Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-02-24
THE ST. LOUIS CONFERENCE.
Its Platform should Embody the Consoli
dated Demands and sie Made the Test o
Fealty.

CONSOLE
dated Demands and Be Made the Test OF
Fealty.
delegates from the various farmer
and workingmen's societies of the
nation will meet in St Louis on the
22d of February. The primary task of
this body is to see if majority of the
members thereof can come to har.
monlous understanding as to essential
measures of relief that are demanded
for the general good of the country as
well as for the special interest of the
working wealth creators of the nation
As the demands, declaration of prin-
ciples and fundamental beliefs of these
different societies lie in the same
polltlco-economic domain, the confer
ence will doubtless arrive at practical
unanimity of opinion as to the reform S
which it will officially champion
This will probably be done on a
basis of mutual concession. Each
powerful society will bring forward
the remedial measures in which it is
most deeply interested, and all the
others will agree to their being en-
bodied in the demands and declaration
OF principles put forth by the confer
ence, because all of them alike will
wish the same consideration.
1t Is both important and eminently
proper that this should be done and
done fully and with unstinted liberal
ity, because it is highly fitting that the
whole body of the American people,
should be informed as to the nature,
scope, quality and full dimensions of
this mighty reform movement of the
YNT~n6 i,l, fe
potent influence in determining the
future destiny of the repub blic.
1t will be we'll for this great confer
ence to place before the millions of
well-to-do and sadly uninformed citi-
zens of the country an authoritive pro-
nunciamento, which shall clearly and
specifically set forth, all general COM
plants, grievances and demands of the
working wealth creators of the entire
nation, whether they toll on farm or
railway, in mine or shop.
If this republic is to progress and be
safe for hundred years to come all
the people thereof must know the gen.
eral character of the constructive work,
which their hand must do, in order to
make the future of the nation peaceful,
prosperous and blessed.
Suggestions in this momentous mat
ter must come, aud in fact can only
fittingly come from the found alton
class of society whose labor makes the
country strong and rich
After the rights and interests of the
toilers of the republic are carefully Sc
cured by efficient legislation, the task
of conservation and protection is done,
and the nation is both happy and Sc
cure.
Hence, we say, let this grand confer
ence of producers at St Louis by it's
declaration of principles cut out good
work enough to last the patriotic citi-
zens of the republic for fifty years to
come:
Be it remembered, it is not within
the scope of the authority of this great
conference to declare that the several
organizations which compose that
body, shall join the peoples party, the
democratic party or the republican
party. This action would be anoma-
lous, and without valid justification. 1t
can no more do this than it can vote its
millions of mem bers into the Baptist
church, the Catholic or Presbyterian
church.
The political question is one which
every individual American citizen must
decide for himself. and no society or
organization can or sh puld have any
right or authority to usurp the function
that is sacred to his own private judg-
ment.
The uttermost the delegates to this
conference can do in their united ca
| pacity would be to say unofficially,
'that they believed it would be a good
! plan for all members of producers so.
cieties to vote with t peoples party,
because that political organ zation gave
| promise of doing more for justice and
the producing masses than the pluto
cratic old parties, which are ow Led
body and gizzard by the millionaires
and corpora ions. "-Nonconformist