The San Francisco call., 1896-08-06
Bryan and Watson Would Be
the Stronger Ticket in
the Field.
DEMOCRATS INVITED TO FUSE
FOR VICTORY.
A Committee Appointed TO Meet a
Similar Committee for Confer.
ence as to a Concerted
Plan of Action.

ing plans for the management OF the
party's interest during the coming cam
paign. T. V. Gator, Populist nominee for
United States Senator, was present during
the whole of the session, and assisted the
committee very materially with his advice.
The committee will resume its session
to-day and will adjourn some time IN the
afternoon. At late hour yesterday after
noon the following address was ordered
issued to the Peoples party of California:
The executive committee of the State Com
mittee of the Peoples party OF California as
sembled at San Francisco this 9th day OF
August, 1896, deem 1t proper to issue an ad-
dress to the members of the Peoples party IN
California relative to the action OF our Ma
tional Convention.
We have heard the statements OF several OF
the delegates from this State TO said National
Convention; we believe that the delegates OF
our party who were upon the ground were
better able to determine the exact situation
than the members OF our party not present,
and that the full and exact situation which
our delegates were called upon to face has not
been fully presented to the members OF our
party by any reports thereof.
It is beyond question that our National Con-
Vention met under most unusual circumstances
and under conditions wholly unexpected at
the time of the holding of our State conven-
ton MAY II, 1896, and we entertain no doubt
that the motive actuating the delegates in the
National Convention, both those who favored
the nomination OF Mr.. Bryan and those VINO
favored Mr.. Norton, were sincere In desire to
do that which in their respective judgments
was for the best interest OF our principles and
party in the present situation.
II appears that, upon conference and COM
parison of views by the delegates at the Ma
tional Convention, q large majority OF the del
egates were satisfied that the nomination of
Mr.. Bryan was the duty of the hour, and that
a majority of the convention believed that our
principles would De further advanced in fact,
and our doctrine further extended in the
minds and hearts OF the masses during this
campaign, by cooperating with, rather than
opposing, those Democrats and silver men who
had determined to unite to elect Mr.. Bryan.
The question OF preserving our party was not
overlooked, but the question of extending our
principles among millions of men with
whom we were to be at least temporary
co-operators was considered as means
to be doubted that party is strength
ened if its principles receive wide and favor
able hearing, and 1t was believed that our
principles would receive wide and favorable
hearing If we were cooperating in this cam
paign with those opposing the organized and
concentrated gold power and that in the pres
ent state of feeling of the masses we should re-
eeive far less of a hearing and also be much
misunderstood if we refused to cooperate in
electing Mr.. Bryan in an endeaVor TO obtain
immediate legislative relief.
An examination of the attitude OF the gold
press and other plutocratic forces shows that
they have treated the Chicago platform and
the nomination OF MI. Bryan as 8 P0pul1St pro-
ceeding, and the constant position OF the gold
power is that the Democracy at Chicago
yielded entirely to Populism. While this is
not wholly true yet we find that many radical
Journals like the Appeal to Reason, the Twen-
1ieth Century and the Arena treat the Chicago
platform and nominations as q decided Popu-
list victory, and give an unqualified support to
Mr.. Bryan. These views OF reform journals OF
advanced thought coincide with the views OF
the gold press as to the real nature of the Chi
cago convention, and add force to the declara-
tions that it was victory for Populist prin-
ciples.
1t is beyond question that our convention
was almost unit in its determination not to
accept the Democratic candidate for Vice
President as our nominee. Mr.. Sewall, in ouI
judgment, was q misfit as q candidate upon
the Chicago platform. The Chicago conven-
tion undertook by its expulsion of the gold
ring and its nomination OF Mr.. Bryan, whose
sincerity seems to be established, to satisfy the
country that the record of the Democratic
party for breaking platform pledges was ended
and that hereafter it meant what 1t said.
The selection of Mr.. Sewall does not aid this
purpose. He is president of National bank
and has been largely connected with corpora
tfons. is a National banker a consistent can.
didate upon the Chicago platform, which de
clares for abolishing the issue of Ma tional
bank notes2
It Is said by some that Mr. sewalI may be as
thoroughly in favor of this policy as any one
If ihis may be so the masses, so often deceive
by political professions, cannot be expected to
believe IT.. Men are not usually opposed to
public cannot be expected to believe that they
are.
If Mr.. Bryan were National banker no one
can doubt that he would be unable to convince
the public that he was the man for this time
and for the platform; ought not Mr.. Sewall to
come up to the same standard and require.
ments as Mr.. Bryan? Our convention thought
SO, and we believe that the great m ass oi
voters who are asked TO elect the Chicago
ticket think so. Our convention wisely de.
clined to accept Mr.. Sewall and selected man
Trh n IC els ant tn for "
also chose as a National Committee BODY
which is absolutely loyal to Mr.. Watson and in
which every Populist may repose full conf
dence in the great contest to be waged in this
campaign.
In view of the conditions our convention
faced, we deem 1t our duty to, and we do
ratify and approve the action of our National
Convention. From the course of the conven
tion 1t is evident that its purpose was to fayo,
united action between the Peoples party and
other reform forces in the several States tr
secure all the electors of such States for Mr.
Bryan upon such terms as may be honorable
and just TO such reform forces.
In the State OF California investigation
shows that Mr.. Sewall is objected to by the
multitude outside the PEOPLES party, and the
ticket of Bryan and Watson is unquestionably
stronger than Bryan and SewaIl.
We deem it prudent to await further deyelop
ments before any definite details in such {
matter are approached for final settlement
but in order to evince our earnestness and
good faith to secure the electoral vote of thi.
State for Mr.. Bryan we declare that ii oul
party shall receive honorable and active co
operation in State and Nation from the Demo
cratic party and find spirit of fairness anC
justice in that organization then we will favol
an honorable union to defeat the ticket O.
Wall street and organized plutocracy from OBJ
tanning the electoral vote OF California.
We do suggest that members OF our party BIZ
not unduly influenced by statements from
such press dispatches bearing upon the rela
ton Of reform forces as are evidently antago
nistic TO union against the plutocratic ticket
These re ports come from sources hostile to tht
best interests of the industrial masses.
Feeling that we have done our duty anC
responded to the patriotic call of freemen W,
submit the foregoing 10 the careful considera
ton of our constituency. In the meantime
our organization, commanding the respect and
confidence of our party, will hold aloft thu
broad principles enunciated in the platform
adopted at st. Louis July %, 1896, ana main
tain its integrity.
Douglass T. Fowler tchairman), NJ. E. Dit
mar secretary, Burdette Cornell, Thomas
Gator, H. A. Mason, committee on address.
Adoped by the executive committee of th
State Central Committee of the Peoples part.
of California this 5th day of August, 1885,
J. Z. Camp, ]. NJ. Moore, George d. Gillespie
G. II Castle Carleton H. johnson. +. Hough