The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1893-12-02
NEW POLITICAL PARTY.
The Populists ami others to Organize
a New Movement to Attain
Old Aims.


Is the Populist party to continue
in the political fieldS
This is one of the questions which
are now agitating certain political
circles at the capital, and the ques-
tion is based on rumors that the
leaders are contemplating a change
in the organization because of some
disagreements among them, but
specially for the purpose of permit
ting the advocates of the free coinage
of silver who have never embraced
the Populist doctrines as to govern
ment ownership of railroads, the
bond loan policy and the issuing Of
paper money to attach themselves to
the new organization. Report OF
such a movement has reached here
from Kansas, and it is stated among
other significant facts that w. F.
Rightmire, of Topeka, who was in
strumental in calling the Cincinnati
conference in 1891, when the Popu
list party was called into being, had
taken the initiative in the movement
for a reorganization of the party up
on different lines. Senator PETER
was called upon by an Associated
Press reporter for infoi mation as to
the correctness of the report and un-
hesitatingly stated that the rumor of
the proposed change was well found
ed.
II expect" he said, ga new align
ment Of parties to be found after the
congressional election next year and
that the new party will be ready for
our work in the presidential election
nf 1885,
do you think that the Populist
party will be disorganized?'
The Populists," he replied, will
form part of a great national or
ganization which will probably be
brought together The Populist
party will have the same relation to
this new party that the old Free
Soil and Abolition parties bore to
the Republican party which was
afterwards organized by the coming
together of all the people opposed to
the extension of slavery in the ma
tional territories.
When asked what would be the is.
sue upon which the new party would
organize he said it would be qnes.
tion of money "The ISSUE" he con
timed, lis between the money power
and a gold basis on one side and the
producing masses of the people adj
vocating an enlarged volume of mon
ey on gold, silver and paper basis on
the other That will be the great
issue in '96, and it is one upon which
the people will divide without re.
gard to former party differences.
Upon being asked what would be
come of the old tenets Of the Popu.
listic faith Mr. PETER said while
the populists have fundamental doe
trines other than hat relating to the
volume OF the currency which they
cherish and will continue to cherish,
they recognize that the first step in
securing these reforms which they
advocate is 10 settle the money ques-
ton, and they believe it would not
be good policy or wise statesman
ship to decline to cooperate with
their fellow citizens who believe just
as they do concerning the FIRST move
in the solution of a problem which
they regard as vital. While we are
fighting this first great battle we
shall learn great many things
about what is necessary to be done
after the victory shall be won. The
Senator spoke very confidently of
winning And from that time for
ward all the cid party prejudices
which have kept us apart so song to
our injury, will have been buried and
forgotten and we shall be solid
mass ready for the accomplishment
of other needed reforms / look for
the success of this new movement in
'96. and / expect President and a
Congress to be chosen in 1900 which
will put into statute law the leading
doctrines of the Populist party of
the day"
Mr.. PETER stated that there had
been no interchange of views upon
the question of the new party with
the Silver Republicans or Silver
Democrats, but he was very confident
fight made upon the financial is
sue three years @hence would prove
successful. He says that he does
not favor a conference until after
the Congressional elections Of next
fall, but there are others who think
the organization should he effected
early in '94. Mr. PETER advocates a
change of the name for the party,
and suggests the word Nationalist"
instead Of Populist.