St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-07-02
them to attend the conference, which fact
they regretted very much, as they said they
were with the movement in spirit. Thirty
eight counties were represented.
HOW TT WAS DONE.
Proceedings of the Conference il
Pfeiferss Hail.


meeting, as he presumed it was familiar to
all. He said he felt happy as he looked
down into the faces of those in the audi
ence, and he was pleased to see so many
who were heart and hand with the
movement against 'bossism." He didn't
think that the fight SHOULD be made against
any individuals, but against the principal
Of monopoly. He wanted the Democrats
to rise up in the spirit and say:
You can't walk on me-" He wanted
plans and means discussed for the reorgan-
lZation OF the Democratic party in its purity
aud strength. He thought had it not been
for the busy season and the expense of get
ting here. there would be $500 representa-
tive Democrats present, so strong had the
sentiment against bosSsm become through
out every county and district in the state.
Mr.. Thornton then read the resolutions
adopted at the secret session held few
weeks ago at the Merchants hotel, after
which he called for nominations for presid-
ing officer of the conference.
Judge Percy B. Smith of Saltwater was
nominated for chairman by E. st. Julian
Cox of st. Paul and he took his seat on the
stand amid applause. He spoke in
MEASURED TONES
for few minutes, saying that he felt hon
ored in being called to preside over the
meeting-a meeting of Democrats called in
the interests, not of the few, but of the
many.
1t had been time-honored principle of the
Democrats, he said, that the party walked
shoulder to shoulder, all upon common
level. Torn by fueds and divisions, it had
lost power, and for four and twenty years it
has been overpowered by the Republican
rings, until in their might the people arose
and deposed them from their power. The Re
publicans have torn the letters from the
dusky slaves, but have bound them upon the
limbs Of their white fellowmen. Mr.. Smith
said he was not disappointed ofice-seeker,
but to be compelled to cringe beneath self
appointed magnates was enough to tinge the
manhood of all self-respecting Democrats.
He would enot fight individuals but for
principles He said he was in favor of leav-
ing those men to the contempt they ''have so
richly merited." 81 am not here to heap
vituperation," said he. He urged that del
egates to the county conventions should be
selected with a view to their ideas on the
questions that had brought the present con-
ference together.
On motion of Daniel Buck. G. E. Waters
of Fergus Falls was unanimously elected
secretary, and T.. E. Bowen of
Sleepy Eye assistant secretary. G. n.
idents, one from each congressional
district be elected. Ignatius Donnelly
amended the motion by fixing the number
of vice-preSidents at ten, to be nominated
without regard to the congressional dis
trictS that they represented. The amend
ment was carried, and the following vice
presidents elected:
NJ. E. Mathews. Lyon county; DIR. A. A.
Ames, Minneapolis; Mayor Ludwig, Winona;
P. E. Hommeril. St. Cloud; F. x. La Fond,
Morrison county; j. A. Raemer, Carver
county; Fl. E. Rawson, P. H. Rahily, Lake
City; j. NJ. Stone, Thomas Overland and E. G.
Adams.
Speeches were limited to five minutes by
a resolution and then Hon. G. II. Lienau
called for the reading of the address, which
the committee was instructed at the secret
conference, to prepare. Ignatius DonneIly
said the committee had authorized Hon.
Daniel Buck to read the address which the
committee had passed upon and declared
good. After the resolutions had been
adopted, Mr.. Donnelly arose and said there
was broad and growing sentiment among
the farmers on certain points that should be
attended to. He believed in widening out
the action of the conference so as to take
in these people. Accordingly he read the
following resolutions, which caused a lively
and somewhat heated season of miScellane-
GUS debate:
Resolved, That this conference is in cordial
and earnest sympathy with the farmers of
this state in their efforts to stop the rob-
berries of wheat rings and railroad COM
panieS.
Resolved, that the living issue IN Minnesota
to-day is whether one million people shall
pay over ten million dollars annually to the
sharpers who have control of the railroads of
the state, as interest upon watered stock or
watered bonds, which represent not capital
invested but plumber intended, and that it is
in vain for politicians to talk about minor
robberies until this great local wrong is first
utterly abolished.
FIRST BLOOD FOR DONNELLY.
This was the first sign of any war that
had been seen in the conference, but the
clouds began to loom up Immediately.
Hardly had Mr.. Donnelly sat down when
E. st. Julian Cox arose, and, with his hat
and cane in one hand and the other ex-
tended toward the chairman, began vigor-
GUS kick against this resolution.
Il protest" said he warmly, 'by my voice
and by my vote, which, thanks to Republi-
can legislature is still left to me, against such
resolution. 1 am opposed to resolution
that is mere verbiage. Every word of that
resolution will have to be backed up at the
polls. The press will scatter it, and we must
be prepared TO stand by every one of those
statements. Draw up simply resolution
against monopolies. Adopt something that
will be plain and 1at-footed. and Endorsed by
all. 1t is all true that is in there, but this is
not the time to say it.
He moved to lay the resolution over,
whereupon Col. Sweet of Sank Rapids
moved to refer the resolution to the next
state convention. Mr.. Donnelly COM
menced to speak and MI. Cox rose to the
point of order that the motion was not de-
bataEle.
Mr.. Donnely said that he did not think this
convention should confiue itself to q mere
attack upon Kelly and Doran. That was
very insignificant game. Laughter. We
must rise to higher plane if we wanted a
platform on which to have the support of the
people. The whole issue is simply this
Shall the Democratic party OF Minnesota be
run in the interest of Jim Hill or in the inter.
est of the people. Applause and cries of
''That's it. He could not understand the
position of Judge Cox. He said every WORD
of the resolution was true, but he did not
think they should adopt it. 1t was
the old story of the man who was in
favor of the Maine liquor law, but opposed
TO putting it in execution. Great laughter.
Judge Cox says if we adopt this resolution we
will have much to explain. How much will
we have to explain if we defeat it? How can
we go to the people and tell them that we are
in favor OF reform and opposed to monopoly
and oppression of the people, and yet vote
down resolution which simply says that we
are opposed to the people of this state paying
interest on watered stock for which not one
cent was ever paid. Applause The people
are in state of revolution on this question
especially in the western part Of the state
Shall we put ourselves in sympathy with them
or shall we not? This is the question. If thi:
convention means a railroad Democracy,
want none of it in mine Applause.
A GREAT DISORGANIZER.
"He can't organize the Democratic party or
that or any other platform" said Mr.. Cox
pointing at Mr.. Donnelly. las an organizer
he is not success. He could disorganize the
Democratic party. AS disorganizer he is q
great success"
81 never disorganized myself retorted Mr.
Donnely. (Applause.)
'You disorganized Shakespeare" saidtMr
Cox after minute.
He was going on with his remarks when
the chairman enforced the rule limiting al
speeches to five minutes.
Col. Sweet again spoke against the