Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-12-04
PETER WANTS A NEW PARTY.

WASHINGTON, Nov. co. Senator PETER of
Kansas, III a talk with Star reporter advo-
Gated the calling OF a conference of silver lead
ers for the purpose of organizing brand new
party to carry on the fight for bimetalsnl, and
says that the same forces that were united i'll
the campaign now can not be united again I'M
der the leadership of the Democrats. This
idea of Senator PETER was brought out in talk
about the probable policy of the silver men III
the future 81 am not prepared to say" he
said, "wlat the silver men will do. | can
only give my own views as to what we orght
to do.
LEARNED A LESSON.
"The lesson of the late cam lign taught us
something that we needed very much to know,
and that is that the friends of the gold standard
are ready to abandon their party affiliations and
vote together to secure legislation in accord
with their own opinions on that subject. 1t
taught us another thing-that the gold stand
ard people regard the money question as the
only one worth talking about at this time; and,
from what has taken place since the election
we have learned another very important thing
that the gold standard people propose to hold
what they have by a continual agitation of the
money question that they will stand together
a unit, without reference to parties.
WANTS A DISTINCT PARTY.
"Putting these great factors together, it
would be idiocy for lis to quarrel over party
names and allow party prejudices TO keep us
apart, when nothing but the closest union can
achieve success. If the cause of bmetalism
is right, it ought to be not only defended, but
its advocacy ought to be made war for vic
tory | think the silver forces OF the country
ought to meet in national conference, by dele
gates properly chosen, and arrange, if possible,
for the organization of new and distinct po-
struggle for reformation i'll monetary sys-
tenn, and to keep up this struggle uuti we shall
have succeeded, or until we shall have discover
ed that majority of the people, at lair cleo
tion, with an untrammellel vote, 90 not agree
with us"
''Then YOU do not think the fight can he
made again, if it is made at all, under the lead
eTShlp OF the Democrats =!
NEVER WITH DEMOCRATS.
"Thc silver Democrats have control Of their
party organization, and if they insist upon go
ing into the next campaign with the party
name, and expect silver Republicans and Pop
ulists to continue the alliance that was formed
during the last campaign, they vii most likely
+ -.
with one another about it. The Democratic
party, as such, can hardly expect to ever again
have control of the government 1t is now
hopelessly divided on the money question, and
that will continue to be bone Of convention so
long as the party tries to maintain its integrity.
Hence, the wise thing for the silver Democrats
to do is to unite with the Popnlsts and silver
Republicans and form an entirely distinct and
new body under new name, organized chiefly
for the purpose of carrying oil the struggle for
bimetallism and monetary reform.
"Such a union will bring together all the re-
form elements in the country. 1t will unite all
shades of opinion opposed to The gold standard
policy The new body would, logically, take
a new name, and that would do away Mitl
the prejudices which hang abou, old name, and
party associations
FORCES SCATTERED.
"When the Populist patty Was organized
those who joined it did not do SO with tn, m
tention of going back to the ranks of either he
Republican or Democratic party. They start
ed out on new lines a.il lhci union with the
silver Democrats i'll the last campaign was a