' > f 1 * I
the Conservative * 11
innate modesty and irrepressible diffi
dence could point out hundreds of
farms bought and improved ; scores of
industrial plants established and oper
ated ; because of his exhortations and
teachings. Jp. fact , if Colonel Bryan
severs his citizenship from Nebraska
every material , mental and moral inter
est is jeopardized. Without Bryan there
would be no development of manufac
ture , agriculture or commerce. He is
morals , mind and money for the whole
people.
THE NATIONAL PARTY.
The national party , to which reference
was made in a letter from J. B. Corey ,
formerly democratic candidate for
governor of Pennsylvania , published in
THE CONSERVATIVE March 22 , has incor
porated some commendable ideas in its
platform. The declaration of principles ,
adopted at the mass convention Sept. 1 ,
1894 , is substantially as follows :
WHEREAS , It is clearly evident that
our people are solely dependent upon
the products of our soil , mines and
factories to avoid death , and that those
products in excess of our wants are our
only available wealth ,
RESOLVED , That we look with great
apprehension upon the strides which an
official aristocracy has made upon our
republican system of government of late
years , by which our millionaire congress
men , United States senators and repre
sentatives of powerful corporations and
trusts are colonizing at the capital of the
nation , building costly residences and
establishing an aristocratic style of liv
ing , contrary to the principles of our
democratic institutions and exceeding incest
cost the salaries of our representatives
and public officials , and which can only
be maintained by accepting bribes ,
voting themselves perquisites , as is done ,
or by increasing their salaries far in
excess of what same service will com
mand outside of public office.
RESOLVED , That as the best means of
abolishing these evils , we would recom
mend the amendment of our state and
national constitutions , so as to render
our legislative bodies more practical for
business purposes by reducing our
representatives to one-fourth the present
number , by providing for the election of
United States senators by the people
direct , and making candidates for the
presidency of the United States eligible
for only one term ; also by reducing the
salaries of public officers to what the
same service will command outside of
public office.
RESOLVED , That the independence of
the American people , which is essential
to good government , shall not be
abridged ; and in order that we may
avoid the rook upon which all previous
independent movements have stranded
and failed of their purpose , and that we
may more speedily and effectively uproot
and eradicate the present abuse of our
civil government we recommend that
the motto of the national party be
anti-partisan , anti-spoils and antimonopoly -
monopoly , and that it be based upon the
principle of securing control of the
municipal , state and national legislation ,
thereby securing the only possible means
of eradicating the aforesaid abuses of
our civil government.
RESOLVED , That in order to do this
we must unite and concentrate all the
forces of the and
wage-earners pro
ducers against the tax-eaters and non-
producers , and in order fo more
effectually accomplish this purpose , we
recommend that the national party ,
instead of setting up candidates , shall
unite , when it is possible , upon a candi
date or candidates , of any party who
will pledge themselves to vote for the
reduction of exorbitant salaries and the
reduction of the number of public
officials ; to abolish all sinecures and
officials known as political reward offices ;
to reduce the number of representatives
in congress and state legislatures ; to
amend the constitution so as to limit the
presidency to one term ; provide for the
election of United States senators by the
people ; to adopt the gold standard as
the money of the United States ; and
such other amendments to our state and
national constitutions and laws as will
eradicate all these abuses and protect
the civil government of the American
people and to the benedictions of him ,
whose grace the Father of our country
invoked upon his children.
Oongre8Bman De
THECALAVERAS
TREES. Vries' resolution
directing the secre
tary of the interior to negotiate with
the owners of the Calaveras big tree
grove for the purchase of that property
and the adjacent forest , is moving along
in a satisfactory manner and doubtless
will pass both houses of congress with
out serious objection. The only diffi
culty to be anticipated in the saving of
the sequoias in Calaveras county is that
which will arise when it comes to agree
ing upon a price to be paid. For many
years past the owner of the grove has
been Mr. Sperry , but last January an
eastern man agreed to purchase the
forest for $100,000 , and he paid down
$1,000. When the Sierra Club heard of
this it called a meeting and invited Mr.
Sperry to be present. He came , and in
the course of the talk with the club
members he stated that he felt consider
able doubt whether the purchase of the
grove would be consummated , because
that was dependent upon securing
eastern capital , the man who took the
option not being prepared himself to pay
the hundred thousand dollars. Mr.
Sperry waiting to see how the easterner
would succeed in his attempt to raise
the bulk of the money before anything
further should be done , and this was the
policy the club agreed upon.
But afterwards other clubs and news
papers took the matter up and the result
is the presentation of the resolution of
Representative De Vries. It seems
hardly doubtful now that the purchase
from Mr. Sperry will be completed ,
because it is certain that the government
will offer a fair price for the grove and
forest so that the eastern people have a
certainty of making a good sale , and
consequently are not likely to fail in
raising the money. If the matter had
gone along quietly the sale to the eastern
syndicate might have fallen through.
But perhaps it is better that the agita
tion has commenced , because an awaken
ing on the subject would have been
necessary sooner or later. Had the
present negotiations for the sale of the
grove fallen through , others would have
been begun some time , for such timber
as that in the Calaveras forest was
bound to be in request by lumber men
before very long.
THEIIENUY Committee
FUNI > . having in charge
the fund for the
benefit of Mrs. Guy V. Henry , the
widow of General Henry , of the United
States army , has received a number of
contributions as the result of the pub
lication of the fact that such a fund was
being arranged for , without any syste
matic work having been undertaken to
swell that fund.
The publication of the fact that a
committee had been formed has brought
in a number of responses , not only in
the shape of contributions , but in letters
from those who are in sympathy with
the movement , and who have announced
their willingness to cooperate. The last
letter received on this subject comes
from Adjt.-Gen. W. Liller , who writes
from Lancaster , Pa. He says :
"It affords me much pleasure to learn
of the movement to raise a fund for the
widow of Gen. Guy V. Henry. I had
deprecated the fact that the memory of
one who has rendered the country most
valuable services seemed to have been
almost forgotten. I recognized in
General Henry an American soldier and
gentleman , and took what I deemed the
initiative step toward honoring the dead
hero when I suggested and asked the
adoption of his name for a camp of the
National Association of Spanish-Ameri
can War Veterans , which was legally
admitted into our folds , February 21st
of this year , at Shamokin , Pa. This
camp is known as 'Gen. Guy V. Henry ,
No. 15 , Dept. of Pennsylvania , Spanish-
American War Veterans. '
"I believe this step will bo the fore
runner of the organization of other I
camps throughout the country to cherish {
his memory. I shall be glad to be of
service at any time in aiding the com
mittee. Wishing for the movement's
unbounded success , believe me ,
Yours very sincerely ,
W. O. LILLER. "
The total contributions thus far re
ceived are $5,702.25.
Information concerning this move
ment can be obtained from any of the
officers of the committee , but checks
should be sent to the treasurer , A. S.
Frissell , 589 Fifth Ave. , New York.
Congress , mindful of the popular in
dignation over the Porto Rioan bill , will
postpone making "precedents" until
after election.