The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-22
POP EDITORS OPPOSE BRYAN.
They Pass Resolutions Recommending
Nomination Of a Ticket.

St. Louis, July 21-The Reform
! Press Association adopted the follow
| ing resolution:
The National Reform Press Asso-
| citation, in National convention assem-
blcd in St. Louis, July 21, 1896, congrat-
ulates the patriots of the country
| upon the progress made by the Peo-
| ple's party since its organization at
! Cincinnati, May 21, 1891. Without re-
counting the many victories it has
| achieved, with which the people are
already familiar, we recall with pride
| the work in behalf of the whole people
| performed by our representatives in
| both branches of Congress. As a re-
| suit of the education, the work of the
| Reform Press, supplemented by that
of the able speakers and workers in
| the Peoples party's ranks we have
| seen two parties split in their Nation
| al conventions and another party in
| the thrOes of dissolution as a result
| of an attempt by a single portion If it's
| platform to counteract the growth Of
the Peoples party. What shall we do
| with our victories? We recognize the
! crisis that cOnfronts the nation at this
| time and that the claims of humanity
| are about to be weighed in the scales
| against the claims of the dollar. There
| is no question as to which side Of the
| case, that in the continuance of the
work of the Peoples party, lies the
| hope of the ultimate redemption Of the
republic from the money power. There
| fore we declare:
That the one central thought of
| all true Populists should be the main
tenance of the party and the continu-
ance of its integrity as an organization.
| There ChO11l5 Ia Jiyvfuspy, iv ba
party's counsels and we believe that
honest deliberation in an attempt to
solve the seeming difficulties which
confront us viii be productive of a
brotherly feeling and harmony which
has heretofore characterized our gath
erings. As we are the party of pro-
gress and have already educated a
majority of the people up to the ac-
ceptance of y portion of our funda-
mental principles, we feel that we
should keep up before the people those
principles we believe essential to the
common welfare and that the Peoples
party should continue along the same
line OF thought and work.
I'VE declare that an honest ballot
and count is a principle underlying
the cornerstone of the very foundation
of the Republic and circumstances
| it within the power of our organiza-
| tion to afford relief to our brethren
| in the South from the outrages COM
mitted on the ballot box, as shown
| in the Investigations of the last Con-
| gress; that all true Populists remem-
| ber that Watson has been twice count
ed out i'm Georgia; that Alabama was
| bodily stolen and the viii of the peo-
| pie ruthlessly set aside. while Mis-
| sissippi has disfranchised two-thirds
| of the people of that State in de-
termined effort to continue the bond,
age of the masses to the classes.
And we denounce with emphasis
the ballot box outragcs and falSifica-
tion of returns by the Republicans Of
Washington, Nebraska. Oregon. Kan
sas and other Northern States, by
which the popular will has been sub
verted and the Peoples party cheated
OF its victories. There can be no Re-
public like that contemplated bv the
Revolutionary fathers Of 1716, until
these evils are remedied. Let us lis
ten to the voice of the South; let us
as political party have the dignity
to maintain our independence; let us
conduct our proceedings regardless OF
the existence OF the two cid parties
except to remember that. as Judged by
their acts and by their fruits shall We
know them: that they are the tools
Of the classes and have steadily legis-
lated against the welfare of the masses.
Above all we declare that his Ma
tiOnal convention is not a Democratic
or Republican ratification meeting. We
close. giving expression of the belief
that when the honest men. who have
made so many sacrifices for the Peo-
pies party, animated by no other mo-
tiycS than to advance the brotherhood
of mankind, shall ask the giver of all
good to lend them to know the right
that then, when a man listens to the
dictates of his conscience he can stand
against the world. for he knows that
his acts will be in harmony with right
and truth God save the Republic'
There was determined but small
minority of the Populist editors in
favor of the endorsement of Bryan and
they succeeded in compelling the ma
iority, after the reference to the Dem
ocratic election outrages in the South,
to insert the reference to the Republi-
can election frauds in Kansas, Nebras-
ka, Washington and other Northern
States. But this was the extent of
their victory. 1t served their purpose,
however, in offsetting the denunciation
of the Democrats with denunciation of
Republicans.
The Populist editors believe that
they are largely responsible for the
education of the people and growth of
Populism and that their advice will
carry great weight.
The minority presented the follow
ing protest against the resolution but
it was not submitted to a vote: with
the spirit of the resolution we are in
accord, but believe that the only way
to relieve the people of this country
from gold bugism and McKinleyism is
to nominate Bryan and Sewall on a
Populist platform"