The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-01-11
THE PEOPLES PARTY.
Address TO the COuniry-ObJset TO Being
cIaaSed nS Democrats.

BOSTON, Mass, Jan. 1O.-Georse F.
Washburn, member Of the Peoples
party national executive committee,
to-day issued an address to the Popu-
lists OF the United States In part the
address Is as follows:
We are TO be congratulated upon the
groWth OF our party and the fact that
In Tic recent election nearly half OF the
voters Of the union indorsed much OF
our platform No party ever achieved
more brilliant success In so brief 4
time. Although handicapped In the late
campaign. we emerge frofl the contest
stronger than ever. our party alone has
a voting force larger than that which
elected Lincoln, and an able, effective
reform press Of nearly 1000 papers. We
elected several governors, as we'll as
hundreds OF other state, county and
t5wn officials. We hold the balance OF
power In the United States senate and
have four times as many congressman
as ever before.
We united with the silver forces In
the recent campalgn-not because we
believed free coinage OF silver Is the
solution OF the financial problem, but
because II would better existing condi-
lions; would meet with the least resist
ance, and would become the entering
wedge for our main issue, viz: Full
legal tender paper money, Issued and
regulated by the government alone.
Having proved our loyalty at the polls,
we are free to act separately on ad-
Vanced lines and to emphasize the
real issues our party was born to ad-
vocate. We cannot in honor lay down
our arms and cease our activity until
the war for which we are enlisted has
ended in victory for our cause.
The Democratic party proposed TO
continue the silver fight. Two parties
cannot exist on the same issue. The
greater abs0Fbs the smaller. Therefore,
II we remain mere camp followers of
another party dlslntegratlon will re-
suit. Our party success alone forced
the Democrats TO adopt the Chicago
platform and nominate Popocrat for
President. Converts made by party
regularity cannot be trusted with the
reforms Of the future.
We are not Democrats. and cannot
be classed as such. We simply united
for n single campaign. The Democratic
party IS but the rear guard of our own.
We do not stand for redemption mo-
ney, but for n scientific dollar, kept in
variable by proper regulation OF the
money value. Then why should a high
school graduate re-enter the interme-
date grade? Our grRndest achieve
ments are In the future.
The proposed retirement OF the green
backs and the discussion Of the Paci-
fic railroad question will bring before
Congress the two strongest measures
of our platform; and whatever issues
the other parties may adopt, the logic
Of events Will so force upon both Con-
gress and the people the consideration
OF these measures as to overshadow all
others, and win to our ranks thousands
OF voters from both the Republican and
Democratic parties.
I suggest that a national conference
OF party leaders and workers be held
as soon as practicable, that we may
have n full and free expression OF opin-
Ion regarding our future work. We
hope, therefore. that the reform press
will give the fullest possible exposition
Of their Views on this important sub
ject; and our friends are invited to
write me or our national chairman, ex-
pressing their IDEAS on the Independent
party action herein proposed.