honest voters of these United States
tr.at there will be a ticket in the field
in 1904, standing on a platform built
without the aid of either of the old
parties, which any believer in the
Kansas City platform or the Omaha
cemands, can heartily support with
out compromising his principles or
stultifying his intelligence. Col. Mil
ton Park, in Southern Mercury, Dal
las, Tex.
George E. Brown of the Public Jour
nal (pop.) Hastings, Neb., prints the
Denver "manifesto" in full.
A SQUARE FLOP.
Populists will be surprised who read
the quotation from the St. Paul (Neb.)
Phonograph-Pres3 of July 31 (Inde
pendent, Aug. 13, p. 14), wherein Edi
tor Manuel said:
"The Denver conference has'decided
that all reformers should unite under
tne head and work for the principles
promulgated in the Omaha platform.
This ha3 been our Idea of the situa-
are advocating nearly the same doc
trine, but can never accomplish the
needed reform. But when they unite
under one banner they will then be
2 be to carry their principles Into ef
fect." Because in the two weeks from July
31 to August 14, Mr. Manuel made a
.square flop, doubtless scared into It
by Mr. Bryan's protest against "the
ropulist manifesto." In the latest is
sue of the Phonograph-Press (Aug. 14)
Editor Manuel says:
"There are a few men in the United
States who imagine that they are the
whole populist party. They "had a
meeting in Denver, July 27, and united
with the mid-roaders. It is a signif
icant fact that some of the most prom
inent leaders were men who have been
honored by the reform forces. Con
spicuous among them was ex-Senator
W. V. Allen. It seemed that fusion
was good enough when it could swing
an. office his way, but now since there
i? no emoluments In sight well, he
won't fuse any more. We are a pop
ulist and believe in populist prin
ciples. We also believe in the reform
element of the democratic' party, for
have they not adopted most of the
principles for which the populists have
teen contending? It remains to be
seen what effect this surrender to the
mid-roaders will have." -
Cliff. Frank of the York (Neb.) Tel
ler, who recently entered the demo
cratic party from the republican, via
populism, wants to "take it all In
good humor, but it does annoy a body
to see a fellow kick his parents or the
tarty that made him." Rich , isn't it!
How many votes did the silver demo
cratic candidate for supreme judge get
in 1895 when he helped defeat Judge
Maxwell?
NOT OFFENDED.
Fusion between populists and dem
ocrats seems to be the order in the
various Nebraska counties. This Is the
wise conclusion of the rank and file;
it is also a distinct snub to the Allen
Toynter aggregation, who imagine
that party name is all, principle noth
ing. Wahlquist Bros., in Democrat,
Hastings, Neb.
The "Allen-Poynter aggregation" are
by no means offended by the "snub."
Populists and democrats in the various
counties can take care of their own
affairs. If they want to fuse or not,
that is their business. What the "Allen-Poynter
aggregation" do remem
ber, however, and thousands of pop
ulists with them is the "distinct
snub" which was administered by the
oeraocratlc national convention at
Kansas City whej Charlie Townc was
turned down, and they are simply pav
ing the way to prevent its repetition
in 1904.
The Long Island (Kas.) Leader
(soe.) thinks the "whole affair was
up-hill business and there were un
mistakable signs pointing to a strong
feeling in favor of socialism." Wrong
again. There was no strong feeling
in favor of socialism. The men pres
ent, except one or two, were populists.
THE POPULIST MANIFESTO.
On another page this week Jhe Her
ald publishes Bryan's opinion of the
action by the recent conference of pop
ulists in Denver. Bryan is pleased to
show his displeasure by calling the
conference address a "manifesto" and
criticising it as if it were a platform.
The fact is it was neither one nor the
other. It was simply a notice to the
rsnk and file of. both branches of the
populist party that, whereas the re
sults of the last two national cam
paigns show that fusion failed to ac
complish the desired ends, In the
opinion of the committees it 13 folly
nd party suicide to continue to con
cuct campaigns on that basis. The
great majority of th3 democratic par
ty, with Bryan as their leader, are
populists at heart and will refuse to
Le led into the plutocratic camp if
the eastern wing succeeds In getting
control of the democratic party or
ganization, which now is within the
range of probability. In such an
event, what will Bryan do and what
will his followers do? Will they bolt
and form an independent democratic
larty, and thus become "assistant re-