The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-07-27
THE NASHVILLE CONFERENCE.
correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
WAYNEsvILLE, N. Q.

WAYNESvILLE, N. Q.
1t was my privilege to attend the re-
cent national conference OF the PEG
ple's party at Nashville, as the repre-
sentative from this congressional dis
trict, and I ask space to state my i'm
pressions Of it.
It was the first national meeting Of
our party I ever attended, and greatly
enjoyed meeting with so many of the
brave men who have been for so many
years fighting for the rights of the peo-
ple-such men as Donnelly, Morgan,
Parks, Tracy and many others too nu-
merous to mention.
The conference was a success, in
point of numbers, il the enthusiasm
and determination of the delegates, and
in the wisdom and moderation Of their
action.
There were $50 delegates present,
representing twenty five States, and a
goodly number O lsitors. Consider
ing the hard TIMES and the demoralized
and shattered condition Of the party in
some States, this was gratifying. The
States not represented, or but poorly
represented were those very distant,
entailing heavy cost upon delegates
attending, or those in which fusion had
been active, and. of course, ruinous in
it's effects.
The enthusiasm and determination
of the delegates was constantly mani
tested, and their wisdom and modera-
ton is clearly seen in the action taken.
A small number of the committee on
Address and Plan of organic alton wish,
ed to incorporate a resolution censur
ing the management Of the last cam
paign; another deprecating the too
great Importance given the silver ques.
tion; and still another endorsing Gen.
Coxey's bond scheme, and when the
report of the committee was submitted
to the conference a minority, consist.
ing Of three members Of the commit
tee, urged that they be added to the
report, but after full discussion they
were rejected. Most interest was taken
in the proposed resolution of censure.
It's opponents rightly urged that the
conference was a sufficient reproof,
and it was our duty to heal wounds,
not open them, to unite, not farther
divide the party.
After some further discussion and
the acceptance by the committee of
two or three unimportant amendments,
the report as a whole was adopted al
most unanimously, only two voting in
the negative.
In accordance with the plan of or
ganiztion the delegates of the States
represented selected the three mem
bers of the National Organization com,
mittee for their States, save in the case
of North Carolina. II was expected
that I would make the appointments
for this State, but 1 declined to do so,
as I did not represent the State, but
only a small part of it. The committee
in this State, as in the case of States
not represented, will be appointed by
the National Reorganization commit.
tee.
Milton Parks, of Texas, was elected
chairman; W. S. Morgan, of Arkan-
sas, secretary, and B. B. Crow, Of Ala
bama, treasurer of the national com
mittee. The executive committee was
appointed as follows: Judge A. A.
Gunby, of Alabama; Col. W. L. Peak.
of Georgia; Ignatius Donnelly, OF
Minnesota; A. S~teinoerger, o. Kansas,
and L @. Bateman, of Maine.
The conference was called to kill fu-
sion, and that work has been accom-.
plished. Now let ali true Populists
who love principle above all things
else, forgetting all the differences of
the past, unite together and fight for
them until uictory is assured.
GEO. E. BoGGs.