Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-04-04
POpulists PredOminate at Meeting and
Largely Dictate Results
KEEP THEIR NATIONAL COMMITTEE INTACT
Platform Adopted in Kansas City Alliance
with Minor Changes,
WANT MONEY BASED ON ENTIRE WEALTH
Convention Declares Tn Favor OF Gov
ernment Ownership OF Public
UtiIities aud the Initiative
and Referendum.

LOUISVILLE, April 3.-Under the name
OF the allied peoples party of the United
States, a new political organization was
formed here today composed Of reform ele-
ments opposed to the democratic and re.
publican parties The platform Of the new
organization embodies the platform adopted
at the conference held at Kansas City last
September when a call for a convention
was issued Ito unite reform forces against
plutocracy."
1t reafirms the spirits OF the declaration
of principles adopted at the national con-
vention Of the peoples party In st. Louis.
Omaha and Cincinnati, and the demand for
the initiative and referendum and the gov.
ernment ownership Of all public utilities are
its principal planks.
While the peoples party, the fusion popu-
lists, the socialists, the referendum league,
the union labor party, public ownership
party OF st. Louis. the prohibition party
and the united Christian party were rep
resented on the floor OF the convention by
accredited or by volunteer delegates. only
two organizations, the peoples party and
the public ownership party, had given
their delegates any authority to form an al
lance.
peoples party that other reform forces
will later decide to unite with the new
organization.
Peoples Party Prevails.
The convention was practically dominated
by the peoples party. At times discus
sons of lively nature took place and for
awhile it seemed as though the movement
was about to fail, owing to the unwilling
ness of a number Of the peoples party
delegates to make any concessions to the
other reform forces present.
Under the plan Of organization adopted
the national committee OF the peoples
party, with 10 A. Parker as its chair
man, will remain intact, with the addition
of three more members from Missouri who
will have one-half vote apiece until the
next national convention, this being con-
cesslon to the reform forces OF that state.
This committee will have power to call
national convention, and it's headquarters
will be situated wherever the chairman de-
sires except three months before an elec-
ton, when they will be in st. Louis.
The national committee will be composed
of three members from each state and ter
ritory and an executive committee OF seven
will be selected from the country at large
every four years at a national convention.
Basis of Representation.
The basis of representation will be fve
delegates at large from every state and
territory and one additional delegate for
every 1000 voters based on the vote at
the preceding national election.
The differences between the platform
adopted by the convention and that rec
commended by the platform committee are
very slight In the platform adopted the
demand for initiative and referendum Is
found in both the preamble and platform
In the plank on money the platform adopted
fayors scientific money based upon the en-
tire wealth of the people Of the nation aud
not redeemable in any specific commodity,
but to be legal tender for all debts, public
and private. and to be issued by the gov
ernment only and without the interven-
ton OF banks suficient in quantity to meet
the requirements Of commerce. There are
no other differences.
At the morning session OF the convention
| resolutions OF regret at the death Of ex-
Governor Altgeld and Hon. Ignatius Don
nelly were adopted.
Madden In Condemned.
Delegate Walter OF Indianapolis offered
resolution condemning Third Assistant
Postmaster General Madden for his alleged
discrimination against the reform papers.
This was sidetracked with the understand
ing that 1t should be brought up later.
The report of the committee on ereden-
tials showed about $50 delegates present,
representing the following states: Arkan-
sas, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Georgia, Kentucky. Kansas. Missouri,
Michigan. Maine. Nebraska. New Jersey.
New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma,
Ohio, South Dakota, South Carolina, Texas.
Utah. Virginia, West Virginia, Mississippi
and Pennsylvania.
As soon as the convention was called to
order in the afternoon the discussion Of
the platform was continued. Mr. Farris Of
Illinois, chairman Of the platform commit
| tee, spoke in favor OF the adoption Of the
original platform submitted and urged the
| formation OF an alliance. He was followed
by Chairman Parker OF the populist ma
| tional committee, who urged that all minor
differences be laid aside and that the re-
| form forces unite. He said that he had let
teTs from the most noted socialists In the
| country favoring the allied party move
ment.
Calls Platform UnRssaiIabIe.
He regarded the platform submitted as
the most unassailsble document ever pre-.
pared by a political party aud he denounced
as a Judas IscaTiot the man who would
attempt to obstruct the work begun for
mankind He then introduced a resolution
to call the new party "the allied peoples
party"
recess was then taken to allow those
delegates who were opposed to the original
platform and who favored the substitute
proposed by L. b. Williams OF Indiana TO
confer In order that an agreement might
be reached.
When these delegates returned TO the
hall. Mr.. Williams. acting as spokesman
for his side, presented a substitute for the
report Of the platform COMMITTEES, as we'll
as for his former resolution, advocating
the adoption Of the preamble Of the original
platform, together with the platform OF
the allied forces adopted at Kansas City,