Evening star., 1896-07-18

nRepubican fusion. bNo republican candidate.
Objected as democrat and populist. IElected as
republican and populist- pSilverite elected
against republican. populist and democrat.
The platform adopted by the populist con-
vention of four years ago repeated most Of
the provisions of the Ocala platform. 1t de-
manded the free coinage of silver and gold
at 16 to 1 that the circulat ting medium be
Increased to $50 per capita; a graduated in
come tax; limitation of state and national
revenues to the necessary expenses Of the
government economically administered; the
establishment of postal savings banks: gov
ernment ownership Of telegraph and tele-
phone lines; reclamation of all land held
by railroads and other corporations in ex-
cess of their actual needs and all land held
by aliens.
In addition to the resolutions embodying
these principles. the convention adopted a
long series Of resolutions, which were said
expressly not to be part of the platform.
In these were contained Endorsements Of
the Australian ballot; the application of the
revenue from the income tax to the reduc-
tion of the burden Of taxation resting on
the domestic industries of the country; fair
and liberal pensions to ex-Union soldiers
and sailors; better immigration laws; the
eight-hour law, with penalty clause at
! tached; the abolition Of the Pinkerton de-
tective system; the initiative and referen-
dunn legislative system: the limitation Of
the presidency to one term and election of
Senators by direct vote of the people, and
finally the resolutions opposed subsidies of
any kind.
1t will be seen that the peoples party
was the first to indorse the free and unlim-
tied coinage of silver at 16 to 1. For this
reason the populsts asked the democrats at
Chicago to consider their wishes in the Sc
lection of candidate last week.
Since the election of 1890 the populists
have gained strength in Congress, partly
through success in elections and partly
through accessions from the older parties
Marion Butler has been elected to the SEN
ate from North Carolina and William ".
Allen from Nebraska. Senators Jones and
Stewart of Nevada have broken away from
tho republican party, though they claim
| merely to be independents and silver men.
And now four other Senators, walking out
Of the convention of the republican party
last month, have allied themselves with the
Independent movement in which the peo-
pies party is the chief factor Some of
these men will attend the populist conyen-
ton. Others will be here to attend the
| convention Of the silver party.
The Silver Party.
meet in st. Louis on the same day as the
populist convention, Wednesday next, is yet
without form and substance. It exists only
in the hopes and plans Of the friends of sill
yer in all parts Of the country. Its orsani-
| cation was recommended by the free silver
propagandists before it was thought the
democratic party would commit itself to a
free silver resolution. Word was sent to
| the friends Of silver everywhere to send
| delegates to st. Louis to form q silver
party Independent Of all other political or
| ganizations. Delegates have been chosen
| from all the states. some Of them In con-
vention and some in conference. These
| delegates meet under chaotic conditions.
No precise rules can be observed In the pre-
liminary meeting Of q new party. But un-
doubtedly committees on credentials. reso-