The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-19
LIFTING ITS HEAD.
The New Political Silver Party
of the United States
That is Neither Republican,
~ Democratic or POpulist.
The "State Journals" Cores
pondent at Washington
-
MAKES A DISCOVERY.
The New Party Has Volunteers
in Nearly Every County
In Kansas, So Says Its Execu-
tive Chairman.
NOR ARE THEY POPS,
But Republicans and Democrats,
Hitherto Party Men.
If the Old Parties Ignore the
n Question, Will Come Out.

From the State Journals Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19-The Ameri-
can BimetaIic league with headquarters
in the Corcoran building in this city, is
beginning the work of thoroughly
organizing the silver forces in the United
States preparatory to the launching of a
free silver party. Its officers say they
are waiting to see if the old parties re-
fuse to recognize silver in their plat
forms, and if they do refuse, free silver
ticket will be put in the field. Organ
ization is now being perfected in every
state so that this action can be taken with
force and effect just as soon as it is seen
that the old parties will do nothing for
silver.
) F. ]. Mott, of North Carolina. chair
man of the executive committee of the
Bimetalic league, was seen by the Jour
NAL correspondent and asked what
strength they had in Kansas and what
was being done.
ave already have the Names" said he,
''of large number of Democrats and
epublicans who have told US that they
will support free silver Wey do not pro-
pose to make these names public now,
for by SO doing we should defeat our own
purposes- When the time comes we will
make them known. If we should dis
CLOSE now III LA0 inCtpl0uE stages OF our
organization what we had accom- plished,
it would give the older organizations a
chance to head us off.
ave have these pledges, however,
from old party men to help the cause of
silver and they are quietly working
among their neigh bors and associates
strengthening the silver sentiment"
f"Have you any state committee or or
ganizers in Kansas?"
mo; we have not yet any regularly
elected or appointed committees for the
organized movement is now only about a
week old. We have had volunteers how
ever, from every county in the state
with three or four exceptions and by
she time of holding national con-
svention the forces will be in working
trim and will organize. That is what we
are doing now. In every county in Kan
sas and in every county in the Uuited
States we are forming committees. We
are proceeding on the supposition that
the old parties will not do anything for
silver, SO we expect to be we'll equipped
when that supposition becomes d fact
There is nothing so destructive in politi-
cal warfare as quiet work, and that is
the method we are following.
"All of the free silver men are going
to vote our ticket and we are going to
elect the next president"
Alr. Mott said something about the
OpOAAShS 81 ppOEhluS b06 Tree SILVER can
didate, aud the correspondent asked:
"Have you any real assurances that they
will do that?"
Yes, of the best kind,' Mr.. Mott an
swered. "The PopuIists had planned
to have an early convention and long
campaign, but through the efforts of the
silver men they called their convention
at later date than the other conventions
In order to see what would be done re-
garding silver This week we shall issue
call for our national convention to be
held at the same time and place with the
Populists
I'VE persuaded them that they couldn't
carry all their load up the hill at once
and that they had better take it up part
at time. SO they will support our can
didate for the presidency, which will
give the free silver ticket their full
strength, as they are all for silver"
F"Do you expect to put state tickets in
the field?''
''That is what we do not know yet. If
Ii Is necessary in order to hold our own
and keep our forces together we shall
PROBABLY do so. We do not intend to
allow ourselves to be weakened in any
way"
\ Chairman Mott steadily refused to
make public now the names of the promi-
nent Democrats aud Republicans Who
had said they would go into the free sill.
YER party, but declared as soon as the
work was farther along he would do 40
The league is busy getting the organi-
cation started in everv portion IF tho
country where there is the slipbtast frae
SILVER sentiments M. F. NJ