Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-09-17
POPS NOTIFY BRYAN
SEND HIM 4 LETTER ANNOUNC-
ING HIS NOMINATION.
NEEDN'T ACCEPT PLATFORM
Chairman Allen Tells The Nominee
That He Doesn't Have to Espouse
All Their Doctrines Enunciated at
ST. Louis-Letter Deals Largely
With Money Question.

Madison, Neb. Sept. 15.-William
V. Allen, chairman of the populist ma
tional convention, mailed to William
Jennings Bryan yesterday the follow
ing letter officially notifying him of
his nomination by that body:
William J. Bryan, Lincoln, Neb.,
Dear Sir-At the convention of the
peoples party held at St. Louis from
July p to %, of the current year, y1u
were unanimously nominated for pres
ident Of the United States to be vo,cd
for at the approaching general cleo
ton. 1t was known at the time that
you had been nominated by the demo-
cratic party at its convention held at
Chicago few days before that tine
and that you would in all probability
accept the same in a formal manner
Your nomination by the peoples party
was not therefore made with aTy
thought that you were a populist OF
that you accepted all the doctrines &C.
clared by the St. Louis platform. 1t
was due largely to the fact that the
money question is the overshadowing
political question of the age and be-
cause you have at all times been n
| answering advocate of the free and
unlimited coinage of silver and gold on
! terms of equality at the minis of the
! United States at ratio of 16 to 1. 1t
was thought also that the Observance
of patriotic duty required a union IF
all reform forces and the convention
! took the liberty without soliciting 6
consulting you of placing your name
before the people as its standard
! bearer. The conventions in doing so
was guided by deep solicitude for the
country.
Much has been said respecting the
rehabilitation of silver by again placing
it in our coinage acts in the position
it occupied when stealthIly demone-
tized by the act of 1873 and it would be
idle for lis to discuss the question. Y 1u
will observe by the closing language
of the st. Louis platform that the con-
ventiOn recognized the money qu9s-
tian as the great issue of the day and
because the pOpulists believe that you
! are in accord with them on this ques-
| ton you will receive their ballots in
| November. 1t has at no line been ex-
pected, or is it now, that you will
abandon your adhesion to the Chicago
platform nor that you will accept all
that is declared in the peoples party
platform, however gratifying the latter
would be 10 all populists. 1t must be
understood that that party does not
abate one jOt or title of loyalty to it's
principles. We have declared our
! selves in favor of many Important re-
forms, in our judg es-
sential to the liberation of
the people from the present un-
| just and iniquitous industrial bondage
In accordance with the precedent CT
! our party we take this method of no.
! tifying you Of your nomination. We
| shall not send a committee according
| to old party custom. In sending this
letter Of notifications Of the great honor
that has so justly been conferred on
YOU by our party, il is needless for rs
! &c assure you that you have the conf
dence and esteem of all. Your splen-
did abilities, kncwn integrity, COM
| potency and eminent fitness for the 20
ssition justly en.itle you to high rank
| among the great statesmen Of the ma
! ton. We feel that in the event Of
! Your election which now seems certain
that you will carry into execution
! r of
! END that the people shall enjoy better
| industrial conditions. 1t is not antici.
pated that this will be done so sudden
! ly DIS to wrench or dIsjoint the business
Interests Of the country, but that it
will be done gradually and in q way to
infuse confidence anG hope of better
conditions for all.
THE peoples party will exact Of you
nc promises further than those made in
your public utteranCes and exempiifed
! IN life devoted to the welfare of the
race, nor will it ask you TO abandon
the party of which you are an honored
| member. Your nomination by our
party has arisen above mere partisan
surroundings. We adopted a high
plane of patriotism believing that a
division of forces would result in the
election of William Mckinley, the fore
most advocate Of deeply burdensOme
taxation and the criminal policy Of a !
single gold standard resulting ulti-
mately, II not IN stme manner checked. J
in the complete destruction ard disin-
tegration Of our form of government
Your elevation to the chief magistracv
OF the nation would be regarded as a
vindication of the right of the people
to govern, and We entertain no doubt !
that you will prove a worthy successor ;
of the immortal Jefferson and Lincoln |
and that your public life like theirs !
will illustrate the purity and loftiness !
Of American craftsmanship. Your !
extensive and intimate knowledge of .
public affairs and the duties the office
will impose, gained in life that has !
been devoted to upholding the cause of |
the people, as well as your keen in !
sight into the condition of our country. |
III our judgment, highly qualities you
to bring about the change in a way that !
will work injury to none and justice to |
all. thus making our government, in i
fact. as it is now in form? only, a gov
eminent of, by and for the people,
We have the honor to be your most
obedient servants, (signed) William