Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-07-25
POPULISTIC CONVENTION.

Pro liability of the Endorsement OF the
Democratic Nominee.
During the past week, st. Louis has
again been the all absorbing centre oi
political interest. The Populist and
Silver conventions convened last Wed.
nesday, and both Republicans and
Democrats have been watching closely
to see what they are going 10 do.
Since the action of the Democratic
convention at Chicago, the Populist
leaders have been in a quandary. The
Democrats either adopted literally, or
in a modified form, all the important
demands of the Populists, and left
practically nothing upon which new
party can stand.
The Populist leaders, of course, have
all the while been preaching measures
above men, and the rank and file OF
the party being among the most ear
nest and sincere voters in the country,
that they must now vote with the
Democrats is a logical consequence.
The leaders recognized this as fully as
anybody and that is what gave the
trouble.
When the Populist delegates first
commenced to arrive in st. Louis on
Monday and Tuesday, they were total
ly at sea as to the best course to pur-
sue. Most of the leaders advised that
they keep 'in the middle of the road )"
that is that they 60 on and adopt a
platform and nominate candidates re-
gardless of what was done by either
of the other old parties. They advised
that if Bryan and Sewall were endorsed
the Populist party would 60 out of ex-
istence, and at its next convention the
Democrats would abandon the princi-
Piles it had set up. Other leaders,
like Lafe Pence, urged that the only
thing that the Populists wanted was
measures; the Democrats were offering
to give them all the relief they could
hope for; by voting for the Democrat
ic candidates they could win, and the
fight would be over; the only thing
that could be saved by independent
action would be a few sheriffs and
justices of the peace of benefit only to
the individuals who were drawing
salaries. "Coin" Harvey, ex-Govern-
or Waite and several others of the
most influential leaders backed Pence,
Finally, a majority of the convention
seemed to come together on the propo.
sition to endorse Bryan, but to put up
a southern Populist for vice president
instead of Sewall. The objection
urged against Sewall was that he was
national banker, and no Populist
could consistently vote for him.
The convention was called to order
on Wednesday morning by H. E.
Taubeneck, chairman of the executive
committee, and Francis Marion Butler
of North Carolina, was elected tempo
rary chairman. Butler made speech
that was we'll received, and it showed
a decided leaning toward the policy O.
nominating a new ticket. The report
of the committee on platform was al
follows:
First-We demand national currency
safe, sound and flexible, issued by tht
general government only, full legal ten.
der for all debts, public and private, anc
that without the use of banking corpora
tions.
Seco nd-We demand the free and un
| limited coinage of silver at the presen
legal ratio of 16 to l.
Third-We demand that the amount
the circulating medium be speedily in
creased in sufficient quantity to transac
the business of the country on a casl
basis.
Fou rth-We demand graduated in
come tax.
Fifth-We believe that the money o
the country should be kept as much a
possible in the hands of the people, hem c'
we demand that all state and nationa
revenues shall be limited to the necessar.