The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1890-03-13
THE FARMERS ALLIANCE.

The annual meeting of the state ALL
ance was held at St. Paul and was very
largely atte nded, and vast amount OF
interest was manifested in the proceed
mos There were over 800 delegates
present and participating in the proceed
inps. Among the features OF interest
was a characteristic speech by lgnatius
Donnelly-extravagant in expression as
&c usual with him. and yet full OF matter
of vital Importance to the agricultural
classes.
Gov. Merriam made an address winch
was finely written and scholarly, taxing
advanced ground in the direction OF the
alliance movement. He advocated not
only 2 material reduction in the tariff,
but advocated cheaper transportation
nv rail, and scored the railroad comPa-
MES for their exactions. 1t was well re-
ceived by the farmers.
The election of officers for the ensuing
wear brought out lively and acrimon;-
Gus discussion, charges and counter
charges being freely baudied. George
w. Sprague, who has been president OF
the alliance for the past six years. was
dropped and he was pretty severely crit
;c;sed for certain business arrangements
relative to insurance matters, and was
charged with being prominent in poht-
;o., nool desirous of clevating Albert
Scheffer to the governors chair. Mr.
Donnelly was defeated for president oV a
narrow margin, r. ]. Hall. of Stevens
county, securing the position. DIR. Fish,
editor of the Great West, was defeated
for secretary bv a man named Lathrop'
who was compromise candidate. There
was change in the executive committee
throughout, although Mr.. Dopnelly was
retained as state lecturer.
Gen. lanes H. Baker was prominent
figure in the convention, exert,ng large
influence. He was chairman of tile COM
mittee on resolutions. A lively DEBATE
ensued when the committee made its re-
nors, which was amended i'll many par
ticulars.
Asa whole the resolutions arc peril
nent. torcible and such as thinking men
will readily endorse, irrespective OF par
tv. The demands made for tree snip
ment of grain, the abolition OF option
gambling, against discrimination IN
freights, OH railway tixation, ana a
score of other demands are wholly reas'
enable, lust, and as sucll~should prevail
There are other features, such as Tree
coinage of silver, absolute control OF
freight rates, increase of the volume OF
currency, etc, upon which there is, and
ALWAYS will be marked and wide difier'
ence of opinion among men whose sole
desire is to give all classes equal rights
privileges and benefits. AS is natural IN
bodies composed of men having com
mon interest, such interest naturally
rises in the foreground to such proper
tons as to dwarf in their eyes other IN
terests equally entitled to consideration
But as a whole, the platform is wise,
reasons. BILE and sensible. No platform
or declaration of principles was ever y>t
uttered i'm extenso which gave universal
satisfaction.
No sensible man will deny the se'f-evl-
dent proposition that agriculture IS tile
primal industry of the world, and III
Minnesota overshadows all Others COM
bined, and such being the case must he
tostered IN order to give best results III
the commonwealth at large. When 1t
lancuishes, the state in all its business
enterprises feels it deeply from center to
Giro ,mierence. The following is the full
text of the platform:
The Farmers Alliance Of the State OF
Minnesota, in convention assembled
hereby ordain and establish the follow
ing declaration of principles: That we
maintain the free shipment of grain from
side tracks, and the right to construct
warehouses without regard to capacity,
contiguous to the railway tracks at all
local stations. must not be abridged
This is essential to ali open market, ano
any attempt to Limit their plumber or
control them by either state or railway
regulations, limits the number 4 dealers
and therefore destroys free market.
That option gambling on boards o.
trade should be abolished, and we ask
the state and congress to pass such laws
as shall make ali such transactions a
criminal Offense.
All forms of Discrimination. including
passes, transit rates and discrimination:
in terminal charges. must cease lh'
smallest village must have the use OF tht
tracks on the same terms conc :ded to tn
largest city, These rights are esscntiaitc
the liberties of the people.
That in the adjustment ola schedule o
rates Tor this state we believe the railway
commissioners should be guided mainly
bv the schedule of rates now in force IL
Iowa. But If the interstate railway:
.eaIing to Chicago shall make less rate
than the Iowa rates. we demand ina
the rates to Duluth shall be no greatci
per ton Per mile than the rate per ton tt
Chicago; reasonable terminal and trans
fer charges being added to the ml!aS'
charges as provided for by the freedom
OF traffic law now IN our statutes.
Railway properly should be AGED a
other property IS taNcu, anu VIC oSiHatts
thatit pay its just proportion ofall state
county aRd other local taxes.
We are opposed to the passage OF tn
bill now pending III congress tor the relic
efthe Union and Central Pacific railroads
and urge congress to insist t,Eon thes
roads complying with their Obligations
The propositions TO extend the time O
payment to the Union Pacific fifty year
and reduce the interest on its bopdsiron
6 to 3 per cent; Central Pacific boads
now due, bonds bearing 112 per cent u
be paid in 1875 years, we denounce as al
outrage upon the people OF this country
That we protest against any impair
ment of the force and vigor of the inter
state commerce law. and that we especial
" protest against the refseal of that par
of the law which prohibits pooling, dis
elimination and the charging more soF
short than long haul.
That we demand that the next legisl''
ture shall pass law fixing The rates 9
Transportation upon the railroads Of thi
state that will BE- sufficient to pay iate,
est on the actual cost of said railroad
and their expenses and repairs. but no
one cent of interest on watercd stock.
That we hold that mortgage indebted