The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-06-21
BRYAN's soREHEAD COMBINE
IS ORGANIZED.
TRY IT ON MISSOURI FIRST
Promoters Hope New Party Will
Soon Develop Into National
Organization.

Kansas City, June 19-The allie
: third party movement, which its pro
motors hope will result before 100
In a national organization strong
enough to name a presidential nom
inee, was launched here this after
noon. It. was the outcome Of q con
ference of reformers from the rank:
o fthe old parties and its principle,
are said by some to be adopted tx
suit the views of ". j. Bryan.
The conference was called by Lex
Merriwether of st. Louis, who with 2:
other st. Louis leaders in the public
ownership party, of that city, came
to Kansas City yesterday, after 3
talk with Mr.. Bryan at Lincoln, where
the intentions Of the delegation had
been laid before the Nebraska states
man. Bryan. it was stated, had ex
pressed sympathy with the move
ment, il he had not gone so far as to
support it.
At the conference there were rep
resented populists Of all persuasions,
public ownership ~advocaters, free sill
yer republicans; socialists, single
takers and Bryan democrats. It was
stated that it was proposed to form a
third party in Missouri, which should
finally be taken up by the d~issatis-
fed Of the old parties from other
states.
A committee on organization was
appointed and instructed to report to-
day. The committee, which repre-
sented each element present today,
submitted a set Of resolutions as the
new party's principles, and they were
adopted.
This afternoon the committee or
ganized by electing j. H. Cook fusion
populist, chairman; ]. H. Hills, mid.
die Of the road populist, vice presi-
dent and F. 8. Kowanski, public own
ership member, secretary. The COM
mittee. besides deciding on the new
name for the movement, decided to
call a state convention for some time
next fall. In the meantime the mem
bers will present an address to the
people of the state.
Headquarters will be established
both at Chicago and st. Louis and the
will appoint a chairman
81 each county in the state, whose
luty it will be to elect members and
organize them into county clubs. The
Time for holding the convention will
be fixed later
Merriwether this afternoon, at the
conclusion of the conference, was
asked, twill not the movement only
result in turning the state over to
the republicans?"
Il do not know, but I would a little
rather the republicans would win
the present organization of DEM
ocrats. AS Mr. Bryan said to me last
Monday I like an enemy under his
own colors better than. one who steals
my colors.'"
Considerable progress was made at
the morning session of the confer
Short reports were made and
adopted eulogizing the
work Of the late H. S. Pingree of
After the meeting had taken a re-
cess at noon, ]. H. Cook, chairman of
the populist state central committee,
stated that he would soon issue a call
to some of the state populists COM
mittees. those in Kansas, Iowa, Ne
and Colorado, at least, invit-
ing them to take up the work of unit |
ing the reform forces in the country
into a new third party, with the ulti-
mate purpose of ~effecting a national
organization.
The following resolutions embody-
ing the principal declarations of the
new party we're adopted:
Public ownership of all public utili-
as railroads, telegraphs, etc.
While awaiting the legislation. neces.
to secure public ownership, rigid
control of freight and passenger rates
and severe penalties for rebates and
other determinations by railroads;
taxation of railroads and other public
and corporations in the same
proportion as the value OF farm and
,ther property
Direct legislation by the initiative
ind referendum, to the end that the
may initiate good legislation
md veto bad legislation; a graduated
ncome tax. to the end that wealth,
vhich receives government protec-
Ion, shall bear its just share Of the