The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-07
His Proposition Is Received by the
Union Labor Party Somewhat Coldly.
But McGlynn Is Invited to Send Delegates to
the National Convention in Cincinnati in
May-A Township Ticket Nominated.

mlttees held sessions continuing until late IN
the afternoon, the principal questions con-
sidered being the time and place for the national
convention, and that raised in a letter from
DR.. Michigan looking to consolidation
of the Union and United Labor parties.
The executive COMMITTEES had charge OF the first
question, and found but little difficulty in fixing
the time. When the place was preached, several
speeches were made in the interest of Charles
ton and Wheeling, w. Va. Kansas City.
ST. Louis. Louisville, Cincinnati and Chicago.
With either of the West Virginia cities, j. Z.
Thompson, the national committeeman for that
State said be would be satisfied IL the con-
vention was held in Wheeling. it would have an
excellent influence the workingmen IN that
industrial region. If it went to Charleston the
effect in the Kanawha coal regions would
be pronounced. The miners ready to
break away from their old party affiliations and
unite with organization through which
they could subserve their interests. C. G. Dix
on. of Chicago, favored his city as the one in
which he claimed all conventions can be best
accommodated. When ST Louis suggested
an old gentlemen cried out. THAT is too
the internal regions for our purposes" Kansas
City was ignored except by mention, but
Louisville favored By some as being place
where much good could be done in advancing the
backed by the hotels and business men, offered
such liberal inducements that majority of the
committee at once tended in that direction. In
addition to these reasons there was the recollec-
ton Of the first national convention of
the party held there, and when
the committee voted the expression for
Cincinnati was practically unanimous. Kansas
City and Wheeling each received one vote, the
rest favored the Ohio city, which was declared
the place. The representation is to be by dele
gates, on the system adopted by the Republican
and Democratic parties.
In the national committee the proceedings
were prolonged, through discussion of the
Henry George land-tax theory. It came up
the McGynn letter, dated Feb. %. and addressed
to John P Zane the committeeman from Penn
sylvania. The writer gave at considerable length
his views on the proposition to unite the two
labor political organizations, in the course of
which he said
1--WE are all anxious to sink minor differences.
personalities, false pride and foolish love to
cure consistency for the sake of securing great
radical reforms in the interest of the masses or
for the common veal by the adoption of few
fundamental and essential principles based upon
eternal justice and the very nature of things.
We are, therefore. only too happy to do any
thing in our power To bring about on some such
platform a union of all our brethren throughout
the country who striving for the same ends
and particularly with those who form the Union
Labor party. The land plank of
our party has been misconstrued, often
ignorantIy sometimes maliciously.
tax on land values-has been confused with a tax
on land-two totally different tninRs-and the
farmers have been warned that we propose to
despoil them of their holdings, whereas the fact
10 that no class of orr citizens will be so
gre atty benefited by tax on moro land as will
the farmers of the United States; for the tax
that we propose will inevitably throw the bur
dens of government upon the wealthy monop-
nj. If mir nj II n
who own city lots, and not upon the farmers
who work the soil"
After some further discussion Of this phase of
the subject the writer adds:
'The land clause in platform 1.-THE SYRIA
cusel is a vital one to the party in this State.
We believe devotedly in it, and any reduction
of it's demands would simply leave us without
a following-ahere would be- no votes TO be
counted. You viii see how strongly we feel the
necessity of adhering to the land plank of the
Syracuse platform. and the impossibility of our
making any compromise by which
it's force would be in any
spect impaired It seems to that
there need be no great difficulty nor any real
sacrifice of principle on your part in accepting
form, since it is clear that the land plank In
your own declaration of principles has the same
end in view, namely. the making good of the
absolute equal use of the bounties OF nature
included in the word land, so that all have
equal opportunity, as well as right. to form for
themselves home"
C1ScuSS60 several
written pages and the writer continues:
s'To come TO practical matters. we think there
should, by all means. be joint call. Two con-
ventions in the same place on the same day
would be far less likely to result favorably.
Powerful influences would be at work to pre-
vent union. Such influences already plot
ting TO split and sice-traek our party
by forcing a discussion OF the tariff ques-
ton. Though myself free-trader, / am
compelled TO see that a majority of the
voting strength is welded to protection. Our
platform says no word on the subject. neither
are hopelessly wrecked. The dates of all
other conventions are now fixed. Ours should
be held first, and therefore ought not to be de-
ferred later than the end of May. We are with
holding orr own call for conference In hopes
of a uni on with our brethren of your party. If
the tariff question alone-for 1T Is at
best but trivial question: sub
committee of four should be appointed
by your executive committee, with power, and
instructed to confer with the land and labor
COMMITTEES of New York city, for the purpose of
issuing joint call for national conferences for
the purpose of forming one great national
party"
The writer concludes with some suggestions
regarding name for the proposed new CONSOLE
dated party and mentions the ''Commonweal
party" and the "Commoners party but he adds
that this is matter of small account. and can
be easily settled at the conference. should
be held in accordance with his suggestions
There dispos ition. except in an indirect
way, on the part of q few to yield 20 these aug
gestons. Ii was the genera. expression that
the George land-tax theory offer ed nothing prac-
teal with which to 20 before the people Of the
West and South. where the party must GET Its
strength. 1t was held that, if the Union Labor
party recsded from its proposition rs to gradu-
ated land-tax system. nothing would De done
among the farmers. for whom. particularly, the
system was designed Some urged that no good
could be accomplished by appointing commit
tee OF conference, as suggested by Dr. McGiynn.
1t would lead TO the destruction of ths Cinein
c;nnsti platform and the identity of the Union
Labor party. But at the same time desirable
ity for a consolidation expressed but It
must be on the platform adonted at Cincinnati,
which Dr. MeGlynn and his followers are ready
to adont except iu regard 10 the land-tax
ouestion The COMMITTEES voted almost unani-