The San Francisco call., 1896-10-14
National Committeeman Meet and
Issue an Explanatory
Manifesto.
WILLING TO DIVIDE THE VOTES
Warning to the Rank and File of the
Party Not to Be Misled by
So.Called Leaders

meeting of the National Executive Com
mlttee of the Peoples party was held to-
day at the Sherman House. The follow
ing members were present: Senator
Marion Butler, chairman; ]. r. Soye-
reign, Arkansas; FL. w. Reed, Georgia;
George F. Washburne, Massachusetts,;
John W. Br1edenthal, Kansas; A. G.
Rankin, Indiana; J. A. Edgerton, Ne
praska; G. F. Taylor, Pennsylvania. The
only absentee was John s. Dore of Cali
fornia.
The committee was in almost continu-
Gus secret session from morning until
midnight. The preparation of an address
to the voters of the party engaged most of
the time. Fusion differences and the at
titude OF certain members toward Watson
formed a subject for protracted and lively
debate.
Mr.. Reed came as the personal repre-
sent tative of Mr.. Watson, having spent
two days with him just before leaving the
South, and his signature to the address
which explains and justities joint Watson
and Sewali electoral tickets and appeals
to Populists to support them at the polls
is accepted as proof that peace has been
restored over this dissension in the COM
mittee.
Senator Butter said that no action had
beer taken by the committee relative to
Mr.. Watson, and none would be; that he
would remain on the ticket. Another
meeting will be held tomorrow.
Following is tine address prepared by
the CON mittee:
To the Peoples Party Voters Of the United States:
Your National Committee INDUCES in the
hope that the patriotic action of the Peoples
party in National convention in subordinating
the interests of party to the success of the
vital issues involved in this campaign would
be met by equally unsel6sh devotion to COM
mon interest on the part OF the Democratic
party, and that all the friends of silver could
present solid front against the minions of
greed by supporting one ticket, the truly CO.
operative ticket, Bryan and Watson. But this
hope being disappointing there were but two
courses LETT, one OF which must be adopted.
First, to run a straight Bryan and Watson
electoral ticket in every State, which, on ac-
count of the failure of the Democratic party
to support this ticket would have effected the
same result in this campaign that would have
followed the nomination of straight Populist
ticket at St Louis, namely, the election of
Mckinley and the triumph of the gold STAN
dard.
Itis true that the Democratic party would be
responsible even TO greater extent than our
selves for such result, but to permit evil to
triumph on such grounds would convict us,
as well as them of a lack of patriotism and q
narrow partisanship that would deservedly
forfeit to us the confidence of the American
people. Remember that two wrongs never
make right.
When our devotion to the welfare of the
people falters because of any failure On the
deed will we have lowered our standard and
proven ourselves false to our own teachings
and repudiated our own motto OF country first
and men and parties second.
The brave, enlightened voters who consti-
tute the rank and file of the Peoples party
are incapable OF such base betrayal of their
country as would result from division in the
ranks of those opposing the Vaccinations of
the confederated money power of the two con-
tinents against the homes and liberties of the
American people and would repudiate any
action on the part OF their leaders opposed to
united effort at this time as they repudiated
the old parties for treachery to their inter-
ests.
The other course left open to your commit
tee that was consistent with the action of the
convention in nominating Mr.. Bryan was to
do everything IN its power to unite the voters
of the country against Mckinley and to over
come the obstacles and embarrassments
which, if the Democratic party had put the
cause first and the party second, we would not
have encountered
This could be accomplished only by arrang-
ing for division OF the electoral vote in every
State possible, securing SO many electors for
Bryan and Sewall. At the opening of the cam
paign this, under the circumstances, seemed
the wisest course for your committee and it is
clearer to-day than ever that 1t was the only
safe and wise course If our votes were to be
cast and made effective for the relief of an op-
pressed and outraged people. Following this
line of policy your committee has arranged
electoral tickets in threef Ourths OF the States
and will do all in its power to make the same
arrangement in all of the States. BY perfect
ing this arrangement and every sincere oppo-
nent of the gold standard giving loyal support
to these joint electoral tickets, the People, s
party will not only secure In the Electoral Col
lege for Bryan and Watson several times as
many votes as we could have possibly secured
by making a straight fight, but we will secure
the defeat of Mckinley and the gold standard,
which should now be the greatest desire of