The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-03-11
AT ST. LOUIS
CHAIRMAN TAUBENECK TALKS
OF THE CONSOLIDATION
OF FORCES. ],
The Texas Trip and the Platform
The Conventions Must Man
age. the Union,
The Committee Did All It Could When 1t Brought
the Two Conventions Face to Face-Look
TO Your Delegates.
Joliet, ILL.,, News.)

The proposed consolidation of the re-
form forces at st. Louis in July has been
causing some uneasiness among the re-
form editors. Some felt that leaders in
the movement were negotiating with the
silver men with the view of throwing all
of the Omaha platform overheard except
the financial plank. Others, still more
alarmed, feared everything was to go
overheard except the silver plank. On
the other hand there were those who be-
lieved that the stalwarts In the party were
inclined to be altogether too stalwart for
the good of the movement.
This matter was very generally and
most thoroughly discussed at the Dallas
meeting and the Galveston excursion of
the Populist editors, and when full un.
derstanding was reached it was found
there was very little difference of opinion
between the so-called extremes. Fake
interviews were In reality at the bottom
of this misunderstanding and uneasiness.
There may be some soreness still arising
out of the discussion up to the time of the
Dallas meeting but at present there Is
every prospect for perfect harmony at st.
Louis between the Populist and the silver
organizations. No political party, 1t Is
safe to say, ever had as little cause for
contention as these conventions will have
The Dallas meeting was very fortunate
circumstance in this stage of the move-
ment.
In truth, great proportion OF the silver
men consciously or unconsciously are as
good Populists as those now marching UNI
der the party banner, and the remainder
are ready to make concessions in view OF
the large vote and the magnificent organ
ization Of the Peoples party.
At the fremont in Galveston while the
Illinois delegation was assembled to dis
cuss details Of their trip, this question Of
consolidation arose. 1t had been pre-
viously discussed by the delegation, some
Of whom came as silver men, others as
the Texas field at that moment and there
was found to be no difference Of opinion
between them as to platform or policy.
Upon this occasion Chairman Taube-
neck of the national committee was pres
ent, and he joined in with: There Is no
cause for this contention going further,
as 1t has been well talked over on this
trip and should now be thoroughly under
stood. All admit we need a union OF
forces to win this fight and the thing for
us to do from this time out is to train
our guns on the enemy, not on each other.
The first thing to do is to select delegates
for the st. Louis convention of well es-
tablished integrity, thoroughly honest,
conservative and well balanced men,"
What is your idea as to the platform p
was asked.
1T is just not the proper thing,
lulIlk, ne T6pll6U, IOT d meI1DcT u lnc
committee to influence the coming con-
vention or to attempt to shape the plat
! form, and what I say now is merely my
private opinion as between us here.
| think we should adopt the essential fea-
| lures Of the Omaha platform. Some have
thought. 1 believe, differently. You may
have thought so. But If l had my own
| say in the matter I would first look out
| for the financial question, then the dis
| continuance of those bond issues, then the
| income tax, then for direct legislation and
! some other planks I do not just now re-
| CALL
This plank for direct legislation is ar
exceedingly important feature of reform
work." he continued. 1T is the only plan
| l know of whereby the government may
be brought near the people. My own def
| milton would be that 20 per cent of the
legal voters of the nation on national mat
| terS, and the same per cent In the lega
subdivisions of the government on loca
matters, by petition should have THEN
| measures submitted to vote Of all the
| people. This plan would, in my opinion
| abolish the third house-the pestiferous
| lobby, and 1t would destroy government by
| political parties
do you object to my reporting YOU
| words?" asked the writer.
mo, I think of no objections now re-
| piled Mr.. Taubeneck, IF you state thai
| these words are my personal opinions
| The convention. not the committee, SnOui(
| attend to the platform making. Further,
| he added, las to the st. Louis convention
! ait our committee meeting Jan. II, we were
| confronted with this condition. prospec
| Of two conventions at different places anC
| at different times for practically the Same
| purpose. To avoid this scattring O
| strength, we sent subcommittee Il
| Washington to invite the silver people II
| hold their convention at the same plac
| we held ours. In this the committee hat
| gone to it's outside limit and cannot go fur
| Their. 1 think we did our duty when WI
| gave the two conventions an opportunity
| to met each other face to face.
| $50 far as the two conventions getting
| together is concerned, that is a question
| for the delegates who are selected by thu
| people. The committee has nothing to d.
| with that, however. We discharged GU
duty when we gave the two convention
| the opportunity to meet each other in tn
| same city and on the same date. Tn
| balance must be done by the delegates
representing the two parties. The com
| mittee is not responsible for what eithe
of the conventions may do.
THE committee, Furthermore. has n
plans for the two conventions to pursue II
effecting consolidation. That has neve
been discussed in the remotest degree b.
the national committee or any member O
the committee so far as l know. TIL
question of coming together devolves en-
tirely upon the two conventions and no
upon our committee"
NOTHING BUT THE PEOPLES PARTY
Tune-"Nothing But the Blood of Jesus.
|