Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-03
NEW REFORM PARTY
CONVENTION AT LOUISVILLE
TAKES RADICAL POSITION.
Effort Being Made to Weld Together
Several Of the Old Or
CARNATIONS.

A dispatch from Louisville, KY, last
night says: The movement for the forma-
ton or an allied party, comprising adher-
ents OF all parties opposed to the republi-
cans and democrats, or, the call for the
meeting stated, "a union of the reform
forces against plutocracy.' took definite
shape this afternoon when a convention, at
tended by about 200 delegates. repre-
senting eight states and as many different
parties, was called to order in this city.
The work today was of a preliminary
ture, temporary organization being eff
fected and committees appointed to prepare
for the permanent organization. The con-
vention adjourned at 4:30 o clock this after
noon to meet again tomorrow morning
Chairman Parker of the national popu-
list committee read the agreement reached
by the conference at Kansas City last
June, when the meeting in this city was
provided for This agreement stated that
delegates to be entitled to a seat in the
convention must subscribe to the initiative
and referendum and the Imperative man.
date; the public ownership of all public
utilities; that the land, Including all nat
ural resources, shall not be monopolized for
speculative purposes, and alien ownership
shall be prohibited; that all lands now held
by corporations in excess of natural needs.
or held by aliens. shall be reclaimed and
held for actual settlers; in scientific money
based upon the wealth of the people of the
nation and not redeemable in any specific
commodity, but to be full legal tender for
all debts, public or private, to be issued
by the government only and without in
PREVENTION of banks sufficient in quantity
to meet the requirements Of commerce; just
and natural taxation; the election Of the
President, Vice President federal judges
and senators by the people; the creation
of cabinet officer of the Department of
Labor and equitable arbit ration. the 81
Establishment Of postal savings banks.
Col. ]. S. Felter of Springfield. H., was
elected temporary chairman. Mills VIII
Hams Of West Plains Mo-. was chosen
temporary secretary, and ]. V. l.. Pearson
of New Jersey assistant temporary secre-
tary.
When the question of organization of
committees arose DR.. Chambers of st. Louis
proposed that a committee on conference
be appointed. consisting OF one member
that might arise. This caused considerable
debate, but the motion prevailed.
The national populist committee, which
held its first session last night. reconyened
enty members represented in person or by
proxy. Chairman j. A. Parker presided.
The committee of four appointed last night
by the national convention to devise means
whereby the referendum and initiative
plank adopted by the populists at Cincin-
natl could be made practicable reported
that nominations by the referendum ballot.
as proposed at the Cincinnati convention.
would be wholly impracticable. and that
the delegates to the convention should be
governed by the wishes of the people they
represented This report was adopted.
The committee also decided to recon-
mend to the convention of the allied party
that the name peoples party be adopted
by the convention. The matter of the adop-
ton Of platform was left to the commit
tee on resolutions.