The Louisiana populist., 1897-04-30
y
Chairman Buffers Eoply.
WASHINGTON, D. G. April Il, ~.
Hon. Frank Burkott and Commit
tee, n. L. p. \.

Hon. Frank Burkott aHI Commit
tee, n. L. p. \.
Gcntlcmcn:-iu answer to your
communication requesting me AS
! National Chairman, to call a gene
raj conference of The Peoples par
ty, not later than july 4th, | wrote
stating that | did not think it
necessary to hold such a confer
cncc at this time, especially i'll view
OF the fact that it was hard to see
how any good could result there
from. But [ wrote you that [
would submit your request to the
full National Committee of the
Peoples party, and inform you Of
their sentiments and wishes in the
matter, This | did, and have
waited thirty days, the usual time
to receive the replies. Ninety
five answers have been received,
seventy-five OF which give clear,
strong, and. what seems to me,
the most convincing reasons why
such a conference would not be
wise. A number of members of
the Committee take the position
that if the situation should be such
next spring, On the eve Of the cam
paign, as to make a conference at
that time necessary, that it would
be opportune at such a time. They
express regret at the disposition Of
some to have the party at this time
to declare what it will or will not
do in the future as to the best
method for strengthening the par
ty and advancing its principles.
They take the position that no one
can at this time forecast with GER
tainty what would be the proper
course for our party to pursue in
'conventlon assembled two or three
years hence. Therefore, there is
but one safe course, it seems to the
Committee, for every true Popu-
list to pursue at this time: namely;
to do all in his power to impress
our principles upon the country,
and to bring recruits to our party {:
and to stand ready when the Peo-
pies representatives meet in con-
vention to do what then seems
wisest and best to accomplish the
ends for which we are all striving.
The Popnlist Press can be a most
powerful factor to bring this about.
When the Press Of any party is
united and aggressive the party it.
self is united and aggressive.
Therefore, the Committee appeals
to every true Populist editor to
cease the suicidal course Of firing
at each other. Turn your Guns on
the common enemy, and let each
issue of your paper be full Of arss
ticles discussing the tenets of the
party as laid down in the last Ma
tional platform. Let there he no
relaxing Of efforts but a united and
steady advance all along the line,
and victory will crown our efforts.
Besides the answers from men,
bers OF the Committee, | have re-
cciyed during the last month quite
q large correspondence bearing on
this proposition, from every quar-
ter of the country. Nearly all
these correspondents regard the
proposition as not only unnecessa-
ry and unwlse, but express the
opinion that evil instead of good
must come from exposing our par
ty at this time to the attacks of
the enemy, who has money to
spend to divide our forces. They
claim that the earnest, patriotic
workers who have built up our
party find tia great hardship to
spare the money necessary to at
tend conventions, even when legiti-
mate and imperative work of the
party makes the self denial on
their part unavoidable. Besides,
they express the opinion that the
majority OF the men who would
attend such Il conference would
not be the men whom the people
would select to represent them in
regular convention. Permit me to
say that, this point seems to be well
taken. 1t is evident that the rank
and file of our party would not
leave their farms and work to at
tend primaries and local conven-
tions simply to elect delegates to
a conference, not being impressed
with the necessity for the same, as
they would to elect delegates to a
regular party convention where
candidates were to be chosen.
In this connection permit me to
also call your attention to the fact
that a Dooplo,, r,rtv C+oto ~,