The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-01-11
TO WORK IN DEAD EARNEST
WHAT 4 LEADER OF POPULIST
 PARTY ADVISES,

Reorganization Committee of the Party Meets Tomorrow.
 Boston, Jan. 10.-Interesting develop ments are expected at the meeting of the reorganization committee of the peoples party, which is to be held in St. Louis January 12. Members of the national committee and other promi- nent leaders of the party will also be present. This meeting is an outgrowth of the Nashville conference held last February.
 Shortly after the close of the nation- al campaign MT. George F. Washburn of Boston, member of the national executive committee of the peoples party, issued an appeal urging that the populists break away from the democrats and conduct their fight in- dependently. He favored the national conference at Nashville, at which the present reorganization committee was created.
 Last November the executive com mittee of this reorganization met and issued call for the full committee to meet next Wednesday, recommend ing that they issue a call for nominat- ing convention, to be held next spring, for the purpose of adopting a platform and placing presidential candidate in the field.
 This has again aroused MT. Wash burn, who contends that if nomina- ting convention is called by any other authority than the national committee 1t would mean a national bolt and the organization of a separate party
 As a substitute for the proposed nom- mating convention Mir. Washburn urges that joint meeting of the two committees referred to be held in the spring, the proposed nominating con- vention abandoned, and at this joint meeting plan of action for the party outlined and adopted. He says:
 How shall we preserve our party, unite it's factions and remedy the mis- fortunes that have resulted from fu- sion? These are the problems that are agitating our party to-day. It is evil dent that the blghting period of inac- tivity must cease at once. We must re- establish confidence, inspire hope, arouse enthusiasm-in short, we must go to work again in dead earnest To accomplish this it is necessary that the party as a whole should move in one direction, and not by factions on di- verging lines. There are thousands of men ready to take up the work where We dropped it, if they can be assured that henceforth our party shall march under it's own banner, commanded by it's own generals, ever loyal to it's own principles, without inviting the disaster that befell us in '96.
 Colonel Norton of Chicago states that he is willing to go to the extent of entering into a sacred and solemn pledge that we will never, under any circumstances, at any time, for any purpose take part in or sanction fusion with either of the old parties, except un- der the name, banner and leadership of the pupulist party
 T say amen to this line of action; it is opportune. Let us make this VOW our starting point; let us begin anew with this pledge and policy as
 Our Test of Party Realty.
 It should be as immutable as our prin- ciples, and, if officially adopted, any man who declines to accept it ought to retire from active participation in the movement
 Obviously the first step towards re- conciliation and unity of action is a joint meeting of the national and reor- ganization committees. These bodies could meet first separately and then confer together regarding the welfare and future policy of the party What better day for such meeting could be suggested than the anniversary of the birth of our party next May?
 ITO accomplish this it would be nec- essary for the reorganization committee to abandon the idea of calling the pro- posed nominating convention in the spring. The national committee could be called by it's officers or through the referendum to meet at such time and place as might be agreed upon by the two committees. To dispel any doubt as to our ability to secure such a meet ing of the national committee, I quote from the letter of Senator Butler to MT Ferris as follows: T will urge meet ing at the earliest possible day, if there is the least prospect of harmony o1 chance, to do any good. * You say that if I will work with you to get an early meeting of the national com. mittee, you will try to get the meeting of the Nashville conference committee (ealled for January 12) postponed, SC that time and place may be agreed or to suit all.
 "At this meeting ringing, well-tim. ed, emphatic declaration could be is sued, giving the fullest assurance that our party shall remain loyal to the po sition above stated, and calling upor the state committees to meet and in dorse the action of the national commit tee.
 ''In view of the fact that it is the prerogative of the national committed to name date for the nominating con vention, believe our committee should give assurances to our people, by off cial vote, that the national nominatins convention shall be held prior to thu national convention of the two old par ties. This would serve to allay suspi cion. give confidence to and satisfy many who desire a spring convention because they fear repetition of the ex perience of '96.
 "There should be a congressiona committee selected that we may ente the congressional campaign next fal