The representative., 1897-08-25
He Is Opposed to ALI.
ance Of Any
Kind.
SILVER QUESTION DEAD
Should Not MerQe
With a Party Too
Old to Be USE
full.


ton here today which was largely attend
! ed. about 50 counties being represented.
| A. w. c. Weeks, of Madison county, pre-
| sided, and A. I. Kicker. Of Johnson coun-
| ty, was made temporary chairman.
| The feature of the afternoon was The
| address Of ex-senator PETER. He said in
part:
| If recent discoveries of fresh gold mines
| should prove to be valuable present
| appearances indicate, the silver question
may so IN be wholly eliminated from Re
publican discussions except perhaps to
those persons whose individual interests
at stake. Silver Republicans want more
metallic money and they would probably
be satisfied with gold If there is enough
Of 1t.
1T is proposed that the Populist party
shall DO two things-limit the range OF
discussions to the silver branch Of
the money question, and ally our forces
with the Democratic party. These are the
propositions which are divided. I
am opposed to both os them. 1 do not
wish to see the Peoples party merged in
any other existing organiZa ton and es-
pecially in too old to be useful. Nor
am l willing, without warning and pro-
testing, to see 1t made the football Of
politicians and bartered away for spoils.
would be willing to abide by the conclu-
sions of a national conference of dele
gates duly appointed and accredited, fairly
representing all the elements among voters
who are opposed to the present gold
standard--high tariff regime. But until
that be accomplished the Populist
party is good enough for me. The alliance
with the Democratic party in 1896 only
for the campaign. Now, though may
not be quite ourselves again and in our
right mand, we are free to determine our
affairs in way as party and
as Individual men.
1T may be urged that the Democratic
party has changed it's policy in respect
to the coinage ratio. 1 deny it. The plat
form utterance is merely dcclamatory-in
serted to catch the Populist vote. The
responsible men of the democratic party
have not been and are not how tenacious
about the ratio. The candidate for the
presidency and his associate on the ticket,
would, 1 verify believe, consent to any
compromise that would secure the unlimt-
ed coinage of silver. No benefit would ac-
crue to anybody but money changers and
spectators from increasing the coinage
alto and the Populists see no reason why
money that Is good enough for common
people is not equally good for uncommon
people.
There is nothing in the Democratic plat
form in that party's policy which is in
any way responsive to the pressing demand
of the working classes
'"The coinage Of silver and an income
tax the only matters about which the
Democratic and Populist parties even
| approximately in accord. AS to all matters
which Populists regard as fundamental and
| as of surprising Importance, we are not
| only in accord but are positively opposed
| to each other.
The following state ticket was put in the
| field:
Governor-Charles A. Lloyd. Muscatine
county.
Lieutenant Governor-D. L. Perkins, Ly-
| onS county
Judge Supreme Court. A. Loneburg,
Wapclo.
Superintendent Instruction-Wm. Blain,
Marion.
Railroad Commissioner. H. Griffith.
Lee.
The following members Of the national
committee were appointed A. w. Weeks.
Madison county; L. 1. Reed. Muscatine.
and j. s. Beebe, Lee.
protest signed by ]. Belangee, chair
| man of the Populists who have combined
with the Democrats for free silver, was
sent to tho convention today hut was de-
| MED consideration. The protest called up
on all Populists to join with the free silver
| Democrats this year in an effort to ad-
vance one of the theories OF the PopulistS
The platform adopted, reaffirms the St.
Louis and Omaha platforms; declares for
direct legislation; for a sufficient amount
Of sound and flexible money" for the as
surancc Of money to state county, town.
| ship and municipal governments. the prin-
| cipal to be paid back to the government
| two per cent per annum without interest;
the said money to be a full legal tender.
The Temple amendment is indorsed, the
reduction of freight, passenger and ex-
press rates. of salaries of public officers
are demanded and the deduction of mort
gage Indebtedness from assessed valuations
is urged.