People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1896 — 2000 POPULIST EDITORS MEET. [ARTICLE]

2000 POPULIST EDITORS MEET.

National Reform Press Association in Annual Session at Dallas, Texas, Last Saturday. Harmonious Meeting of the Wheel Horses Who Shape the Folieg of the Reform Movement IT SIGNIFIES UNION WITH THE SILVER FORCES. Special Correspondence of The People’s Pilot. Dallas, Texas, Feb. 23.—The fifth annual meeting of the National Reform Press Association, which assembled in this city yesterday, is the most momentous gathering of the association ever held. Nearly 2,000 editors of populist papers are gathered here and their deliberations are characterized by unusual harmony and enthusiasm. The great interest in Saturday’s session centered in the report of the committee on resolutions. The committee itself had a long and spirited session, they made a report that was unanimously adopted by the convention. The report does not compromise any of the fundamental principles of the Omaha platform and is perfectly satisfactory to the free coinage people. It is a broader policy calculated to satisfy the dissatisfied in the old parties. PART OF THE RESOLUTIONS. The significant portion of the resolutions, after reiterating the unequivocal demand of the party for the restoration of the free coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to 1, without waiting for any other nation, are as follows; “We proclaim to the world that we are in favor of an honorable union and that our doors to the north, south, east and west, and all desiring a change in the nation and the emancipation of our land, industries and institutions from the rule of the British gold power are cordially invited to unite with us and join in the grand work of redemption. We invite tnem to come now, without waiting for the slow movement of so-called leaders, who are chained to the policy of delay until the two subsidized parties act.

“We will continue to wage a determined fight for a fair ballot and an honest count, and we are a unit in favor of free schools; and, while we greet with open arms of welcome the intelligent and honorable immigrants from the oppressed nations of the old world, we unitedly deprecate the invasion of this nation by the pauper labor of Europe, who drive free and honest American toilers from active employment to idleness, want and desperation. “Realizing that many of our demands, such as the income tax, the referendum, election of senators by the people, ownership of telegraphs and railroads, one term for the president, cannot be accomplished without the revision or amendment of the federal constitution, and the document has stood for 109 years and been amended fifteen times, while all the older states have changed their organic law more than once, we recommend that our editors and people study and discuss the advisibility of the St. Louis convention declaring in favor of a national constitutional convention as prescribed in our federal constitution.” The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Paul Vandervoort of Nebraska; vice-president, Frank Burkitt of Mississippi; secretary and treasurer, A. Rosselle of Missouri; recording secretary, Jo. H. Parker of Kentucky. There was a warm contest for the position of official editor of the association and W. S. Morgan of Arkansas, the present incumbent, was re-elected, the opposing candidate being A. Rosselle. Chairman Taubeneck of the national committee, who is present as an invited guest of the association, expressed himself as well pleased with the results of the session thus far, as the policy of the national committee to throw the doors of the party wide open to the advocates of free coinage has been fully sustained.

PRESIDENTIAL POSSIBILITIES. The correspondent of the Chicago Record has the following to say concerning the discussion on this all-important topic: “Hotel lobbies today presented an animated appearance. Much quiet talk has been indulged in regarding presidential possibilities and the platform to be adopted at St. Louis in July. There is a general feeling that in the political upheaval sure to come this year many new men will come to the surface. Mr Sibley of Pennsylvania is much discussed, and also Senator Allen of Nebraska. The name, however, which evokes the greatest enthusiasm and which is on everybody’s lips is that of Judge Henry C. Galdwell of A rkansas. It is urged in his favor that he is recognized as a friend of the working classes and an avowed enemy of corporate greed; that he is tue only living appointee of President Lincoln, and that, while taking no part in politics, he has expressed himself unequivocally as endorsing the populist platform. Besides, his residence in the south makes his candidacy desir-

able, as it is conceded on all hands that, all other things being equal, the nomination should go to the south. There has been little talk as to vicepresidential candidates. The name of Dr. Howard S. Taylor of Chicago is favorably mentioned in that connection.” A full report of the great gathering will be given in The Pilot next week. Owing to the “pressure” the editor, of The Pilot was obliged to forego the pleasure of attending the meeting although he desired very much to do so.