The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-09-19
NOW THE POPULlSTS
NOTIFY BRYAN OF HIS NOMINATION.
At ST. LOUIS CONVENTION.
WAS Nominated Because of His I'm
swerving Advocacy of Free
Coinage of Silver.

Madison, Neb., Sept 14.-The Hon.
W. V. Allen, chairman of the populist
national committee, mailed to William
Jennings Bryan today the following
letter, officially noufying him of his
nomination by that body:
Hon. William d. l5ryan. Lincoln. Neb
Dear Sir: At convention of the peo-
pies party held at St. Louis July p to p
of the current year, you were unanimous
~ nominated for president of the United
States to be voted for at the approaching
general election. 1t was known at that
time that you had been nominated by the
democratic party at its convention held
al Chicago a few days before that time,
and that you would in all probability ac-
cept the same in a formal manner. Your
nomination by the people party was not
therefore made with any thought that
you were a populist or shat you accepted
all the doctrines declared by the st. Lou
is platform.
1T was due largely to the fact that the
money question is the oVershadowing po-
litcal issue of the age, and because you
have at all times been an answering.
able and fearless advocate of the free
and unlimited coinage of silver and gold
in terms of equality at the mints of the
United States at the ratio of 16 to l. 1t
a patriotic duty required a union of all
reform forces, and the convention took
the liberty. without soliciting or consult
ing you, Of placing your name before the
people as its standard bearer.
The convention was, in so doing, guild
ed by deep solicitude for the common
welfare, and acting on its own motion
prompted alone by desire to bring about
the best attainable results. So much has
been said respecting the rehabilitation of
silver by again placing it in our coinage
acts in the position it occupied when
stealthy demonetized by the act of 1873,
that it would be idle for us to discuss the
question.
You will observe by the closing Ian
guage of the st. Louis platform that the
convention recognized the money ques-
ton as the great issue of the day, and
caused populists to believe you are in ac-
cord with them on this question. 1t has
at no time been expected, nor Is 1t now.
that you will abandon your adhesion to
the Chicago platform, nor that you will
accept all that is declared in the people s
party platform, however gratifying the
latter would be to all populists. 1t must
he understood that the party does not
abate one jot of loyalty to it's principles.
We have declared ourselves in favor OF
many important reforms, = in our judS-
ment essential to the liberation of the
people from a present, unjust and in
iquitous industrial bondage.
In accordance with the precedent oil
our party we take this method OF notify
ing you of your nomination. We shall
not send committee, according to Ole
party customs. In drafting this letter OF
notification of the great honor that has
been conferred on you by our party it is
needless to assure you that you have the
confidence and esteem of all. Your known
integrity, competency and eminent MT
ness for the position justly entitle you
III av,Ir fIo q fnG
men of the nation. We feel in the event
OF your election, which now seems GER
tain, you will carry into the executive
the principles of monetary reform The
peoples party will exact of you no prom
ise further than those made in your pub
lie utterances and exemplified in life
devoted to the welfare of the race; mol
will it ask you to abandon the party o.
which you are an honored member.
by your nomination our party ha:
risen above mere partisan surroundings
adopting a high plane of patriotism, be
lieving that a division of forces would
result in the election of William Mckin
ley the foremost advocate of a deeply
burdensome and unnatural taxation anC
the criminal policy of the single golC
standard, which would ultimately, If no
checked, result in the disintegration ant
destruction of our government Your cleo
ton to the chief magistracy of the ma
ton would be regarded as a vindicatioi
Of the right of the people to govern, ant
we entertain no doubt that you will prov
a worthy successor of the worthy Jeffer
son and Lincoln, and that your publ
life like theirs, will illustrate the purit.
and loftiness of American statesman
ship.
Your extensive and intimate knowl
edge of public affairs and the duties tn
office will impose gained in a life tina
has been devoted to upholding the caus
Of the people, as well as your keen insigh
into the conditions Of our cause. in GU
Judgment highly qualified you to brin
about these reforms in a way that Wi
work injury to none and justice to all
thus making our government in fact, a
il is now in form only, a government
of, by and for the people, We have tn
honor to be your most obedient servant:
WIN. VINCENT ALLEN.
Chairman"
The letter also bears the signature
of the As delegates appointed to repre-
sent the several states and territorie
on the notification committee.
BUTLER NOTIFIED MIR. WATsO