Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-07-15
AN ENDORSEMENT OF BRYAN.
Secretary Turner, of the Peoples Party
National Committee, Urges His Party to
Support Bryan and the Democratic Plat

Secretary Turner, of the Peoples Party
National Committee, Urges His Party to
Support Bryan and the Democratic Plat
form
Washington, July Al. H. Turner,
who for the last four years has been.
secretary of the National Committee of
the, Peoples party, in a signed state
ment, urges Populists 10 support Bryan
for President. He writes:
The result OF the late National DEM
Ocratic Convention at Chicago is un-
doubtedly the triumph OF the Popu-
list. A large portion OF the voters OF
the Populist party in the South and
West were originally Democrats and
left the old party because it was dom
mated in every national convention by
the Eastern Democrats, who represent
ed Wall street and the mOnopolistS Of
new York and New England. II be-
came quite apparent to every thinking
man that as long as New York was al
lowed 10 MIKE the platform and name
the candidate of the Democtic party
that the great plain people would have
mo show and that their rights and wish
es would always be ignored. Believing
this, then thinking men among the
rank and file determined TO quit the old
party. The Democratic party
at Chicago simply purged itself reor-
ganized itself, came out for true De-
mocracy. and to all intents and pur-
poses substituted the Populist platform
for the old platforms that the party has
been using for years, and which were
dictated and foisted upon the people by
the gold bugs of the East. MIR. Bryan,
the nominee of that convention. is a
man who fits the platform. [ have
personally watched his course for a
number Of years, and know that his
every impulse has been against the op-
pressors of the people and in behalf Of
the great masses. For more than
twenty years ne has acted with the
populists of his own State.
II cannot be successfully denied that
the principles advocated by the Populist
party have captured the Democratic
party. and have driven out of its ranks
that element which has always been op-
posed TO true Democracy and which from
the beginning has been affiliated with
the Republican party. All PGpulists in
these United States should rejoice that
their principles have taken such hold
upon the American people that one of
the great popular parties Of the nation
has been compelled to advocate these
principles and nominate ticket pledg-
ed 10 carry them into execution. If the
iPapulista think more of their principles
than they do Of mere party organization,
they will be compelled to unite with the
forces going in the same direction. and
thereby rescue our country from all the
dire calamitieS which we have predicted
would befall, should the gold standard
be permanently fastened upon US.
AS secretary of the National Commit
tee Of the Peoples party for the last four
years have labored in season and out OF
season for the rpholding of our party.
love the associations which | have
formed In It's ranks, but, while these
are dear to me, the principles of the
Populist party are much dearer. l feel
that would be one of the worst enemies
of the Peoples party and of its principles
should | not take the step at this time
that believe will culminate in the COM
plete triumph of every demand made by
the country. We have advocated un-
10 nof the South and West in order that
we might bring about the necessar'
financial reforms Now we have a
chance of bringing all our hopes and de-
sires 10 a grand consummation.
The truth Of it is that the only point
the PGDulists now have TO decide is
whether or not they will take Mr. Bryan,
whom every gold bug in tn country has
denounced as a Populist, for cur next
President OF the United States, or
whether they will take Mr.. Mckinley,
who represents everything that the Pop
ulists have denounced, and just the op-
lposite CT everything they have advocat-
ed since they have been party.