The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-04-30
Chairman Butler to the fiddle. of the
Readers Who are All Anxious
to be Leaders.

GENTLEMEN In answer to your
communication requesting me, as
National Chairman, to call a gen
eral conference of the Peoples
party, not later than July 4th, /
wrote stating that did not think
it either necessary or wise to put
our people to the expense and trou-
BILE necessary to hold such a con-
ference at this time, especially in
view of the fact that it was hard to
see how any good could result there
from. But | wrote you that [
would submit your request to the
full National Committee of the
Peoples party, and inform you of
their sentiments and wishes in the
matter. This | did, and have
waited thirty days, the usual time
to receive the replies. Ninety five
answers have been received,
seventyfve of which give clear,
strong. and, what seems to me, the
most convincing reasons why such
conference would not be wise. A
number of members of the Com
mittee take the position that if the
situationshould besuch nextspring,
on the eve of the campaign, as to
make a conference at that time
necessary, that it would be oppor-
tune at such a time. They express
regret at the disposition of some to
have the party at this time to de-
clare what it will or will not do in
the future as to the best method for
Strengthening the party and adj
yancing its principles. They take
the position that no one can at this
time forecast with certainty what
would be the proper course for our
party to pursue in convention
assembled two or three years hence.
Therefore, there is but one safe
course, it seems to the Committee,
for every true Populist to pursue at
this time: namely; to do all in his
power to impress our principles
upon the country, and to bring re-
cruits to our party; and to stand
ready when the Peoples represen-
tatives meet in convention to do
what then seems wisest and best to
accomplish the ends for which we
are all striving. The Populist press
can be a most powerful factor to
bring this about. When the press
Of any party is united and aggres-
sive the party itself is united and
aggressive. Therefore, the Com.
mittee appeals to every true Popu-
list editor to cease the suicidal
course of firing at each other. Turn
your guns on the common enemy,
and let each issue of your paper be
full OF articles discussing the tenets
of the party as laid down in the last
national platform. Let there be no
relaxing of efforts but a united and
steady advance all along the line,
and victory will crown our efforts.
Besides the answers from mem
bers of the Committee, ] have re-
ceived during the last month quite
a large correspondence bearing on
this proposition, from every quarter
of the country. Nearly all these
correspondents regard the PROPOSE
ton as not only unnecessary and
unwise, but express the opinion
that evil instead of good must come
from exposing our party at this
time to the attacks of the enemy,
who has money to spend to divide
our forces. They claim that the
earnest, patriotic workers who have
built up our party find it great
hardship to spare the money nee
essary to attend conventions, even
when legitimate and imperative
work of the party makes the self
denial on their part unavoidable.
Besides, they express the opinion
that the majority of the men who
would attend such a conference
would not be men whom the people
would select to represent them in
regular convention. Permit me to
say that this point seems to be well
taken. 1t is evident that the rank
and file of our party would not
leave their farms and work to at
tend primaries and local conven-
tons simply to elect delegates to a
conference, not being impressed
with the necessity for the same, as
they would to elect delegates to a
regular party convention where
candidates were to be chosen.
In this connection permit me to
also call your attention to the fact
that Peoples party State Conven-
ton was held in Kentucky last
week. l am informed by prominent
delegates to that convention that
the sentiment was so largely op-
posed to calling a general conference
| that tho fau UhO fovOra1 cuoh N