2
V
THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT
DECEMBER 17, 1903.
1903, unanimously, approved the work
of the Denver, conference, and re
solved to call both committees to meet
at St Lonis Fhrnarv 22. 1904 tn'fli
the time and place, of .homing a na
tional convention of the people s par
ty. The Associated pres3 dispatches,
under a Memphis date line, December
11; say that Chairman Parker has is
sued his call for the committee meet
ing; and it" is probable Chairman But
ler will follow in a short time. (The
Parker call appears elsewhere in this
paper.)
The Denver conference officers were
constituted the officers of a committee
on organization, to act in conjunction
and harmony with the Parker and
Butler -committees in building up the
people's party. Chairman Edgcrton,
of this committee, has held a number
of state conferences, which have re
sulted in a great revival jOf populist
interest. ' And the enrollment of the
Old Guard of Populism is along a line
of work which the Denver conference
organization committee can do in the
way of . supplementing what has been
done by both the Butler and Parker
committees. At the national conven
tion, of course, with the selection of
a new national committee, and com
plete union.; of the two wings, the
work of all three will be merged into
one.
The "mid-road" national convention,
held :. at . Cincinnati, ia.y 10, ,iyuo,
aaopted a plan of. organization, which
haa been worked out by" Editor J. J.
btreeter of the Vineland (In. J.) Inde
pendent, and which provided that
"All delegate conventions of the peo
ple's party for making nominations
and platforms are hereby abolished,
and instead thereof, nominations for
office, platforms and amendments
thereto shall be made by. direct vote
at the people's party primaries of the
political subdivisions affected there
by." v . ' '
For some reason not wholly clear
to me, however, the adoption of the
plan was all there was to it. It was
never carried out and put in effect
so that delegate conventions could be
abolished. Recognizing this fact, such
"mid-roaders" as Milton Park, James
H. Ferriss, Col. J. S. Felter, and J. M.
Mallett, present at the Denver con
ference, and the subsequent commit
tee meeting, assented to the St. Louis
meeting for the purpose of. calling a
national delegate convention. But
Wharton Barker, and Mr.; Streeter op
pose the work of the Denver confer
ence, alleging that it is aj violation of
the Cincinnati plan. Technically this
is true from a "mid-road'' point of
view; but practically, a convention
seems to be unavoidable, Jf the two
wings of the people's party are to be
actually united. The "mid-road" wing
has no organization built upon the
Cincinnati plan; and the "fusion"
wing has never adopted a similar one.
Personally, I am heartily in favpr of
the Cincinnati plan or something es
sentially like it. But T! cannot see
that with the limited time before us,
and still more limited resources, it is
within the realm of possibilities to ef
fect an organization so thorough as
to permit our nominating candidates
Dr. Shoop's
Rheumatic Cure
Costs Nothing If it Tails.
Anyh nest person who snffera from Rheuma
tism Is welcome to this offer. For yeara 1 aearch
ed everywhere torlndaaneclfierrKhenmatlsm.
For nearly 20 year I worked to th1 end. At Inst,
in (iermany, my search waarewarded. Hound
a eoatly chemical that did not disappoint me as
other liheuniatle prescriptions hud chapnointcd
physician everywhere.
I do not mean tl at Dr. Fhoop'n Rheumatic
tre can turn pony Joint Into fleh UEatn. That
1 impefca'bie. Put It will drive from the blood
the poUon tiat eauea pain and Mtellln", and
lueutnatla the end oi KheuntaiUm. I know
tutsan welt that 1 w ill iurtiisli for a full numth
my Khcmnatte t ore ou trial. 1 cannot cure all
within a month. U would be unreaam
tb'e toeinect that. Hut tniwt eaaet will yield
Mtthtn audaya, ThU trial tretnent will en
lnee you that Pr. Mnura It hen ma tie titre It a
power aeatnit KheumatUm a potent lorce
atratnxt dlee, that la If reKtlhle.
Mf efler l load to eonvlm you of my faith.
My ialih I but the iit oui- oi ex perltncpif
actual aiH.lede. J KSttW what tn do
And I kiw thlano well that I wl! f.irnlh my
temctly ou trial. Hmtdy write me a ntlal fur
m boot on Ithcnmail.iu. I td then arrant
aUh a drortt In your trinity m tt at you can
ure 1 1 i'ttlet or Ir. Shoi' Uheuniatle Cut
to loaka the !. You may take 11 a full month
on out If tt tnced. the cot t you U .s-
It it lal!a, tha Imw It mm and mine alone. It
wt'lbeUO entirely to you, inan thai ei.
actly, U you av the trial u u l taturaeiuty
J.i t ip l a pnnjf irn jou.
I Uava no let, Any inneaui U that ran
aflVrt rhronle lihruntaiixn ntut ! dm) in
it urn m !ct I I uv no u. h trov, r H u
ttaaivruu lt take them. ti n ui pet the du
uit of the 1!im1. My manly d,-a ttml
etc a In the m..t dUftcnU, ttMUmte ee it
ba efel the ld f II at I ere mrl, and
111 ait l experience. In ad nf hif J.hm trH,
rr (ood anoth.-f iriuady thai mmM core
i ehit e n ten.
Write and 1 will and ymt (be Nw.fc. Try
mf oied Mir a atttnih. tr It t an t ttariu twu
tnywar, If It fli the lua ta adae.
Aiidfta r. arii, IHn a, lurtae, lata
Mil I a i Mt bi- on' are i ll. n yuted i-u
tpt two lH!r, At all drf Hit,
for president and vice president by di
rect vote. With nearly a million pop
ulists now affiliated with and partici
pating in the democratic, prohibition,
socialist and other primaries, neither
the Butler nor the Parker organiza
tion know where these populists are
with sufficient exactness to warrant
a nomination" by the Cincinnati plan.
But the ultimate purpose of the Old
Guard of Populism, as I view it, is to
put in practical operation eventually
this much neglected Cincinnati plan.
I feel sure it cannot be done in' time
for the presidential nomination next
year, and that a delegate convention
in 1904 is a necessary evil. But there
is no reason why, with a large en
rollment of populists, buiit upon the
modern library card index system, the
new national committee cannot take
the Old Guard of Populism for the
foundation upon which to build the
perfected 'Streeter" organization.
As an aid to the national commit
tee In its work next year, the card in
dex with its list of the Old Guard
will -prove Invaluableworth many
times the effort made In building It
tip,: , . ' ; , t
On Saturday, December 5, 1903, I
sent out 960 circular letters containing
the prospectus of the Old Guard of
Populism. These were sent as a test
to discover if there is any life among
the populists of America. The plan
was explained fully. It was shown
that if done at all, the work must be
made to pay its own way by voluntary
contributions of those who enroll
because none of the three committees
have any funds to work with.
The results to date warrant belief
that the Old Guard of Populism can
be built up rapidly, and that the con
tributions will pay the expenses and
perhaps leave something to turn over
to the national committee. Although
the 960 circular letters were mailed
late Saturday evening, the following
Monday forenoon brought replies from
Indiana, Kansas and Colorado and
each day's mail brings replies from a
greater distance. . . .
The 960 letters, sent as a test, were
addressed to those who took part in
the Denver conference or sent letters
of regret about 140 in all; to the
"fusion" people's party national com
mittee; to the state members of the
Denver conference organization com
mittee; and some 600 to populists who,
within the past year, have had com
munications printed in the Missouri
World, Southern Mercury, The Inde
pendent and other populist papers
names I had collected by means of the
library card index plan. . Classified by
states, the 960 were as follows: Ala
bama 17, Alaska 1, Arizona 5, Arkan
sas 30. California 15, ; Colorado 35,
Connecticut 7, Delaware 3, District of
Columbia 7, Florida 10, Georgia 22,
Idaho 7, Illinois 37, Indiana 34, Ind
ian Territory 9, Iowa 21, Kansas 43,
Kentucky 19, Louisiana 12, Maine 5,
Maryland 7, Massachusetts 8, Michi
gan 21, Minnesota 9, Mississippi 6,
Missouri 67, Montana 10, Nebraska
171. Nevada 1, New Hampshire 4. New
Jersey 10, New Mexico 8, New York
19, North Carolina 12, North Dakota
5. Ohio 18. Oklahoma 17. Oregon 22.
Pennsylvania IS, South Dakota 11,
Tennessee 18. Texas 116. Utah 3, Ver
mont 4. Virginia 6. Washington 12,
West Virginia 11, Wisconsin 6, Wyo
ming 3.
Tt will be noted that every Ptate and
torritorv PTpt So'ith Carolina and
Fhode Island is represented In this
list.
COMMENDATIONS.
What others think of the plan may
be shown by the following excerpts
from letters received:
Hon.' J. II. Calderhcad, Helena,
Mont state auditor, and secretary of
the Denver conference organization
committee: "I most heartily approve
of the plan. Enclosed find check for
$5. Also a list of populists In this
state, covering nearly every county.
From these men you can secure the
namos necessary to enlarge the list"
Hon. Samuel w. Williams, Vlnccn-
nca, I nd. organizer for Central divi
sion under the "Streeter" plan: "I
fully approve your plan of fnrollment
and urge every populist In the land to
give you prompt and active assistance
in thn work. Conditions are ripe for
populbm to corn again ind we must
keep our lamp trimmed and burning,
I aiiFKCBt that you write to our very
rflU leni Mate rhalnnan, Hon. F, J. 8.
Holilrmin. Ctoverland, Clay county,
Ind,, cm the ntbJiHt. feej sum that
ho will ild you. I enclose you fl an
a inirlbtilon to your espeoMt fund."
Hon. Milton Park, Dallas, Trx.
elltnr ftoithern Mcrcurv, treasurer !
lied people' purtv national rommlt
tee, nd iUe t nJrmn of the Denver
conference committee; "I hettrtlly In
dnrae your plan and whh von the fun
eft 'creu In your rffort to tin up
i! 0!, Guard. . , , Here are ten
naioen of "heart of oak' ponuliMta,
Bnd Hum to rue of your crd. ith
your Instructions and they will give
you a pusn." ,
Hon. John A. Barker, Franklin,
Men. editor The Franklin Sentinel,
and chairman county committee: "I
am in hearty accord with the move
ment you have inaugurated and :
trust that you will meet with the sue
cess which you so richly deserve. Push
the fighting and never permit yourself
to engage in a retrograde movement
and you will have tens of thousands
of patriotic followers. I am most as
suredly as strong in the faith as ever,
and more than ever before do I real
ize the justice,' aye, the necessity of
enacting populist principles into law
for the preservation of our free in
stitutions." ,; . ,
Hon. A. Norelius, Klron, la. mem
ber state committee for Tenth dls
trict: ..'I. ask every populist. who has
the cause at heart to enroll In this
glorious plan, and let us go into the
fight with muscle and brain until the
victory Is won. I enclose draft for $1
to help defray expenses."
Hon. Jacob Florea, Kirksville,. Mo.
"I think we will soon see the silver
lining the dark clouds seem to be
dispersing. . I believe we have more
voters than ever before all we need
is another boom, with no more fusion
forever.
R. T. Short, Putnam, Tex. secre
tary Putnam populist club: "I hasten
to enroll in the Old Guard (God bless
them). I am an old Peter Cooper
greenbacker and have been under the
banner ever since : in some shape or
name; , and expect to live out my few
remaining days contending for the
right against might."
J. S. Jones, Iuka, III.: "I am still
in the reform movement a populist
from principle. I began in 1875, and
if the principles were good then they
are good now and I have never doubt
ed or been discouraged in the least,
I am always glad to hear from the
'boys in the trenches.' " . rl ; ,
E. B. Whitmore, Rochester, N. Y.:
"I reach my hand across the , states
for a long and hearty shake. The pop
ulist principles are right and I hold
to them as I do the truths of mathe
matics. . . Here in the suburbs of
Wall street, we may not be able to do
much in the cause of right, for a pow
erful subsidized, venal and debased
daily press is constantly pouring out
polluted streams to degrade and mis
lead its readers. You may count on
me always for doing what little I can
for right and justice." , ! h
Hon. Wharton Barker, Philadelphia,
Pa. candidate ("mid-road") people's
party - for president in 1900: f ; "The
Old Guard plan you propose is good
as a support to the adopted party plan,
but it cannot be put in the place of
the one that has sanction of the Cin
cinnati convention. ... You may put
my name on the roll of the Old Guard.
I enclose tl for postage and printing
fund; also a copy of "The Great Is
sues." , . . I, have no doubt a, major
ity of the American people now ac
cept as sound the doctrine populists
stand for, and that immediate and
aggressive action on the line of the
Cincinnati plan of . organization will
make the people's party second in the
race next year, and under some con
ditions first. . . . One hundred pa
triotic, able and resolute minute men
made the great revolution of 1776; a
like body can put the Cincinnati plan
of organization in working order;
and the one thousand you propose to
call "The Old Guard" can carry the
plan to perfection in 120,000 voting
districts, long before July 4, 1901. We
should fight next year, of course, for
principles; but let us also tight for
victory. Let us elect a president and
congress that will give tis again a
government of the people.
W. D. Wilson, Boonevllle, Ark.:
"We are doing nothing here though
once we were in good working shape.
I hope your efforts will again arouse
the Old Guard."
Col. J. S. Felter, Springfield, 111,, in
a private letter, answering a communi
cation of mine written him prior to
the sending out of the Old Guard let
ters, says that while he seriously
doubts the wisdom of agitating the
question of dispensing with nominat
ing conventions, he give hearty ap
proval of the plan to build up a pood
wor' In!? file of names for ue by the
national committee in the next cam
pit I en.
J. A, WrtrM. I ebtnon. Km.:
Tleveltnd end Cleveland! have
captured the democrat It PTtv an it
rone with It. llanna l mre Hanna
e the renuhjlcan paM? mlh the lino
die Ml rmrk from hnd to foot, and
alt th Votem hetwoert those two dan
eefoua prd'tlnl a tone oipM to
eernenl te'r twdlMctl tnterta raold
1 for n"tnaa, aee mdMftK belief
than tmnHm eo far,"
ft, A, TUrV, Manhattan. Km.! 'f
am. If tvaU.1e lmr In te faith
tHn ever f11 ?dlevlnr In ,H !i
ee of the fundamental principle, of
populism. You may count on me aa a
Forget You Ever Had It.
. .... . - ' , Si -
Catarrh, the Most Odious of All Diseases
Stamped Out, Root and Branch.
Catarrh is the most foul and of
fensive disease that afflicts the human
race. Any one., with social ambitions
had better renounce them If he has a
T)ad case of catarrh, for his presence,
if tolerated at all, will be endured
under protest. The foul and sicken
ing breath, the watery eyes, the hawk
ing and spitting and fetid discharge at
the nose make the unfortunate suf
ferer the most avpided of human be
ings. - ...
atuart's Catarrh Tablets are the
hope and relief of catarrh victims ail
over the world. They go direct to the
root of the disease and thoroughly
eradicate it from the human system..
They cleanse and purify the blood of
all catarrhal poisons and under their
Influence all impurities are carried off.
The blood becomes pure, the eye
brightens, the head is cleared, the
breath becomes sweet, the lost senso
of smell is restored, the discharges
cease and the Bufferer again feels that
he has something to live for. He la
again a man among men and can meet
his fellow beings with satisfaction and
pleasure.
The following letter from a St. Louis
lawyer is only one of thousands re
ceived praising the merits and cura
tive powers of Stuart's Catanb Tab
lets. Read what he says:
"I suffered from catarrh for fifteen
years. It would be worse at certain
seasons than others, but never failed
to annoy me and cause me more or
less misery during that period. About
a year ago I got so bad that I thought
of abandoning my practice. I was a
nuisance to myself and all who came
near me. My condition was very hu-
miliating and . especially so In the
court room. I had tried, I thought.
every known , remedy; all kinds of
balms, ointments,, inhalers, sprays.
etc., till I thought I had completed
the list I was finally told of Stuart's
Catarrh Tablets by a friend who took
pity on me and, as a drowning man
will catch at a straw, I got some and
began taking them. I began to im
prove from the first day and 1 kept up
the good work you may rest assured.'
In six weeks I was as free from ca
tarrh as the day I was bot n, but to
make assurance doubly sure, I con
tinued the , treatment . for six weeks,,
longer. -.: .. ..
T V.r Ivn J Im. J i. . 1
f uttc uou on; waco ui vtiuirrn in
my system since. , I, am entirely free
from the odious disease and feel like a
new man. , I write this letter unsolic
ited for the benefit of fellow-sufferers ,
and you may give it as widespread
publicity as you wish.",.
; Stuart s Catarrh Tablets are for sale
by all druggists at 50 cts. a box.
member of the Old Guard of Popul
ism." y
! Dr. W. P. Brooks, Cook. Neb.: "The
principles of populism are right and
just If enacted into law or, iather,
if the scoundrels ; could be made to
practice them the ills that"are suf
fered would soon end. I am ready, as
I ever have been, to do what I can to
better conditions. 7 . . Command me,
and in any way that I can I will do
the best in my power. ... Will give
50 of my books, "Sixteen to One Es
caped Criminals to One Conviction,"
which might be sold for 75 cents a
piece and put into a campaign fund."
(Dr. Brooks' book handles the liquor
problem in a rational way, looking
to the abolition of drunkenness by re
moving the real cause poverty and
its concomitant, immense wealth.)
Abel D, Chase, Ardmore, lnd. Ty.j
"The creed suits me, and I will with
pleasure do anything 1 am capable of
doing to advance the principles of
populism." .
L. L. Lawrence, New Burnside, III.,
says he is one of the greenbackers of
1876 who stuck to the party until It
was fused to death; that he assisted at
the birth of the people's party and
kept the faith until it, too, was fused
to death. Then he went to the social
ists and voted for Debs. But he does
not say ho wants the "collective own
ership of the mean of production and
distribution," so it U likely he will re
turn to populism.
One NapoU'ou Bonaparte McCor-
mlck, a "for revenue only" politician
out lit Smith rounty. Has., at one time
attached to the people's party there.
recently went down toTopcka and had
himself "Interviewed" by a reporter
for the Topeka Capital. In Ihl.i "In
terview," N. tl. Mid: ''The populist
party to dead, except In a few Um-a ti
le e Smith county." Thl arouaed
the Ire of our friend, J. A. WrUht. un
til reeeutlv editor of the Lebanon
Journal, who wrote the Capital a ra'ts-
tl letter In whhh he told a tittle la-
nfde hMorv of Napoleon' attempt to
e!l hlmaelf In l!Md to the reptiMh at
uto committee fr I'M. Mr. Wrlfht
ctimlndea that the people's party la
