People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1896 — ENCOURAGING OUTLOOK. [ARTICLE]

ENCOURAGING OUTLOOK.

For The Success of the People’s Party. REPORT FROM OFFICIAL SOURCES. The Gold Policy Driving Free Siiverltes From the Old Political Parties. People's Party News Bureau, / Headquarters National Ex. Com. $

St. Louis. Mo., April I.—The National Executive Committee opened headquarters in rooms 525, 526 and 527 of the Commercial Building in this city, March Ist. At this time matters are beginning to take on a lively air and Chairman Taubeneck and his assistants are getting right down to hard work, answering the immense correspondence, and arranging preliminaries for the great covention to be held here July 22nd and the campaign to follow., Reports are already coming in from members of the national Committee and Chairmen of State and County Committees, announcing accessions to our party all along the line, and dissensions and demoralization in the ranks of our enemies. There can be but little doubt now that the threatened bolt and walkout in the Republican and Democratic Conventions by the 16 to 1 free silver advocates if they fail to secure their demands will prove a reality, for it is plain that this class will fail to get what they desire in their respective parties. In Michigan the free silver Democrats have formed a party of their own and effected a permanent State organization. This is only one move toward political freedom, but having taken the first step the next one will be easy, and they will soon land in the People’s party. The sensible and concilitory resolutions passed by the Reform Press Association at Dallas last month have inspired hope and stimulated our friends to renewed activity all over the country. The biggest cloud on the Republican horizon just now is the move being made by the manufacturers of the East to form an alliance, offensive and defensive with the Republican silver men in the Western States, which, if successful, will completely dismember the Republican party and place it in worse condition than the late lamented Democracy. To a close it look like the end of both political parties and the gold dynasty was very near at hand. The political rogues are likely to fall out, in which case honest people can get justice by standing shoulder to shoulder in the great struggle for industrial freedom. Free silver seems to be the wedge that is destined to split both old parties asunder. A member of our National Committee from Maine reports uneasiness and dissatisfaction in the Democratic and Republican ranks. A large number of People’s Party clubs have been organized in the State and the voters seem to be waking up to their conditon and joining our party. The State convention in Maine will be held at Auburn on Jufae 4. The outlook for success in that State grows better every day. ,

There are indications that the Democrats will unite with the Populists in Idaho. There are about 5,000 Mormon voters in that state, the majority of whom, it is believed, will affiliate with the Republicans. The A. P. A. has organized there within the last few months and is a very uncertain quantity. The Republican machine in Idaho is strong, but the silver men are deserting the party every day. The Democrats and Republicans will probably repudiate their parties if silver is not given proper recognition. In Kentucky the voters are reported as being at sea, and our party is now being spoken of in respectful terms by the opposition. A large per cent of the free silver element will come to us in the event their parties adopt the gold standard or straddle the financial question. The situation in Nebraska, is about as follows: On strict party lines there are at present 80,000 Republicans, 65,000 Populists, and 40,000 Democrats. With the lines divided on the money question, Nebraska would give a majority of 25,000 for free coinage. The populists of that State are in favor of a union with the free silver people on honorable terms that will not involve the surrender of distinctive principles, nothing as yet has has been done in that State toward selecting delegates to the National Convention. In New Mexico it is reported that the rank and file in both the old parties are ready to join an independent movement, if their parties fail to declare for silver, when they nominate presidential candidates. No nominations will be made by our people, until after the National Conventions, but the territorial convention to select delegates to St. Louis, will probably be held in May. Montana has called a delegate convention to meet June 23. The nominating convention for State officers will be held some time in August. The political situation in Montana is very encouraging to Populists. The Democratic party is completely demoralized. The Republicans are afraid to endorse a platform declaring for the gold standard and they dare not go before the public as Republicans, unless they do endorse it. In either case there promises to be a good sized bolt. The situation in Texas is very encouraging. The new recuits to our party are coming mostly from the free silver Remocracy and there is likely to be regular landslide from that source, if the Chicago convention adopts, as it is almost sure to do, a “sound money” platform. The Democrats of Virginia are despondent and divided. Three fourths of the party are said to favor silver, but the gold bugs control the party machinery. The Republicans of that State are reorganizing under goldbug leadership in anticipation of victory and although there is a better feud among the leaders, they will probably unite on a congressional and electoral ticket. In this respect, both parties are on a parity. The situation, in Washington, on the far Western coast is good, especially in agricultural sections. Initiative and Referendum Clubs, have recently been formed throughout the Eastern part of the State and Populist meetings are being more largely attended than ever before. A lecture bureau has been established in that State and money is being raised by the monthly pledge system to keep speakers in the field. Oregon elects a Judge of the Supreme Court, Congressmen and Legislative and county officers in June. The outlook for success in that State appears reasonably favorable, although the Populists have about 10,000 votes to overcome. It is conceded that the fight is between the Populists and the Republicans. The Democrats are simply not in it. The silver men in Oregon are organizing silver leagues, while the gold men are forming McKinley clubs. The famine in money in that State is so fearful that in one county recently 80 horses were sold for *BO. The people on the western coast have a grievance against the railroads, especially the Southern Pacific, and silver is not the only issue. Oregon is needing help from abroad badly. With a few good speakers turned loose in that State before the close of their campaign, supplemented by a liberal supply of reform literature, there is little doubt of Populists carrying the State. The political event of last week, was the State Convention of the People’s party of Kansas, held at Hutchinson on the 18th. It was the largest and most important convention, in many respects, ever held in the State. Ninety-two delegates were elected to the National convention, headed by John Breidenthal, Chairman of the Kansas State Executive Committee. A splendid set of resolutions were adopted, reaf- , firming faith in the People’s Party and its Drin ciples: inviting the Alliance and co-operation of all reform elements in the State and Nation, to the end that a union of all voters may be formed who oppose a gold standard and the European level of prices.