Evening star., 1897-02-08

He Does Not Favor the Abandonment
of Silver, He Says.


George F. Washburn, chairman of the
executive committee of the peoples party
of Massachusetts, who recently issued a
manifesto calling for the peoples party
to separate the peoples party from the
democrats. and suggested the calling of a
convention. which appeal was replied to
by ]. A. Edgerton, secretary of the ma
tional committee Of the peoples party,
has made the following reply to Mr.. Edger-
tons recent letter:
BOSTON, Mass, February 4. 1897.
Mr. ]. A. Edgerton. Secretary Peoples
Party National Committee, Lincoln, Neb
My Dear Sir: l congratulate you on your
very able letter. 1t is plausible and would
do credit to an adroit lawyer with a weak
case. but you have not made plain why two
parties should force one issue, nor have you
reasoned away the actual dangers that
threaten the life of our party and the re-
form press.
1 do not favor the abandonment of silver
OR any change in the platform and my
appeal must not be construed to mean
that you do not discriminate between
planks. We made a subordinate plank the
issue, trusting to win by aid of the alliance.
In the order of the platform. scientific
money comes first. We forced the demo-
Gratis to champion silver, but we stand
ready to defend 1t when necessary.
l have received hundreds Of letters COM
ing from early every state In the Union,
representing every faction Of the party and
unanimous sentiment sustains my appeal.
Your letter bears the distinction of being
the only one opposed and the Rocky Noun
tain News. the only paper SO far as re-
ceived.
While do not ascribe to you the intent
nevertheless. your plan of having an iden-
tical issue with the democrats would re-
suit in a union of the populistic lamb and
inside the latter. While it was possible
to unite during a fighting campaign. it is
not wis= to continue the union during an
educational one.
Your plan would force us to follow the
democrats under their banner when We
should lead them under our own. Your
plan would humiliate our brave people,
while mine would inspire and ennoole them
You favor retaining subordinate plank
as an issue. l favor making the main one
which includes yours, the issue.
You favor a plan that would factonize
the party and divide the west and south.
1 favor plan that would unite all factions
and lead to victory. You favor plan that
would suppress our main planks. L favor
a plan that would open them to discussion
when the people want TO talk about them.
of adherents to another party. 1 favor one
that would add thousands of adherents 10
oEr own.
Fusion for a campaign may be polite,
means absorption and disintegration for our
party. Disintegration from the same cause
killed the greenback party. Why should
we invite similar fate?
You favor an issue that may be abandon
ed by the democrats through some form of
compromise. favor plan that would not
be affected by these changes. You favor
plan that would enable the democrats to
absorb the populists and pave the way for
unicn of the two wings Of democracy,
leaving the future of reform a fororr hope
l favor plan that would force the demo-
Gratis to advance to our position rather
than to recede from theirs.
You favor a plan that would wreck and
ruin all the reform papers of the land l
favor plan that would preserve and pros
per them. Should other questions absorb
the attention OF the people. or should an in
ternational agreement be reached by the re-
pUblicans 1t would leave the silver forces
stranded without an issue and afford them
an excuse for backsliding.
The issues 1 favor are the ones that will
command the attention Of the people during
the next four years. Why attempt to force
one issue when the people will discuss the
others?
will place our party at the head of the
column of reform, with the democrats pro-
tecting the rear. Our defense of the green
backs will add thousands of voters to our
ranks.
''The radicals Of today are the conserva-
tives of tomorrow" If we educate the
people between elections on scientific mon
ey. metal money will become the conserva-
live Acd6uIc VI tHe until the m
variable paper dollar shall finally take its
turn and become the money of all nations
The next battle may be fought on scientific
VS.. metal money.
There will be an informal. unofficial con-
ference in Memphis, Tenn. on February
p. 1t will be attended by leaders of the
party from every section of the country.
l believe the resolutions adopted at .hat
time will be 50 emphatically In favor of in
dependent action as to lead to official in
dorsement by our national committee, In
calling separate conference you have un-
wisely added to the confusion. Yours, fra
ternally, GEORGE r. WASHRIrRN