The San Francisco call., 1896-08-14
Ask for the Better Share of the
Offices That Are to Be
Filled.
THEY ADOPT A PLATFORM.
A Score of Reforms Which the Party
Will Undertake to Bring
About.

ELLENsBURG, WASH, Aug. 13.-Fu-
sion of the Populists, Democrats and Frea
Silver Republicans of Washington is still
in doubt. Conference committees OF the
three parties were in session all day and
far in to the night, without arriving at an
agreement Tomorrow it will be known
whether or not the silver forces OF Wash
ington will C ombine.
The conference committees were in ses-
sion ali day. There were twelve State
offices to be divided and four Presid ental
electors to be chosen. Owing to the pecu-
liar construction of the State law, there
can be but one set of electors voted for by
the fusionists, as no name can appear
tw ice on an official ballot.
While the conference bodies, as COM
mittee of the whole, passed resolution
strictly forbidding members giving out
news or information relative to their DO
ings, yet much is known as to what trans.
pired at to-day's sessions. The Democrats
asked the Governorship and in return
were willing to concede to the PopulIsts
half of the electoral ticket, two Congress-
men and five other offices, leaving about
four subordinate offices TO the free-silver
Repu blicans.
The Populists demanded the guberna-
torial berth. all the electoral ticket and
both Congressman, and were willing that
the other two parties divide the remaining
nine State officers as best suited them
selves. This proposition was coupled with
well-defned intimation that they would
accept the Governorship, half the electoral
ticket, one Congressman and one or two
subordinate offices. The free-siIver Re
publicans will, it is estimated, poll more
than hall as many votes in the State as
the Democrats, and they modestly re-
quested one Congressman, the Lieutenant
Governor and the privilege of voting for
any electoral ticket named.
In convention to-day neither Democrats
nor free silver Republicans did much
aside from speech making, but the Popu-
lists, around which body the greatest
interest centers, got down to business and
adopted platfotm. This, after asserting
allegiance to the Omaha and st. Louis
Populist platform and being relieved of
verbiage, reads as follows:
We demand that the people shall be given q
direct vote on all important legislation; that
all officers elected shall be subject at any time
TO recall or dismissal; that the excessive sal.
aries on all executive, legislative and judicial
offices be reduced, and freight, passenger, tele-
phone and telegraphic rates within the State
lessened, the Torrens system of registering
land titles adopted; that q general system of
Notwithstanding warrants receivable for
taxes throughout the State be adopted that
schoolbooks shall be furnished to pupils in
our public schools at the expense of the State;
that in case of sale of property under fore
closure DEGREES the debtor shall retain posses
sion of the property throughout. the redemp-
tion period, and the period OF redemption
shall be two years instead OF one; that q lib
eral exemption from taxation OF personal
property and Improvements in or upon land
be made; that the next Legislature take legal
steps TO submit TO the electors of this
State, TO be voted upon at the next
regular election, amendment TO the State
constitution conferring the elective franchise
upon women citizens of this State; that the
Legislature pass laws making it g felony for
any city, county or State officer TO accept or
use railroad or other transportation pass,
and that the law shall be applicable to those
who give such passes; and we condemn sll
persons who are State, county or city officers
who may have accepted and used suon pas ses
SIS betraying the trust reposed in them by the
party and as violating their duties as citizens
we condemn the chief executive of this
State for his lily considered and unjust vetoes
of the deficiency judgment bill and the free
textbook bill, alter having recommended the
former in his message.
That clause in the platform relating to
liberal exemption from taxation of I'm
provements on land provoked q spirited
debate, many farmers contending that it
was too long q step in the direction oi
single tax.