Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-19
THE COMING CONVENTION.
Will the Gathering at st. Louis Form
Third Party?


Third Party?
The interest Of all the reform organizations
of the country is conferred in the national
conference to be held in st. Louis on Mon.
day next, and upon the outcome of this
conference rests the fate of the ma.
tional third party movement 1t is con.
coded by the representatives of all the indus.
trial organizations, the Farmers Alliance,
Citizens Alliance, Farmers Mutual Benefit As
ISOLATION, colored Farmers Alliance and
Cooperative Union, Knights of Labor
and the patrons of Husbandry, that
the predominant issue at the coming confer
eiples, measures and declarations will of course
all be discussed by the 1000 or more dele
gates in attendance, but the great question
at issue will be, shall the various
farmer, labor and industrial organizations OF
the country unite In national independent
OF principles, Nominate candidates for tho
presidency and vice presidency and contest
nation?"
The peoples party representatives in Con-
gress generally believe that this question will
conference. Representative Simpson, of Kan
sas, goes to St Louis as the champion of the
the eight colleagues Of the regu-
lar 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 confer
enee to decree a national political party.
The opponents of the independent party
movement including Mr.. Livingston, will base
their opposition on the claim that the confer
ence was not granted specific authority
by the Ocala convention to organize a
national political party. Although it is not de-
med that the Ocala convention adopted COM
mittee report containing language looking to
the formation OF u third party, it is contcnded
that this language was not a resolution 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.
Representative Watson of Georgia, the nomi-
nee of the nine people party Congressman in
the House for Speaker, and consequently the
recognized leader of his party in Congress, will
not attend the St. Louis conference, but his
views will be important, as indicating the line
of action likely to be pursued. II shall
not myself &c to st. Louis, said he today. "but
will remain here and attend to my congress
sional duties. 1 am. however, heartily in favor
of independent political action in support
of the Ocala demands. believe that
is the only way to get them enacted
into law. 10 have any success We must get
southern reformers who are democrats to Join
in action with the western and north
western reforuers, who are republicans.
We cannot go to their party; they cannot
come TO OURS. The only practical scheme
to unite them is to go into 4 new organiza-
ton, the basis of which shall be the unity of
our demands. In other words. we propose to
unite by getting together. Mr.. Livingston
plan is proposition that We should
unite by staying apart. l have no doubt
that the ST. Louis meeting will either by pass
ing resolution expressing the views of the
members as individuals or by the adjournment
of the convention into a mass meeting declare
in favor of independent political action in sup
port OF the platform which they will agree
upon"