The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-05-06

n dtioHAI neIoIM WORK IN mana, WlreQ
these words to Chairman TaUbeneck of The
Peoples Party at Omaha: n. E. Taube-
neck. Chairman Of the Peoples Party,
Omaha.
Prohibition party still too narrow. If
the Peoples Party will antagonize the
liquor traffic, and support woman suffrage,
myself, and l think other thousands will
go with it. Answer. Tonawanda, N. r..
E. Evans"
The only notice given to the dispatch
will be found in the preamble to the
Omaha platform. which reads: while we
favor every effort to promote intelligence,
virtue and temperance. nevertheless (im-
portant as these things are) we hold that
there are other questions paramount
to them When / read this I thought
with Shakespeare, what fools we NOR
tails be-" The marvel is, that party, in
Its public utterance, should make Intel
ligence, virtue and sobriety, subordinate
to any other question or questions 1t
has always been held by the really great
and good of all time, that these three
elementary principles were the stepping
stones to true greatness in all human en-
deavor. should have stated that pre-
v1ous to the conference held by the Pop
ulists at st. Louis in 1892, there was
special conference of leaders of Prohibi-
tionists. Populists and other reformers,
held at the Sherman House in Chica 60.
In response to the call Of Miss Will
al W. <NDOut Aley PcISOuS, prominent
reform work. were present at that Con-
ference, conspicuous among them were
General Weaver, Hon. Ignatius Donnelly.
Mr.. Washburn of Mass, Mr. H. E., Taube-
neck. Chairman of the Peoples Party
Committee, b. G. Wheeler of the Voice,
and others of more or less prominence
The outcome of this conference was the
unanimous adoption of the following res
olutions:
Ffrst-That money should be issued by
the general government, without the inter-
venton OF any private institution, in suf-
nclent quantities to carry on the business
OF the country, and such money to be legal
tender for all debts both public and priv
ate.
Second-"That the saloon Is the greatest
enemy of reform in these matters; and is
the cnlef foundation of corruption in our
politics, we denounce it's pernicious in
nuence upon our country, and demand
it's suppression
Third-"All means of public transporta-
ton and communication should be con-
trolled by government, to obtain for all the
people equal and equitable ADVANTAGES in
such service, and if the efforts to so control
said means of transportation and com
munication shall prove impracticable,
then we favor government ownership of
the same"
Fourth-"That we are opposed to specu-
lation in land. and alien ownership Of the
tatlon of the amount of land that can be
owned by any corporation or Individual y
Fifth-"That We favor municipal suff-
rage for women, with an educational quail
ification.'
Mr.. Donnelly wrote these resolutions
It was hoped at the time that these re-
solutions, crude as they were, would
form basis of union between the Popu-
lists and Prohibtionists. The suffrage
plank was consented to by Miss Willard
as sort of stepping stone to universal
SUFFRAGE, regardless Of SEX But the best
laid plans of mice and men gang aft
gley.' When the two factions met at St.
Louis, they paid no attention to these
resolutions, but both went on with their
independent movements, as though each
could get along without the other. This
was most unfortunate.
The defeat of these resolutions was
caused chiefly by the adverse views Of a
few PopuMsts and Prohibitionists at their
meetings In st. Louis. While these re-
solutions did not embrace fully my ideals
OF what a Reform platform should be;
still | was satisfied that the deficiency
would be supplied when we got into a
great union nominating convention
The last movement looking to the union
OF reform forces, was the call of the Sta
ten Island Conference, June 2sth, 1895,
which held over to July 3rd, 1895. The
basis of union adopted at that Conference
is familiar to you all, and need not be re-
peated here.
Suffice it to say that the basis of union
offered by that conference, while it was not
in every particular just what some
wanted, (Which is not very remarka BILE, }
still it received greater notice in the pub
lie press, and was talked about pro and
con, by more people throughout all these
great union Of states. than any other pro-
position of the kind ever offered to the
pubic. And I want to say right here
hod F1
lukewarmness of some of its chief promo
tiers, and the obstinacy Of some of the al
lodged leaders and bosses of both the Pro-
hibitionist and Populist parties, mag
nif1cent union of reform forces could have
been contaminated, and possibly a gIori-
Gus victory Of a great National Reform
party would have been the browning re-
suits of our labors in this year of our
Lord 1896.
And now, ladies and gentlemen Of the
present conference, we are gathered to-
gether in this old historic city, sometimes
called 1.-The city Of smoke" for purpose
| trust, as grand in its proportions as that
which called the angels together on the
plains of Bethlehem. The glory of God,
IN the highest. peace on earth and good
will to men. So let us go about our work.
Such work as few ever had laid on head
and heart and hand
AS those who know when there's a task
to do;
Mans honest will must heavens good
grace command
That union of Reform forces must
first be secured, before any great and
lasting victory can be gained, goes with
out saying. To secure this union Of bal
lots at the ballot-box is the great problem
which this conference has come together
to consider.
We stated, in the commencement of this
address, that Immediately preceding great
NIL @f,r%so
will arise, taking on more or less distinc-
tive political forms, each holding some
distinctive dominant ISSUE and to which
they ask all to subscribe. Some of these
FACTIONS hold many issues in common with
each other, but under different names
which they differ, namely, the liquor
traffic. And upon this there is not so
wide a difference, when their positions
are carefully considered as one would
suppose. Not one Of these minor parties
TODAY are in favor of perpetuating indefi-
nately the liquor traffic for beverage pur-
poses. The only difference between them
is as to the correct method of getting rid
OF 1t. The Populists nearly all agree that
the present licensed liquor traffic is an
unmitigated nuisance, and their method
OF getting rid of it is to have it sold for
all purposes. under certain rules, not to
be drunk on the premises, by duly APP
pointed agents Of the states, without pro-
fit thus making the states directly re-
sponsible for any wrong doing or injury
which may grow out of it's SALE That
would perhaps be better than the pres
ent licensed system. It's first effect would
be to close up every saloon in the United
States. This of course would be better
than the wide open. system now within
reach of everyone who has the money to
pay the license fee.
This position practically places the
People's Party in omen hostility to the IL