The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-02
FUFO WILL WEEI.
AT Kansas City February % If
Marion Butler
Approves the Plans Of Secre-
tary j. A. Edgerton
FOR A CONFERENCE.
The Future Course of the Party
To Be Determined.
Washburn of Massachusetts,
FOR A CONFERENCE.
Washburn of Massachusetts,
Would Drop Silver.

st. Louis, Mo, Feb. Irrational Pop
ulist Secretary ]. A. Edgerton of Lin
coin, Neb., has written a call for a ma
dona1 conference of Populists at Kan
sas City, February 49, 1897, and for
warded it to Chairman Marion Butler,
urging him to issue the same.
Chairman Roselle of the Missouri
state Peoples Party committee has
been Informed of the proposed confer
ence and he is heartily in favor of it
Mr.. ROselle, who is also secretary of the
National Reform Press association, says
that no date could be more opportune
for a national gathering of Populists
than the one mentioned, as it follows
SO close upon the day NAned for the
national meeting of the EeOpleS Party
editors in Kansas City, a call for which
has already been issued for February
%. About two weeks ago George F.
Washburn of Boston, a member of the
Peoples Party national committee, is
sued an appeal to the POpulists of the
United States which was generally pub
d1Shed all over the country. This ap~
peal practically advised POpulistS to
abandon the silver issue and to take up
the question of government issue of
paper money and government owner
ship of railroads.
In reply to this Mr.. Edgerton wrote
the following letter:
George F. Washburn, My Dear Sir
line People PARTY mas always contend
ed for Scientific" money, 1t has always
contended for 1.-The government owner
ship of railroads" No change of the
fighting issue" is necessary to bring
these questions to the front.
1t has always contended also for the
free coinage of silver. 1t should not aban
don this issue, merely because another
party has taken it up, but should rather
support it more ZeaIOusly. 1t should
welcome the assistance and vie with the
newcomers as to who shall give the free
coinage the most unitd and effective
support.
The Populist party was the first to
raise the free silver standard Must
1t abandon that standard simply be-
cause another party has come to its
support? No Right does not cease
to be right because it gains new ad-
herents. And to say that we will not
advocate a right principle simply be-
cause another party promises to share
the credit for carrying it to success
seems to be playing the boy.
That is too narrow and selfish acourse
for the Peoples Party. For the Pop
ulistS to abandon free silver now would
be like an army leaving the field when
one more charge would win the battle
There can be no change of the fighting
Issue until the cause is won. The lines
of the fight are already drawn. No
question is ever settled until it is set
lied right. McKinley's election was Sc
cured by bribery, misrepresentation
and outright fraud. 1t was not the
deliberate verdict of the American peo-
pie. That fight must be made over
again, and next time it will be won.
Next time the majority will be so large
that the tide cannot be turned by brib-
cry.
1t don't pay to swap horses while
crossing a stream. The saying may
be homely, but it is true
To sum up, 1 agree with you that the
fight should be pushed, but not that the
Issue should be changed; and, in place
of abandoning one plank and taking
the two which you propose, will hold
fast to all three and in line with the
: admirable suggestion of Wharton Bar
eker in the Philadelphia American, 1
Efwou1d carry on the work of education
kfor:
Il The free and unlimited coinage of
silver at 16 to 1.
"2. Supplemental issue of paper money
Z direct by the government
80. Government ownership of rail-
roads and telegraphS."
-. Very truly yours,
! J. A EDGERTON