The Topeka state journal., 1908-04-03
Populists in National Convention
Spend Session in Talk.
Clash Between the East and the
West Over Chairman.
PLATFORM JUGGLED.
Charge Made That the Money
Plank Was Changed
After It Left Hands of the
Resolutions Committee.


st. Louis. April 3.-The first clash of
the day in the Populist convention
came on the report of the committee
on permanent organization which rec
commended that George A. Honnecker
OF New Jersey, be made permanent
chairman w. b. Jones, of Nebraska,
moved as substitute to the report
that the temporary organization be
made permanent.
Mr.. Coxey asked that the motion be
Withdrawn saying that he desired to
olVlde the honors with the east Mr.
Jones declined to withdraw it and the
convention worked itself into par
namentary tangle, which was ended
py a roll call on the adoption of the
substitute. The calling of the roll de-
veloped the state Of Montana was rep
resented by a resident Of St Louis. but
who called Montana his home" His
vote was promptly challenged by w.
=. Jones who claimed that the Mon
tana representative was not accepted
by the committee on credentials and
could therefore take no part in the
conventlon; Nebraska was voted down
and the Missouri man cast the vote Of
Montana. The substitute was lost by
a vote of 486 to 2S1. The original mo-
ton was adopted and Mr.. Honnecker
was elected permanent chairman.
Mr.. Honnecker made an address of
considerable length in which he vigor-
ously attacked the courts of the coun-
try under whose rulings he declared
many gross injustices had been COM
mitted. He attacked the Democratic
party for the conduct of President
Cleveland in the railway strike of 1894
and the Republican party for the send
ing Of troops into Idaho during the
miners strike. He deprecated the in
dustrial situation of the country, de-
clared the opportune time for a revo-
luton was present. and he said that
it only needs the genius of a Robe
spierre, and the eloquence of Danton
to set the country in a blaze
Trouble Starts.
Following his address the reDort of
the committee On resolutions was pre-
sented.
The report of the committee on reso-
lutions was read by Joseph A. Parker
of Kentucky. On motion to adopt
T. H Tibbles of Nebraska objected,
saying the more important part of the
platform adopted by the committee
last night was omitted.
Mr.. Parker in explaining said that at
subsequent meeting of the commit
tee the plank on money had been ma
terialIy modified. Mr.. Tibbles charged
that it was done without the knowledge
of the committee on resolutions. There
was much confusion in the convention
and many delegates were clamorfng for
recognition. Mr.. Tibbles in trying to
gain the attention of the chairman be-
came engaged in a heated colloquy
with that Individual Tibbles insisted
he had the floor and asked the chair
that he be permitted to speak.
sI can not furnish you with Eng
lish words to express yourself" said
the chair.
81 can not furnish you with a set of
brains to preside over this conven-
tion," hotly retorted Mr.. Tibbles.
After considerable wrangling Mr.. Tib-
bles went to the platform and reac
that part of the platform that he said
had been omitted from the original
draft A motion to incorporate the
resolution advocated by Mr.. Tibbles in
the platform was made, and was laid
in the table by q vote OF 462 to S0f
By another vote the motion was taken
special committee, which was ordered
to report at the afternoon session.
The Platform.
The platform submitted to the con-
vention was completed at daylight,
after an all night session of the com
mittee on resolutions. Much cons1d-
Grafton was given to the money plank
and when finally accepted by a ma
jority of the committee was not salts
factory to the minority. A debate Is
expected on the trust plank. AS pre-
pared by the committee the money
plank declared that the issuing OF
money, function of government
alone. should not be delegated to any
CORPORATION or industry. The demand
is made that money be issued direct
to the people without the interventlon
of banks. to be a full legal tender no ror
all debts, public and private. The
working of the national banking law
is criticised and the demand made that
the power to issue money De taken
from. the banks. The Aldrich bill Is
denounced as method Dy Wnlcn tne
nation and the people can both be
robbed.
pose that is honest"
The Fowler bill is also denounced.
The plan on trusts demands that the
government own and control the rail-
roads and all public utilities which in
their nature are monopoIies. Owner
shin of the general telegraph and tele>
phone lines and parcels post were
also asked. The taxation of monopoly
privileges while they remain in private
hands is another feature OF this plank.
Other planks submitted favored In
itiation and referendum and the power
10 recall from office disloyal or 1nefn-
cient representatives.
The enactment of legislation look
ing to the Improvement of wagse-earn-
ers' conditions. Abolition of child
labor and suppression of sweat shops.
Abolition of convict, as opposed to
free labor.
Exclusion from American shores OF
foreign pauper labor.
Eight hour work day and legislation
in favor of safety appliances for work.
ingmen.
Enactment Of an employers liability
act within constitutional bounds
Immediate adoption Of precautfon-
ary measures to prevent repetition
Of recent mining disasters.
work on public improvements In
times of depression for unemployed
men. The passage of a law prohibit
ing courts from assuming jurisdiction
Involving the constftutionality Of any
law enacted by congress and epproysd