The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-17
NEW PARTY BORN
The Kansas Free Silver Party
Came Into Being
Last Night and Now Thoroughly
Organized.
CENTRAL COMMITTEE
Of the New Party Headed B.
Webb McNaII.
Central Committees to Be Es
tabIished in Each County.

A new political party was born in To-
peka last night. It promises to be a
factor in Kansas politics and political
situations this year.
The Free Silver state central commit
tee met last evening at the National
hotel and organized by electing Judge
J. A Ray Of Wellington as chairman
and w. F. Federman secretary.
Most of the evening was spent in get
ting acquainted and in an informal dis
cussiOn as to what plans and methods
ought to be adopted in this state to
secure the success of the silver cause
at the coming election.
Power was given the committee by
the convention yesterday to use its dis
cretion in calling a state convention for
the purpose Of putting state ticket in
the field and the expediency of such q
move was discussed and quite a strong
sentiment in favor of it was expressed
by some Of the members, especially in
case undesirable men We're nominated
on both of the state tickets.
According to the estimate of the
members it was thought that the free
silver vote of the state from the Re
publican party alone would be $4,000
and this, in connection with the Dem
ocratic vote, it was thought would
make a very good nucleus for the for
The general opinion seemed to be that
the first step to be taken was to secure
more extended local organization
throughout the state. At the same
time it was thought expedient to ap-
point an executive committee of five to
confer and correspond with the leading
silver men of the state and to meet sub
ject to the call of its chairman at
later date, and to then map out a pro-
gramme for this years campaign. This
was agreed to and the following COM
mittee named:
Webb McNa1I of Gaylord, Smith coun-
ty; J. H. Stevens of Topeka, Shawnee
county; A. F. Edwards of Parsons; z.
Chapman of Salina, Saline county, and
W. W. Palmer of GlascO, Cloud county.
A resolution was also adopted lin
structing the members of the commit
tee to Immediately begin the organiza-
ton of the counties in their respective
districts.
In counties where silver clubs have
already been organized they are to ap-
point a county central committee and in
those counties where no organization
exist clubs are to be formed.
Webb McNall was appointed chair
man of the executive committee.
Mr. McNaH, who, by reason of his
position as chairman of the executive
committee and the power conferred up
on him of calling it to meet. is practi-
cally made the leader of this proposed
party.
He expressed his views before the
committee by saying that he thought
such action should be taken as would re-
sult-First, in the election of a presi-
dent who would be the friend of silver
so that no legislation favorable to sill
yer would be vetoed; secondhand the
silver party of Kansas ought to see to
it that the congressman elected from
this state this fall were pledged to free
Of e-iI 1i1-7 oT
bers of our legislature which were elect
ed should be the friends of silver, so
that the senator elected this year would
be an ardent advocate of silver.
This led to a discussion of the stand
of the various congressman on the sill
yer question. Mr.. Stevens the member
from Shawnee thought that Charley
Curtis position on the question was
satisfactory to the silver voters in this
district.
A C. Martin of Greenwood and the
other member from the Fourth dis
trict did not exactly agree with Mr..
Stevens and thought that Curtis had
not defined his views on the subject
with enough precision to enable the
voters to tell where he stood. Mr..
Stevens said that Curtis had voted all
right on the question and that he was
beset with foes in his own party who
were trying to force him onto a plat
form that he was not in favor of.
It was finally agreed that the matter
should be let drop for the present un-
til better local organization was eff
fected when the question should be
again taken up and candidates made to
declare their positions on the financial
question.
Fusion on local tickets was then dis
cussed at some length. It was agreed
that the best plan to be pursued would
be such as would support silver men
from the top of the ticket down, either
by fusion or by putting out independ-
ent tickets and asking all friends of
silver, both in the Democratic and Pop
ulist parties to support them. This
latter plan was thought desirable il
counties like Shawnee where neither of
the parties favorable to silver had any
chance of eIecting a county ticket.
The meeting finally adjourned with
out further action to await the action
of the executive committee.
Webb McNa1l said that he did not
know Just when he should call a meet
ing of the committee, but that it would
be in the near future.