Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-05
A MANIFESTO ISSUED
For a Convention of the National
Union Party on February %,
TO BE HELD In CINCINNATI.
Exciting Debate Among the Colored
Alliance Delegates
on THE FEDERAL ELECTION BILL
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE p1srA7cH.l

Union party will be organized at Cincinnati,
February %, next The call for conven-
tion for that purpose is in the hands OF
representatives of the Citizens Alliance,
who are here, and it viii be presented to
the Farmers Alliance delegates tomorrow.
1t will be indorsed by the Colored Alliance,
and the. knights OF Labor delegates, who
are here, give it their approval. 1t will be
issued in the name of various labor, agricul-
tural and so-called reform organizations,
but it is not likely that the Farmers Alli-
ance will become party to it in the present
shape and at this time.
| The programme outlined in The DIS
PATCH on the eve of the convention will be
strictly adhered to. The delegates to the
Alliance Convention will be asked to sign
the call as individuals, and the Alliance
will not officially commit itself to the move
ment at present, if at all. Third party SEN
timent is very strong among the delegates,
but it would undoubtedly cause split in
| the order if the Alliance at this convention
should become the sponsor of a new party.
Strong Opposition to It
The opposition would come chiefly from
| the South, and many who are heartily In
favor of third party will join in opposing
the Endorsement of the movement by the
National Alliance. The third party people
at last realize this situation, and they have.
there ore, drawn up a call for national
convention, which the delegates to the
Alliance will be asked to sign tomorrow.
This call has been prepared by General j.
II. Rice, of Kansas, and Powers, OF lndi-
ana, representing the Citizens Alliance, and
John 81. Davis, Congressman-elect and
member of the Executive Board, knights
of Labor.
These men consulted with the Alliance
leaders and the representatives of the other
organizations who are here for the purpose
of securing political cooperation, and as
result, this manifesto has been prepared:
WHEREAS, In unity there is strength; there
fore, it is desirable that there should be union
| of all variously named industrial organizations
| that stand upon common ground. To this end
the individuals from various states, whose
names are hereunto signed make this call for a
national conference, to be composed OF the fol-
lowing industrial organizations, namely, the
| Farmers Alliance, the Farmers Mutual Ben
| eft Association, the Citizens Alliance, the
Knights of Labor, and all other industrial Or
| ganizations that support the principles of the
ST Louis agreement of 1859.
Number of Delegates Fixed.
Each State organization shall not send less
| than one delegate from each Congressional
| district and two from the State at large. Each
district organization shall send nos less than
three delegates and each county organization
one delegate. These delegates shall be chosen
according to usual custom during the month of
January, 1891. There shall also be invited to
attend the editor of each newspaper that has
advocated the principles of the st. Louis agree
ment and supported the candidate nominated
thereon in 1890. The delegates shall convene
in ha pitv Of Monday
23d day of February 1881, for the purpose of
forming n National Union party, based upon
the fundamental ideas of money. transpOrta-
tion, labor and land, in furtherance of the work
already begun py these organizations and pre-
paratory for a united struggle for country and
home in the great political conflict now pend
ing, that must decide who in this country is the
sovereign the citizen or the dollar
The issuing of this call will probably be
the extent to which q third party movement
will be developed at Ocala. 1t is under
stood that the action of the Cincinnati con-
ference will be submitted to the various
organizations represented at their respective
meetings late next year.
Programme to be Followed.
1t will then be apparent whether the third
party idea is strong enough among the
| people to justify the Alliance and other
organizations in committing themselves to
| it. The programme which has been decided
|
delegates tonight. Some still expect to
make hot fight for the third party idea in
the convention tomorrow, and probably it
| will still loom up, but in view of what has
been done, it is doubtful if the convention
| takes definite action one way or another on
any proposition for new party.
| Delegate Nichols, of Louisiana, in the col
! ored convention this afternoon, offered reso-
| luton, ,condemning the Farmers Alliance for
/ denouncing the force bill, on the ground
| that such action was not properly within
| the scope of the purposes of that body. 1t
was moved that the resolution be referred,
according to the rules, to the Committee on
| Resolutions. Delegate Washington, of
Alabama, opposed the motion. He declared
he represented 125000 Alliance members,
who believed in the fullest discussion OF
such public questions, and if the matter was
suppressed by reference to committee, he
would withdraw from the Alliance.
Variety of Opinions on 1t.
| Delegate Patllle, of North Carolina, oD-
served sarcastically that if the delegates
wanted to withdraw because resolution
was referred to a committee, the Alliance
had better let him go. Mr.. Washington OBJ
served that In his opinion it would be we'll
to pass a resolution indorsing, instead of
condemning, the Lodge bill. This sent-
Humphrey observed that the resolution did
not in any wav deal with the merits of the
Force bill, but simply criticised the white
Alliance for exceeding its proper functions.
Delegate Richardson, OF South Carolina
said he favored any bill which really pro-
vided for full and free vote. but if this
class of legislation means that the 5000, 900
negroes of the country were to be the tail of
everything then their lot was worse than
that of the demons in hades. 1.-THE eyes of
the nation are upon us, he went on, "and
! people are wondering what the negro will
do. Must we keep our mouths closed on
national matters? We have a right to speak
on and subject before the American people
without fear. If we are here to be muzzled
I'll 60 up town and buy the muzzles ior you
! to wear.
The Resolution is Referred.
&. President Humphrey said he was as much
in iaYor of legislation that would secure q
free and full count as any human being,
but the merits of the Lodge bill could not
be considered under the resolution a offered.
The debate was cut off by the entrance of
National Lecturer Terrell, of the National
| Alliance, who came to make an address, and
so the resolution was referred to the Com
mittee on Resolutions. 1t will not be heard
of again, and it is doubtful if the colored
convention expresses any official opinion
about the Force bill. They adopted v reso-
luton conGemnlng the Conger lard bill and
approving the Paddock pure food bill.
The Alliance has ground away on routine
business most of the day. The public ques-
tons to come before it are still in commit
tee, and some of them will be reported to