The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-10-15
A MANIFESTO ISSUED BY THE
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COM
MITTEE
URGED 70 STICK 70 PRINCIPLES
And Let Party Organization Take Care
of Itsclf-mtendcd as n Rebuke to
Watson-Joint Electoral Tickets
Favored

Chicago, oct ia meeting Of the
Executive committee of the peoples party
was held at the Sherman House today
All members were present with the eN'
ccption of John 5. DOrcc of California
After hearing reports from members
present, especially from ii. w. Reed OF
d;corgia, who spent several days with
Thomas g. Watson, the committee de-
,idcd to issue the following manifesto:
"ro the Peoples Party Voters Of the
United Statcs-Your national committee
Gndulged the hope that the patriotic ac-
zion of the peoples party in national con
ynntion, in sub0rdinating the interests OF
pnrty TO the success of the vital issues
involved in the campaign, would be met
by equally unscllish devotion TO a com
mon interest on the part Of the demo
cratic party, and that all the friends OF
silver could present II solid front against
the mnions Of greed by supporting one
ticket. the truly cooperative ticket, Bry-
an and Watson But this hope being
disappointed, there were but two courses
left, one of which must be adopted.
First, to run n straight Bryan and
Watson electoral ticket in every state,
which, on account of the failure OF the
democratic party to support tins ticket,
would have effected the same result III
this campaign that would have follow
"a tie nomination of II straight populist
ltitkct at ST. Louis, namely the election
Of Mckinley and the triumph of the gold
standard.
at is true that the democratic party
NOnd be responsible even to greater
extent than ourselves for such II result,
but to permit evil to triumph ON such
ds would convict MS ms well as
item of a lack of patriotism and narrow
partisanship that would dcscrvedly for
fei. TO us the confidence of the American
peuplt- Remember that two wrongs
never make n right.
When our devotion to the welfare of
the pcoI L. fGlter because of any failure
on The part of the democratic or any
other party then, indeed, we will have
lowered our standard and proven our
selves false to our own teachings and
repudiated our own motto of country
first and men and parties second. The
brave, enlightened voters who constitute
Ghc rank and file of the popuist party
are incapable of such base betrayal of
their country MS would result from II di-
uVisioJ in the ranks of those opposed to
o ~, Vaccinations of the confederatcd
money power of two continents against
The homes and liberties of the American
people and would rcpudiatc any action
oa the part of the leaders opposed TO
united effort ut this time rs they rcpu-
dated the old parties for trcachery TO
their interests.
''Tho other course left open TO your
committee that was consistent with the
tt,,,r
Mr. Bryan was to do everything in its
power tC unite the voters of the country
against Mckinley and to overcome the
obstacles and cmbarrassmcnts which, if
uihS democratic party had put the cause
hrSt and parts second, we would not
INV. encountered. This can he accom-
pliSh"d by arranging for Il division of
the electoral vote in every state possl-
bic, securing so many electors for Bry-
nm and Watson and conccding so many to
BRYAN and Scwall. At the opening of
The campai-" under the circumstances, il
seemed the wscst course for your COM
mittcc. and ( is clearer today than ever
'6hat il must he the only safe and wise
course If our votes We're cast and made
active for the relief of an oppressed and
utraved people. Following this line of
gDclic,. your committee has arranged
electoral tickets in thrce-fourths of the
'sS&t,S and will do all il its power to
make tn, same arrangement in all OF
,4he states. BY perfecting this arrange
~ a., and every sincere opponent of the
gold standard giving loyal support to
Shes. joint electoral tickets, the peoples
party will not only secure in the electoral
college for Bryan and Watson several
times as Eiany votes ms we could have
,poss,hly secured by making a straight
SIGHT, hut we will secure the defeat of
Mckinley and the gold standard, which
should now be the greatest desire of
every citizen who believes in the prin-
clples of true democracy as taught by
Jefferson and of true republicanism rs
represented Ivy Abraham Lincoln.
by this arrangement we can unite
large majority of the voters of America
On our joint electoral ticket. Therefore
the only hope of the money power and
trusts is to divide and conquer. The re-
public and managers and the gold demo-
cratic allies realize this and are putting
forth every effort to accomplish this end.
They have had their cmissaries ON hand
everywhere. trying TO prevent joint eiec-
toral tickets being arranged. Failing i'll
this, they try to find populists and silver
democrats who can be induced ON one