The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-04-22
COMMITTEE OF REFORM PRESS
ASSOCIATION WOULD GUST THE
POPULIST CHAIRMAN.
GALL FOR 4 CONVENTION JULY
To he Held at Nashville to Get
Political hearings and Deter
mine just Where the Pop
ulist Party stands.

Girard, Kan, April 1S-A committee
of the National Reform Press associa-
tion which met here in accordance with
resolution adopted at the recent con-
vention at Memphis, have decided to
wage war on Marion Butler as chairman
OF the populist national committee, and
also to attempt Il reorganization of the
populist party. In accordance with this
decision the committee is to call for a
national convention, to be held ut Nash
vile, July 4. next. This call for ma
tional convention bears the signatures of
Milton Parks w. s. Morgan, James ii.
Ferris, A. J.. Stcinbcrger, w. T.. ID.
Mays. Joe y. Parker. Jacob CoXey and
Frank Burkiti. who participated in the
conference here.
The preamble and resolutions accom-
panying the call for a national conven-
tion recite n resolution adopted Mt the
recent meeting in Memphis of the mid
dle-of-theroad wings of the Reform
Press association calling upon National
Chairman Butler to bring together the
pOpulist national convention at a date
not later than May l for the purpose of
considering the advisability of calling n
| national delegate conference of the peo-
pies party not later than July 1. next.
1t is stated further that the committee
appointed at Memphis, after commune
eating with Chairman Butler, failed to
secure from him an affirmative response.
Thcreupon the committee addressed Il
letter of inquiry to the individual men,
I'bers of the national populist committee,
requesting their opinion as to the adyisa-
bility of calling such conference. A
majority of those responding. about fifty
in all, it is stated, answered in the af-
| firmative, and the meeting held here re-
suited. Upon assembling here they
state they again called upon Chairman
Butler to call national convention. and
this time received from his a positive
| refusal. Thereupon the committee felt in
| duty bound to issue its call of conven.
tion at Nashville. The call states that
recognizing the existence of honest diff.
ferences among members of the p0pulist
party, it is necessary that national con
ference should be held with Il view to
retaking our political bearings and de.
tcrmining with certainty where we are
at"
The call reviews some of the recent
differences between the two contingcnts
| of the party, but asserts that these diff
ferences are not so wide but that the
party may again he brought together iI
harmony, as. it is asserted, the great
majority of the pOpulsts still believe in
the declaration of the Omaha and St
Louis platforms. The necessity OF
| avoiding fusion with one of the old par.
| ties in one section of the country and
with the other old party in another sec.
| tion is urged at considerable length. and
| It is stated that fusion on those lines is
too absurd to admit of argument"
The future usefulness and the very
life of the party. it is declared. depends
upon the coming together of the ranl,
| and file of the party in spirit of pa.
triotic fraternity for the formation of a
| definite plan of action. The various
| state and county committees of the peo.
pies party are urged to see to it that
the populist voters of their respective dis.
tricts are given just and proper repre-.
| sentatiOn in the convention, and should
the state and county committees refuse
to act, the reform press or other popu.
list workers in such states or counties
| are required to assume the authority to
poll the vote Of their party for delegates
and make return to the National Reform
Press association.