The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-07-25
The Finances Of the Alliance.

LIE finances OF Une State Alliance
are in bad shape. Alliances without
number can get no reckoning. At
least dozen of them have written
us concerning their money and their
charters. One alliance says it has
demanded either their charter or
their money.
Weeks ago, Mr.. Donnelly and the
editor organized an Alliance in Wi
mona County, at Saratoga-where it
was hard work to get the confidence
OF the farmers. Mr.. Donnelly took
no pay, and we took $5.O 90 for our
self and $500 for expenses, of both.
Mr.. Donnelly took the 5000 char
ter fee, and Immediately sent a
draft to Lathrop, at Dawson. On
the floor OF the Convention, on the
10th, Mr.. Donnelly was taken to
task for not sending the money.
They had written for a charter and
had been told-twice- Mr.. Don
nelly had not sent the money. 1t
even came to this Office. Mr.. D. at
once showed his entry OF the money
sent-and went with the party
straight to Lathrop. The Secretary
whined and stumbled. and then said
he Thought" the money had been re-
ceived, etc.
We sent person quietly to Daw-
son to look matters up, and we get
the report that the whole business OF
the alliance is a miserable farce-that
snip OF boy was codding around,
utterly ignorant OF bookkeeping
and that the money was spent hith-
grandfather without balances and
proper records. In regard to this
we were thoroughly surprised to find
the Dawson Sentinel, published at
Lathrop's place, and with whom
Lathrop oficed for weeks, fully ap-
prised OF the facts. 1t says:
"He is using the funds of the al
lance in a reckless and extravaganza
manner and is not giving any atten-
ton to the duties of his Office. Some
two months ago we procured him
some fifty dollars worth of books,
made especially for keeping a correct
record OF the subordinate alliances
and their account with the state al
lance. There has never yet been a
scratch of a pen made in these books.
Several thousand dollars of alliance
funds have been received by Lathrop
since his election as secretary, and
we have it from good authority that
only about 500 have been turned
over by him to the treasurer
Meantime Lathrop was travelling all
over several counties to set up fences
for Congress, and between times
was in st. Paul. This we ascertained
to be fact. He is a poor man
very poor-and where the money to
travel SO came from was a mystery.
Perhaps that $500 note for 'cam-
paign fund.- given before there was
a compaign fund, may explain it. At
all events, when Lathrop came to
the convention he was instructed to
bring his books-and cash, of course.
The finance committee had been
complained to.
When the Executive Committee
met, Mr.. Donnelly called for the
books. They were not there. Why?
Well, his boy had forgotten to bring
them! How much money did he
bring? $50. "But you said you had
$5O0w (He should have vastly
moreD "Well, my boy forgot to
bring it, etc.
Of course this led to row. La
throp says that he gave Donnelly the
lie!-but whether he did or not, Mr..
D. demanded immediate settlement
and Mr.. D. knows what he is talking
about. He demanded that. the FL
nance Committee start at once to
Dawson to examine those fancy ac-
counts! Lathrop and Hall were
shaken, and turned white, and that
elegant Secretary remarked:
Snow look here, if you think man
can keep those books on $40 a
month you are mistakenp' (The al
lance Dug hit to see the "booksp)
Mr.. Donnelly turned on the antique
bronze and told him that he could
get those books kept for half the
amount with balance every night
What kind of a man is this-fool
or knave-that he not only don't
keep his books balanced, but don't