The record-union., 1898-09-15
MIDDLE-OF-T -ROADERS.
THEY WIN THE POINT THEY
WERE FIGHTING FOR.
Secretary Of State Brown Recog-
nizes Them as the Pop
u1ist Party.

| Ine CatOr-FOWler end OF the PeOple
Party commonly known as the middle
of-the-road faction, are in clover, and
consider that they have at least won
a preliminary skirmish.
| Both the middle Of the-road and the
| fusion factions of the late Populist
| State Convention claimed to have act
ed regularly in placing their candidates
for State offices in the field and both
factions presented certificates Of NOM
| ination to the Secretary of State and
asked that they be given space on the
ticket as the regular Peoples Party
nominees.
| Several days ago Thomas V. Gator,
the middle -the-road leader, and
Judge E. A. Bridgeford and S. S. Van
| Meter, representing the fusionists,
argued the matter before Secre-
tary Brown, who took the matter under
| advisement. He yesterday decided to
grant the Cator-Fowler people a place
! on the ticket to the exclusion of the
fusionist candidates, whose names,
however, will appear in the lists as
Democratic-Pop
| Secretary of State Browns finding
and opinion is in full as follows:
| In the matter of filing certificate of
| nomination of Peoples Party:
Having heard arguments of counsel
| representing the two parties to the
above named contest; examined the
briefs filed and authorities quoted in
them, and duly considered all relevant
| facts connected Herewith, my conclu-
| sion with reference thereto is that the
| certificates presented to me as Secre-
| tary Of State Of the State of California,
for filing, signed by Edward L. Hutch
| inson, Chairman, and F. J. Gregory,
| Secretary. in behalf of what I term
the Peoples Party fusion, are not under
| the law entitled to be filed.
Pursuant to Section 1892 of the Polit-
ical Code, I return said certificates un-
filed, for the following reasons, to-wit:
| That the Peoples Party Convention,
as originally convened, July u, 1898,
ceased to be a convention OF said party,
| by reason of it's abandonment of the
distinctive party name Of the "Peo-
pies Party" accomplished by fusion
with the Democratic party, in failing to
exercise it's right to name a State
| ticket, but instead delegating to the
| Democratic party and the Silver Re-
publican organization the power to
State and two district officers.
Under the call issued by the State
Central Committee of the Peoples
Party, about May a. 1898, which is
recognized as the supreme authority
of political organization, were the
| following words, fto nominate candi-
dates of said party to be voted for at
the general election to be held in 1898.
for the following public offices, to-wtt. :"
Then follows the names Of all the State
and district officers, twenty-six in
number. From said twenty-six offices
the convention Of the Peoples Party
fusion nominated as their own selec-
ton, and in keeping with the report
adopted by said convention, July IA.
1898, candidates for the following off,
ces, viz: Lieutenant Governor Con-
troller, Superintendent of Public In
struction, member Board of Railroad
commissioners, member Board of
Equalization, two members of Con-
gress, being seven out of twenty-six
offices to be filed.
In the "calP' for said State, Conven-
ton was the following, which was
unanimously adopted by the committee.
Hereby resolves that it is the sense
or this committee that a. union or
amalgamation Of political reform forces
or parties in the State of California
IN 1898, should look to a placing of
principles first, and the selection of
candidates second, and that the Peo-
pies Party should demand of such other
political forces desiring unity of action.
that said parties should by their proper
conventions first agree and adopt an
identical or common platform of prin-
clples which all candidates desiring
the support of any Of said parties must
accept, and that such common platform
must precede any and all nominations. >"
NO convention was held by either the
Democratic or Silver Republican par
ties, at the time, or prior to the con-
Vention held by said Peoples PARTY.
pursuant to said CALL The platforms
or all Of the three fusion parties are
unlike
Ihe delegates to said Peoples Party
fusion Convention, twenty-six in nurn-
Der from the city and county OF San
francisco, were selected by a conven-
ton which recognized said State Cen
tral Committee, per resolutions there
In adopted. They We're elected under
the following principles and instruc-
tons, the declaration of PRINCIPLES ba-
ing expressed by the State Committee
In an address issued October 90 1897
and adopted by said city and county
convention July 5, 1898, to wit:
"A political party is correctly de-
fned to be an association of individuals
processing the same beiefs and actuat
ed by desire to govern in accord
ance with such beliefs. Political par
ties nave an honest existence when
they represent and squarely contend
for their platform demands. and they
can only exist by supporting candi-
oates who favor accept and advocate
their platforms, and by fearlessly op-
posing politically all who reject or re-
fuse to accept their demands.
Candidates for public office are in
honor bound to accept the platforms Of
the parties whose nominations they
seek, and If unwilling to accept such
platform they should not ask for or re-
celve the nomination Of such party.
experience has demonstrated that at
tempted fusion by parties which do not
agree in political demands cannot COM
mand the support of the members of
such parties.
I'VE therefore conclude there can
only be an honorable and effective
union of those who believe in the same
principles, and that from nenceforth
no other kind of union should be con-
sidered by members of the Peoples
party.
INSTRUCTIONS.
Whereas, The State Executive Com
mittee gave invitation to such parties
as might desire TO unite upon union