The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-03-28
National Work.

Nothing showed the power OF the
political gang over the Alliance more
than it's failure to take action on the
question of entering the National AL
lance and Industrial Union.
Sprague, Furlong and keenan, ap-
pointed themselves delegates at
supposed meeting Of the Executive
Committee at Austin-to attend the
National Convention at st. Louis
last December. The politicians of
St. Paul, now thoroughly aroused
lest the Alliance should become too
strong an organization through ma
tional development, and federation
with the Knights Of Labor, put the
screws on Sprague and his follow
ing.
Sprague and Furlong had actually
signed an agreement, and one OF
them a specific contract, with the
National Alliance Fire Insurance Co.,
(then the Dakota) to enter upon the
National work in this state. That
Company had enabled this state to
take up the Hail and Cyclone work
by advancing two thousand dollars.
The National Convention was APP
proaching-and unless check were
put upon this development the nest
of st. Paul satraps would utterly
lose it's grip-Sprague and his ten
mile square followers would utterly
be lost in the overwhelming whole.
So the change was ordered. The
contract with the National was
broken, and a disreputable game was
nut up to sell the entire state alliance
to be puppet to one man.
How could such a thing be pos
sible?
Why, by organizing a "Home"
Fire Insurance Co. in the "Alliance J"
But Mr.. Scheffer was to have $780,
900 of the 100000 stock. -Four of
his henchmen were to have 81 900
each for q nominal sum or nothing.
And if at the end of two or three Op-
ton years the farmers didn't take the
other SAG. OOOCD it was to revert to
the hands of Albert Scheffer!
But how would this control the Al
lance?
Well, there would be eight state or
ganizers on salary, as every Com
pany must have general agents.
Secretary would be T. c. Hodgson,
Travelling Boss, Geo. W. sprague,
etc. Then in every township would
be an agent under pay, and every
sub-agent and every policy holder
would of course lean to the business
side of his sentiments.
At all events, it would keep out
national organizations. -' F.. "..'-
~ Then these men put their delega-
t;on down to st. Louis. keenan,
did not go. AS he was a salarled
agent of the behring's, it was thought
nv a German Alliance that he was
too cute on the ring business to go
and so a committee went and told
him so.
But Sprague and Furlong, and We
believe, Shields, went. The policy
was to kick up a row with Mr.. War
dali. whose bread and butter they
were eating. This was done in gooo
shape, and when the question OF fed
grafton in the great Industrial Unior
came up, the Minnesota delegation
declined-or rather left it to thu
State Meeting.
They came back and began to III
sbout the Southern Alliance through
the state. And when the State Meet
ing was held where was their report
and where is the action taken?
Even Mr.. Wardall, who was herr
IA q member OF the National Leg
islative Committee, was, in a sense
abused like d pickpocket by this
tandem team. The measure HI
brought here has been adopted ane
endorsed by almost every labor ano
farmers organization throughout
the country. 1t is a grand measure
And vet, to hear that little gang
sway the alliance against it was evi
dence of the power which six activ'
men can have over 500 conslderat'
men.
The movement against the devel
opment of the alliance was concerted
in other directions. Promises mad