Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-02-23
THOSE JOINT ADDRESSES.


Marion Butler, chairman of the Peo-
pies party national committee, j. X.
Jones, chairman of the democratic
committee, and Charles A. Towne,
chairman of the free silver republican
committee, have been in conference
with the congressional delegations of
their respective parties for several
weeks, and last week each chairman,
Joined by his congressional contingent,
issued an address to the members of
his party. The addresses, as will be seen
upon investigation, are quite lengthy
and exhaustive, and so far as silver.
bimetallism and the position of the re-
publican party are concerned, they are
very ably discussed. These are facts
which all Popuiists, all sincere silver
democrats and republicans will concede
without argument; hut the serious part
of the addresses begin to manifest
themselves when uniication and con-
solidatiOn Of these three parties is sug
gested and recommended, and yet in
the same breath it is proposed to main
tain the identity and organization of
each. The chairmen of these parties
are eminently wise men and it may be
great presumption on the part of an
humble and lonely Individual in the
common herd to venture an opinion
but we take the risk of expressing cur
selves nevertheless.
1t has been our belief and conviction
for some time that this sort of a
combination is not feasible-it ap-
pears to us only a enactment of the
So campaign with its vitality exhausted.
1t seems to us that 1t would be wiser,
with prospects for success vastly br ght-
ened. if the elements of reform would
meet on common ground and organ
iZe with one creed and under one name
and banner wage war against the enc
my. How else can we unity? Upon
what basis will the ''allied forces"-the
1t is certain that it does not require a
scholar from Yale or Harvard to see
that repetition Of 1896 would not
bring success. Sincere bimetallists
would never again submit to million
aire SeWall.
The leading reform elements would
not consent to swallow the democratic
candidates with all their uncertainties
and much less would the democrats ac-
cept Popullst candidates. There is a
lack of confidence along the line. The
chairman of the democratic committee,
himself, has a bad record and POpulists
who doubt HIM are not doing so incOn-
sistently. Mr.. Jones, unfortunately, is
the author of bill providing for the
issuing of $5OO,0O0,0OO gold interest
bearing bonds for the sole and only pur-
our paper currency. The chairman's
record in congress Is bad one and
there is nothing encouraging about him
for sincere free silver men. 1t is so
with many others. The rank and file
have no confidence in them. If Grover
CleYeland should announce himself a
free silver man today he would be en-
titled to as much confidence as does the
chairman of the democratic committee.
1t is for this reason, principally-in
sincerlty-that this plan will fail. II
there will be a unilication for the cam
palgn of 1900 at all, it must be by one
creed one name as against one enemy.
An arrangement similar to that of 1896
will result similarly to that of 1896.
UnlficatiOn along the lines suggested
would in all probability result IN victo-
ry, but independent party action is in
initely better than questionable COM
binatlon where spOlls is the only Issue.