Arizona republican., 1899-12-29
TO HOLD CONVENTION
MT. Butler, PopuIist, Takes
 Initial Steps
Meeting of National Committee to Be Held in Washington in February. Silver Republicans Want to Fuse. Senator Aliens Views.

Washington, Dec. 2S.-The populists will hold a national convention. The time and place are soon to be decided. Senator Butler of North Carolina, the chairman of the peoples party, today sent out letter to each of the national committeeman of that organization asking them a number of questions, the answers to which will determine the plans and purposes of the populist party.
 As long ago as the spring of 1898 the populists decided to hold their conven- ton in advance of all other parties in 1900. This was a concession to the middle-of- the road or radical faction of the party, and was proposed for the purpose of compelling the democrats to nominate Bryan after the populists had first named him. The middle-of the-roaders, however, went off any way and selected Wharton Barker Ignatius Donnelly as their candidates for president and vice-president, so that the impelled agreement may not be |, considered any longer binding. Sena- tor Butler refers to this matter in his letter, which is as follows:
 sir: As you know, the national committee at it's last meeting at Oma ha, in June, 1898, passed a resolution known as the Omaha agreement, to the effect that our national convention should be held at least one month be- fore the old party conventions were held.
 "The republican national committee has just held a meeting and fixed June 19 as the time for their next national convention. The democratic committee has been called to meet February g to fix a date for their convention. They will probably hold their convention a week or two before or week or two after the republican convention.
 q write now to get the consensus of opinion of our national committee on the 1OllOWlnS points:
 First Shall I call a meeting of the national committee to fix the time of our next national convention? Second. If yes, what time and place | do you favor for the committee meet i ing?
 Third. Or shall I take the vote of ! the national committee as to the timS of holding the next national conven- tion by referendum vote? Fourth. If you favor the referen- | dunn vote, what date do you favor for the national convention?
 Fifth. Shall I invite the silver re- publican national convention to meet at ! the same time and place with us?
 T submit the fifth question because the national executive committee of ! the silver republican party there was a strong sentiment expressed in favor of | holding their convention at the same | time and place as ours, with the view | of agreeing on the same national | ticket"
 Senator Butler expects that the com mitteemen to whom this letter has been addressed will reply promptly and that within the next two weeks he will be able to decide definitely what course to pursue. Senator Allen of Nebraska, who is a member of the committee, is decidedly in favor of its meeting in Ut will be a good thing" he said, flor us to get together and talk over the sit uation. I do not know, of course, whether a majority of the members of the committee will agree with me. They may decide that a vote can be taken by mail and thus avoid the ex- pense of d journey to this or some other city,"
 will the populist convention be held first?"
 That is one of the questions to be decided. I do not think it makes much difference now, for it is well settled that Bryan is to be named by the dem ocrats and by the populists. Wherever or whenever the convention is held, it will be a large and representative gathering, equally as large, l believe, as the one which we held in St. Louis in 1S96."
 -O-