The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-18
POPULIST STATE CENTRAL COM
MTTTEE SOLEMNLY RESOLVES
TO THAT EFFECT.
LOYAL TO OMAHA PLATFORM.
INSISTS THAT FREE SILVER, HOW
EVER HELPFUL, is NOT A
PANACEA.
Committee Will Not BE Represented
There Formally, but Is Willing
to Let Others Go.

1.-THE Peoples party was born to
live"
That is the hopeful preface Of the
resolutions adopted by the Populist
state central committee at it's off-year
meeting, which lasted nine hours at
the Clarendon hotel yesterday. Strictly
speaking, the committee was not in
session nine hours, as a great portion
of the time was devoted to the draft
ing Of resolutions by the executive
committee of the state central COM
mittee, which resolution then had to
be acted upon by the full body.
There was really no discord over the
opening sentence quoted above, but
when it got down a little farther the
committee got into a nice wrangle.
To lay foundation, 1t may be said
that there were eighteen members Of
the committee present, including
Messrs. Cowell, Bonham and Aldrich
Of the Fourth district; Messrs. Lydiard,
Lynch and Segerstrom, of the Fourth
district; II. A. Swain and H. V. Poore,
of the Third H. c. Nelson, M. r. Dres-
bach and T. j. Meighen, of the Second;
w. G. Daley and ex-Representative
Meilicke, Of the First, and P. J. Sober
ger and Judge Cochran, of the Sixth
The Seventh, with all it's POpulistic 10y
atty, was unable to overcome the OBJ
stacle of distance, and was unrepre-
scented.
The chief problem that confronted
the committee was the election of dele
gates to the Nashville conference
called by the Reform Press associa-
ton, which is to be held July 5.
1t was not really an important ques-
ton, after the committee had formally
resolved, without even the qualifica-
ton of preamble, that the party was
still alive, but it really created more
discussion than the declaration Of a
premise which the election figures Of
1896 did not strongly sustain.
There were two trains of thought
in the committee, and they were con-
stantly in collision. One held to the
view that the conference called to meet
at Nashville was piratical affair, cal
culated to tear down the banner Of the
Peoples party and pawn it in the es
adjustment of some new, but not well
founded rival Of the real third party.
The other wing did not feel that It
was under any legal obligati ton to the
Nashville affair, but it was friendly to
the considerations professed to be there
represented, and did not want to snub
the leaders of the movement, who had
in the past been loyal to the standard
of true blue middle of the road Popu-
lism. Their faithfulneSs should be
rewarded, this faction contended and
they finally won out, after a fashion.
That is to say. they secured the
passage of a resolution which was in
effect that, while they did not feel
authorized to officially send delegates
to the Nashville conference, yet they
did feel that the Reform Press asso-
citation, calling the conference, was
composed of, in the main, honorable
Peoples party men, and, therefore, en-
titled to courteous consideration. They
therefore requested that Peoples party
men, and especially editors of that
persuasion, attend the convention. The
chairman Of the state committee and
the chairmen Of the congressional COM
mittees were instructed to give ere
dentialS to such as declared to them
their intention of going to the meet
ing, and there the matter rested
The other resolutions adopted by the
meeting were as follows:
Resolved, That the Peoples party born
to live until its platform is enacted into law.
1t gave expression in 1892 to beliefs and senti-
ments behalf of policies for the good of the
public, which other party had ever dared
to prOmulgate; and which are, we believe,
essential to the progress and happiness of the
people of this country, as we'll as of the whole
world.
Resolved, That in indorsing the nominee of
the Democrats for president in 1896, we simply
rendered under peculiar circumstances, our
hor 70 Splpndid ability and uDSullied char
acter; and did not mean to merge the Peoples
party in any other or make 1t an appendage
of any other, or agree that its career as ma
tional party should end then and there. at
any other time. We are here to stay. We hope
by 1900 to be the leading political organization
in the United States, and to place the man of
our choice in the White house In the general
breakup of old party lines, which is near at
hand, we believe the people will rally to the
standard of an organization which has more
than single governmental issue to offer to the
voters.
Resolved That while We are in favor of the
free coinage of silver at the existing legal
ratio; and while We were the only party which
in 1892 dared to advocate it, did so be-
cause we held that as long as we used metal
lie basis for our currency 1t was due to the
necessity of the people. for an abundant cir
culation, that silver should be used as well as
gold; as it had been for FIVE thousand years
before the money-lenders of this generation
closed the minis against II.
Resolved That we do not think free silver
aiohe WIN give the peoPle prosperity. WINE
it may raise the price of OR products and Is
therefore to be insisted upon, 1t will not stop
the rapacity of the rings. trusts, corporations
railroads and usurers who are now absorbing
the wealth of the people. 1t will not end
the universal reign of corruption which makes
our legislation, state and national, a mockery
and sham.
Resolved, That every plank of the Omaha
platform is as necessary to the salvation Of
our country as that of free silver. In the ini-
tiative and referendum. bringing the legisla-
tive function back into the hands of the peo-
pie, we see the antidote for corporate demon
alization of the forms Of eh-government In
the public ownership of railroads, telegraph
lines and municipal utilities, we find the only
remedy fer the universal robbery of the peo-
pie through watered stock. We believe the
very soul of our movement is contained in
these words of the Omaha platform:
Wealth belongs to him who creates X, and