Evening star., 1897-02-03
Mr.. Washburn's Proposition Not
Kindly Received by Congressman.
SEVERAL OF THEM TALK ON IT
Mr.. Bell Speaks at Length of
Needed Reforms.
THE FIGHT FOR SILVER

| Committeeman washburn of Massachu-
setts that the peoples party abandon the
| silver question and fall back Upon the two
! issues of government issue of paper money
| and government control OF railroads.
| Neither do they indorse the idea OF Secre-
| tary Edgerton of The populist national
| committee for a conference of the leaders
OF the party TO determine what shall he
| the course of the PARTY. Mr.. Edgerton and
Chairman Butler agree in everything but
| this proposition. and IL is not likely that
| a conference will be called. The populist
leaders here regard it as unnecessary, and
one OF them, speaking TO a Star reporter.
said that it would just be an opportunity
ior pepullst traitors TO create further dis
cord IN the party ranks" Senator Butler,
senator Allen and others are strongly op-
posed to the idea of a conference. They
are Just as strongly opposed to any change
from the issue of the last campaign They
express confidence in eventually coming
out Nictcrs on that ISSUE and they look
upon the suggestion of Mr.. Washburn with
suspicion. Mr. W Washburn became promi-
hent during the last campaign by being
appointed by Chairman Butler to the COM
mana of the populist headquarters at Chi
| cago. He was not fun and enthusiastic
supporter OF the policy and ideas OF the
North Carolina man throughout the cam
paign. leaning somewhat TO Candidate
watson. In this way ne and Chairman
Butler did not learn to love each other as
earnestly as was the case with the chair
man and other members of the national
committee
Chairman Butler expresses the opinion
mat the populst party is committed to
flee silver the main issue until that
question Is finally disposed of. Then he
thinks ii will be time enough for the party
TO take up other matters. If il were left
TO him 1T is doubtful if the question of
government ownership of railways would
ever be an issue of the party again. He
is a behever in doing away with some of
MI hak-a
the party in many quarters and of adopt-
iEg substantial questions issues on which
to fight
What Representative kem Thinks.
The logic of the situation won't permit
the party to cut adrift from the silver
question:" said Representative KEN of
Nebraska to Star reporter. Il agree with
what Mr.. Washburn says to the future
OF the party except as TO silver. His por-
trayal of the situation is correct Times
have grown 10 better and will grow no
better The populist party is stronger by
reason of its support of silver. / have
never been silver man. because l be-
leved it would be solution of the money
question, but because / knew 1t would
give the country more money and that is
what is needed
National Committeeman Warden of Cali
fornia, who is in the city, expressed to a
reporter his opposition TO the plan of Mr..
Washburn follows: ''rhe national con-
vention at st. Louis fixed The issues for
the populist party, and it did its duty under
the platform adopted there. The talk of
changing the issue now is idle. In the
first place, We could not change the issue
if We wanted to, and in the second place
the party is committed TO the platform at
ST. Louis until the next national ccag..t-
ton
Representative Bells Views.
Representative Bell of Colorado was ask
ed the question whether the populists
republicans and the silver cause. 20 TO
themselves. and advocate an exclusive pa
per currency, advocated by Mr.. Wash
burn, would they stay with their plat
form and allies of last year. advised by
Secretary Edgerton
The great mass of the populisJ party"
said Mr.. Bell advocates the free coinage
of both gold and silver, and the supplement
of the deficiency of these metals with 4
sufficient volume of full legal tender pa
per money, to be safely limited in guam
tity, many thinking fifty dollars per capita
about right, others believing that as the
needs of circulation are controlled by the
amount of property to be exchanged, rath-
er than by the number OF people who use
1t, the amount of money should be
proportioned 10 the value of the property in
the country, to be exchanged. Mr. Cal
houn suggested that probably there should
be al all times one dollar in currency for
each $50 worth of PROPERTY.
The populists do not believe in a forced
redemption of paper money. They believe
in coming all the gold andt all the silver
that can be obtained, if you reach SO per
capita, or VI in money for each $50 worth
of property; If that test is adopted. then
We would have no paper money at all ex-
cept silver or gold certificates representing
the coin, but If you failed to find enough
coin, and the world has always so failed
then We believe in issuing paper money to
be automatically taken up the mines in
crease their output If not automatically
taken up then they will be indefinitely In
'existence.
"Some OF our people believe in a scientific
paper money bottomed on taxes receivable
by sthe government for all dues and made
a full legal tender for all debts. public and
private. However, all of our public obliga-
tions are specifically payable in coin of the
standard value of July IA. 1870. embracing
the standard silver dollar and our present
gold coin, which makes IL idle for any one
TO contemplate 7displacing gold and silver
coinase.tor century to come. Further
more, nine-tenths o. the party in nv opin-
ion fully believes In the last party Mat
form in its entirety.
The Referendum Policy.
'rhe party is also welded to form of
legislation long practiced in Switzerland
known as the Initiative and referendum
that is, the legislative body on the petition
CT given number of electors. 10 be fixed
by law, formuates a law covering the i'm
pcrtant measure and refers IL back to the
people and II is determined by direct vote
of the electors In the same manner that
voters Of the states pass amendments to
their state constitutions.
mo form of the initiative and referendum
could submit the money question 10 a more
direct DETERMINATION OF the people than the
attitude cf the different parties submitted
1t at the November election.
The battle is not so much question of
gold or silver as II is whether we shall have
a national currency or a mere bank cur
rency. 1t is now clearly dawning upon the
people that this Is not hattie of the
standards. but a battle OF the banks for a
pure hank. instead of any kind of a
ticnal currency.
mo. 1t is my opinion that we will not
divide the silver vote in 1900 or abandon
the platform Of 1885, or cease our efforts
until the great middle classes are recog-
rized in governmental action, as well as On
stump speech pariance. as the bone and