The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-24
REFORM EDITORS IN A ROW.
Paul Vandervort Cleared of a Charge
of Treason


Memphis, Tenn, Feb. 23.-The members
of the Reform Press Association met to-
day shortly after 10 o'clock.
j. S. Coxey of Massillon, o., reached
here to-day, and is taking an active part
in the proceedings.
This mornings session was hardly start
ed, when Secretary Parker of Louisville
threw bombshen into the delegates. He
stated that serious charges had been made
by the Nebraska State Association against
eX-President Paul Vandervort. He was
charged With being a republican spy in
the pouplist ranks.
Mr.. Fandervort. in an impassioned
speech, demanded that a committee be
appointed to investigate the charges.
After considerable discussion. a commit
tee, consisting of Messrs. Mays of Wash
lngton, Mcdowell of Tennessee and Fer
guson of Texas was appointed.
Inc afternoon session opened with the
report OF the committee on the charges
against Mr. Vandervort. 1t declared that
not a single charge made had been "sus-
tained," and that the attack was prompt
ed solely on account of MIR. Vandervort's
refusal to agree to support the national
fusion of Bryan and Sewall made in the
presidential canvass of 1896, but that he
did support the Bryan and Watson ticket
with the sO-cailed democratic party. land
which, we hold, he had perfect right to
do"
Secretary Edgerton charges that Gen.
NanderVort is a republican and not a pop-
ulist, and to sustain his charges he re-
cites the fact that he held office under the
appointment of a republican administra-
ton in 1895.
The committee meets this with a letter
from Secretary Edgerton, using his infiu-
ence to procure the aforesaid appointment
also that the Nebraska law requested po-
lice commissioners to be chosen from the
two dominant parties and that Gen. Van
dervort went in as the populist represen-
tatIve.
The committee eulogizes Gen. Wander
wort and condemns his accusers for their
failure to attend the investigation and
face the accused. The report was adopted
unanimously.
The balance of the afternoon session was
devoted to hearing a stream of elaborate
resolutions one set of which favored
amendment of the constitution of the
United States to bring about government
ownership of railways telegraphs etc.
along the line of the usual populist doc
trines.
Kansas City. Mo, Feb. 23.-The Roseile
u VIC Luoiol WiHS Vi tne pOpulSt edit 9rS,
which met here yesterday, completed their
business tonight. At the afternoon SEES
sion, the committee appointed to commu-
ncate with the populist editors in ses-
son at Memphis submitted a report The
answer of the Memphis faction was I'M
satisfactory and a resolution to proceed
with the formation of a separate assocIa-
tion was adopted. The name chosen is
the UNITED Reform Press Association .
A constitution and bylaws in sympathy
with the st. Louis populist platform were
adopted, as were also conciliatory resoll-
tons setting forth that the association
was not intended as a rival of the Ma
tional Reform Press Association, but was
organized in a spirit of tolerance and lib
crafty.
Officers were elected as follows:
President--J. R. Sovereign of Arkan-
sas
Vice President-J. NJ. Goss of Iowa.
Secretary and Treasurer-WarWick
Saunders of Nebraska.
Executive Committee-Frank Critchton
of Alabama, A. G. Talley of Missouri,
Capt. Gum of Idaho, NJ. V. Carroll of
Missouri and G. A. Critics of Oklahoma
The association decided to hold it's next
annual meeting at Omaha, Feb %, 1898
The officers are authorized to negotiate
with the Burkitt wing in an effort to con-
sohdate.