Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-20
MONDAYS BIG BATTLE
To Be Won at st. Louis for the
Third Party Project, if Alliance
CONGRESSMEN HAVE THEIR WAY.
Only One of the Farmers Delegation OPP
poses the Movement.
ONE PRELIMINARY MEETING IS HELD

next, and upon the outcome of this confer
| ence rests the fate of the national third
party movement
1t is conceded by the representatives of
all the great industrial organizations, the
Farmers Alliance, Citizens Alliance,
| Farmers Mutual Benefit Association, Col.
| ored Farmers Alliance and Co-opera
tive Union, knights of Labor and
the Patrons of Husbandry, that the
| predominant issue at the coming
conference will be the third party move
ment. Principles, measures and declara-
tions will, of course, all be discus ussed by the
1000 or more delegates in attendance, but
the great question at issue will be, "Shall
the various labor and industrial organiza-
tlons of the country unite in national in
dependent movement, promulgate COM
mon declaration of principles, nominate
candidates for the Presidency and Vice
Presidency and contest with the two old
parties for supremacy in the nation?''
Congressman for the Third Party.
The Peoples party representatives in
Congress generally believe that this ques-
ton will be answered in the affirmative by
the st. Louis conference Representative
Simpson, of Kansas, goes to St. Louis as
the champion of the third party movement,
and although his eight colleagues of the
regular Peoples party in the House may
not all be in attendance at st. Louis it is
| understood they share his views as to the
necessity of national party.
The first great dispute, however, is likely
to arise over the question of the power of
the st. Louis Convention to decree a ma
tional political party. The opponents of
the Independent party movement, lnclud-
ing Mr. Livingston, will base their opposi-
tion on the claim that the conference was
not granted specific authority by the
Ocala Convention to organize a national
political party. Although it is not denied
that the Ocala Convention adopted a COM
mittee report containing language looking
to the formation of third party, it is con-
tended that this language was not a resolu-
tion, or even an essential portion of the
report, but merely one of its incidental
phrases designed to quiet the demands of
the third party people.
What the Third Party Leader Says
Representative Watson, of Georgia, the
nominee of the nine Peoples party Con-
gressmen in the House for Speaker, and,
consequently, the generally-recognized
leader of his party in Congress, will not at
tend the ST. Louis Conference, but his
views will be important as indicating the
line of action likely to be pursued.
81 shall not myself go to st. Louis" said
he to-day, ''but will remain here and attend
to nv Congressional duties. 1 am, how
ever, heartily in favor of Independent polit-
ical action in support of the Ocala demands.
l believe that that is the only way to get
them enacted into law. To have any sue
cess we must get Southern reformers, who
are Democrats, to join in action with the
Western and Northwestern reformers, who
are Republicans
"We cannot go to their party; they can
not come to ours. The only practical
scheme to unite then, is to go into new or
ganization, the basis of which shall be the
unity of our demands. In other words, we
propose to unite by getting together: Mr..
Livingston's plan is a proposition that we
should unite by staying apart. / have no
doubt that the st. Louis meeting will,
either by passing a resolution, expressing
the views of members as individuals, or by
adjournment of the convention into mass
meeting, declare in favor of Independent
political action in support of the platform
which they will agree upon"
The Views of Jerry Simpson.
1t is generally understood that Repre-
sentative Simpson, of Kansas, will be
among the leaders of the third party move
ment at the st. Louis conference. He main
tains, however, that he will not be so rad
ical in his demands as his opponents have
supposed but will do all in his power to
preserve unity.
ct am going to st. Louis" said he, 'sbe-
cause I am a delegate elected by the Kansas
people in my district. l am going there,
as other delegates are going, for theapur-
pose of comforting with delegates from other
LII oil ha Tp54 4aI
States to arrange and fix on some plan of
action in regard to political parties in the
future so that, if possible, the laboring and
producing classes may be united, and sup
port such party or such men as represent
measures of relief for the industrial classes.
s''I am not going to st. Louis for the pur-
pose of forcing my ideas and views on any
one 1 am satisfied, though, that the only
course to pursue that will bring success, is
in the organization of new party; and if
the convention decides to call convention
for the purpose of organizing new party, I
Will be glad of it, though 1 shall not insist
upon this in the convention"
The Nebraska Congressman Talks.
sWhat action, in your opinion, should
be taken as to the organization of third
party and the nomination of Presidential
candidates." Congressman McKeighan, of
Nebraska, was asked.
'sIn my State" said he, "there is already
third party organized, and have made |
up my mind that the organization of new
party in America is necessary, in order that |
the demands of the people may be crystal |
lized into law. 1t is clear to any fair
minded man that the Republican and Demo
cratic parties of to-day are very much |
divided on many of the demands made by |
the people.
believing, as do, that the Interstate |
commerce law should be so amended that |
the average man may be able to understand |
something of the provisions by reading it;
believing that the financial affairs of this |
country in the past have been in the inter- !
ests of the moneyed class as against the |
producing; that the present system of ma
tional taxation, falsely called the protective !
tariff, is and has been an instrument of
robbery and extortion, it is my deliberate |
Judgment that neither one of the parties, as
a national organization, has shown any dis |
position to right these great wrongs.
Not Third, but the First, Party.
cat ST. Louis the people of my State will be |
unanimous for the organization of national |
partv Iwould not call in the third party,
but the first, because I believe it to repre- |
sent the interests of the great mass of the |
common people, who are and ought to be in |
reality the Government.
Representative Livingston maintains that |
the delegates to the st. Louis Convention |
have no power to take any action looking |
to the organization of third party.
A dispatch from st. Louis says: the ad |
iourned meetings preliminary to the Ma |
tional Industrial Conference, which is to
convere here next Monday, were opened |