The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-15
FAILURE OF FUSION.
N"i"hai Committee of tho POpulisf
Pnrty Confesscs That Its Orsnun-
zotion Is sHIsintc-rnting,

%. LOUIS, Jan, 10, lSIS.
line National Committee of the Feo-
pies parity, which met here yesterday,
mas issued an address TO the people Of
the United States, in partjas follows:
THE fusion movement consummated
at St Louis in July 1896. and the mex
ous"ole treatment of our candidate for
Vlce-PresideNt in the campaign that
followed, gave rise 10 such dlssLtiafac-
tion among the rank and file OF the Peo
PIES party as TO threaten the absolute
dlsmcmbermcnt Of the only political or
ganization honestly con;endinE for the
social and political rights of the labor
ing and producing classas of the coun-
Try.
1t has been the supreme purpose al
ways OF the committee to be courteous
10 the National Committee and the su
preme desire has been at all times 20
promote z harmonious co-operat ton
WIN said committee, that flctional DIFF
ferenccs might be oblitcrated, our par
ny prestige gegained and our orsan!za-
.t1on restored to it's once splendid cs-
tate. This committee feels confident
OF its ability to show that it Is no fault
OF ours that the National Committee IS
not present as n body to-day, but Il
does not choose to waste valuable time
In WranSling over questions of official
etiquette. We avow it to be our sin
cere purpose, now as ever heretofore,
Ho promote In every possible way the
reform movement on the true Populist
lines, and we deem the Issues too mo-
mentous and the d dlngers threatening
free government too imminent to allow
us to pause 10 consider personal .sr!ev-
ances or affrou.S, o. to permit wounded
dignity, real or imaginary, 10 over
shadow patriotic duty.
Under present conditions our hclov-
ed organization ia slowly but surely dis
integ.ating and our comrades are clam
orous for aggressive action.
Having in vain importuncd those
who assumed to be our superors to per-
mst us 10 aid them in the grand work
of reoganiZing the Peoples party. that
II may accomplish it's glorious mission.
We now appeal to the people, the true
source of all palitical power"
The referendum committee appointed
is as follows: Messrs. Dixon, Missouri; /;
Tracey, Texas; Reynolds, Illinois: Mat
singer, Indiana, and McGrcgor, Georgia.
~ number of rules were adopted for
The government of the national organi-
Zation, among them rule that the ma
tional organization committee shall sub
init to n vote of the Peoples party any
proposition when petN.Oncd TO do 80 by
not less than 10000 members Of the
party.
On the adjournment of the organiaa-
tion committee of the Peoples party
the members of the National Committee
present met at the LaClcde Hotel and
adopted the following resolution:
Resolved, That we. the members of
the National Committee present, en-
dorse the action taken by the organiza-
tion committee and recommend that its
provision be carried into effect, belicv-
ing that suoh action will harmonic all
differences in the paMy."
There were sevcn.y-four member, Of
the committee represented by members
present or proxies and letters who fav-
ored joint meeting of the National
Committee and organization commiu.ec
in4sthc spring. Forty States were rep
resented at this meeting.
The Populists concluded their work
in this city to-day by giving out the
details of setting in motion their novel
plan of taking n referendum vote of
the rank and file of their party. The
questions submitted are:
What date is your choice for hold
ing national convention for the nomi-
nation of Presidential candidates,
Monday, July 4, 1895: Friday, May. &c,
1899. on Thursday, February 90, 1902"
The ballots are similar to the Aus
tral!an ticket and will be polled BY
the local committee and Popiist press
Milton Park OF Texas, chairman OF the
National Organization Committee, and
George r. Washburn, of Massuchu-
setts. members of the National Exc
cut!ve Committee, were among the last
to leave the city. Both men are highly
pleased with the prospect of a uniica-
tiOn of their party and n prospective
settlement Of q clamor for {, new party.
y majority of the National Commit
tee have expressed themselves i'm favor
of an early conference for adjusting
their difficulties and outlining Il policy
for 1900. The leaders Of the Middle-of-
the Road element expressed themselves
to-day as dssirous that the work of re-
organization be conducted strictly
within the party so as to merit the ap-
provai of the National Committee.