The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1895-01-04
POPULIsT CONFERENCE.
Proceedings of the Meeting Of the
National Committee in ST Louis.

The Sentiment Overwhelmingly In Favor
OF Standing by the Omaha Platform
An Address to the Peoples
Party Voters.
The peoples party conference, held
at st. Louis, was promptly called to
order at 1890 a. m. on Friday, Deem
Der %, in the ladies' ordinary of the
Lindell hotel, by Chairman H. E. Tau
beneclS of the national committee.
The time which interviewed between
then and the noon recess was spent in
preliminary sparring, and much ami
mated discussion took place, which
seemed to have impaired to it a tinge
OF bitterness by the prevalent, though
apparently ungrounded, suspicion that
an element was there in force which
intended to force the emascula-
ton of the Omaha platform,
and confine the campaign of education
to the questions of free silver and gov
ernmental issue of all money. Very
much difference OF opinion existed as
to the relative positions occupied by
of the conference. 1t was, however, at
last agreed upon that the meeting be-
longed to the national committee, and
that all others present were simply their
invited guests, present in an advisory
capacity, but without any power to en-
for their advice or to control the ac-
tions of the national committee. The re-
suit twas that the national committee oc-
cupied seats, all together, to the right of
the platform and apart from the body
of the conference. James b. Weaver
was elected chairman of the conference
and Cuthbert Vincent, of Oklahoma,
and Milton Park, of Texas, were chosen
as secretaries.
The national committee appointed a
subcommittee of ten to formulate an
address. The committee was composed
of the following members:
Weaver, of Iowa; Field, of Virginia;
Davis, of Texas; Devine, of Nebraska;
Snider, of Kansas; johnson, of Colora-
do; Washburn, of Massachusetts,; Stark,
of Ohio; Martin, of Minnesota, and
Burkitt, of Mississippi. Davis, Snider,
Washburn and Burkitt were members
of the national committee. The residue
served as proxies. The committee also
appointed subcommittee on organiza-
ton and literature. Upon the assem-
bling of the conference at p. m. on
Saturday the chairman at once an
nounced that he had been requested by
the national committee, then in execu-
tive session, to appoint a committee of
six members of the conference to con-
ha
garding plan of action 1t was i'm
mediately moved and seconded that
such committee be appointed. and in
consequence the chair appointed the
following delegates to confer with the
national committee: Messrs. Henry D.
Lloyd, Chicago, chairman; Sovereign,
of Iowa; BriedenthaI, of Kansas; How
ard, of Alabama; Hunter, of New York,
and Grute, of Ohio.
The idea had gone forth that there
was an intention, in certain quarters,
to give undue precedence to the silver
question and the governmental issue of
money and to relegate to the rear the
land and transportation planks. AS,
however, the roll of states was called
and representatives from the several
states were heard from, it soon became
apparent that no such action would be
tolerated, and that the sense of the en-
tire conference was included in
the terse message sent by Tom
Watson: "Don't monkey with the
Omaha platform" At the conclusion
of the call of the states, the follow
lowing resolution was introduced by
Thomas F. Byron, of Iowa.
Resolred, That it is the sense of this confer
ence that the peoples party in carrying on it's
campaign OF education in the various states
embrace in their work the whole Of the Omaha
platform.
This resolution was greeted with
boisterous applause and, under the
rules, was referred to the national
committee.
1t was o'clock when the closing
evening session of the conference was
called to order, with Frederick J. Close
in the chair. John b. Park, of Missis-
sippi, rose and stated that the dele
gates from his state were on the point
of leaving for their homes, and he
moved on behalf of these delegates that
there be no monkeying with the
Omaha platform.
At 1885 the national committee made
its appearance in the hall and stated
that the long looked-for report was
ready to be made public. Gen. Weaver
made speech apologizing for the long
delay, but excused the committee on
the ground that the delay was I'M
avoidable. He then proceeded to read
the address of the committee, as it is
to be sent out to the people through
out the country. 1t was as follows:
THE ADDRESS.
The national committee of the peoples party
send greetings to it's constituency throughout
the United States. The rapid increase of
our vote in every part of the Union, and
the startling events of the past two years,
wildly justifieS both the existence of and
necessity for the peoples party. The con-
tention of the party that one of the great needs
of this country has been and is an enlarged vol
ume of circulating medium. is now practically
conceded by all parties and by the government.
The gold power and banking interests are in
sisting through the president and his secre-
taries that the large issue of our currency sup
ply shall be given exclusively into the hands
of the banks: that silver shall be excluded, all
treasury notes retired and that gold alone
shall be legal tender. thus making the none
tary question an issue which must be met at
once.
Within the present year the corporations,
grown arrogant because OF the vast posses
sions Of wealth and the exercise OF unconstitu-
tional powers have made war upon the people
and induced the federal courts to exercise in
theirinterests unusual and arbitrary powers.