St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-05
THE oCALa CoyvENTroN

way monopollSt of the age.
-1s-
THE OCALA CONVENTION.
The national convention of the Farm
erS' Alliance, in session for some days
past at Ocala, Fla, is not large body
III Its legal membership. 1t does not
appear that the Alliance i'll this and the
neighhoring states has any part in its
composition, but that may be seeming.
rather than real. or a temporary Incl
dent of still formative movement. A
much larger number than the actual
members constitute the assemElage, and
1t is presumed that the organization will
include all the elements that are in SYM
pathy, If not identical in declarations or
composition. 1t has been observed that
explanation has been given why ma
tlonal gathering should find so secluded
a place of meeting as village of 1880
or 1900 people III the central part of
Florida. 1t is a novel selection for
such body. There is no appar-
ent attempt to avoid public scrut-
my and no apprehension can be had of
undue local influence, although at one
or the sessions so much Importance was
attached to an unfriendly lntimatlon
that their organ was Influenced by Wall
street capital that formal inquiry and
denial was had. No particular signif-
eance can be seen in the place of the
meeting. The fact that the strength of
the organization is located largely in the
Southwest may have dictated the meet
ing in that section. The Importance
and coming magnitude Of the movement
represented by the Ocala convention
are not TO be measured i'm full from i'm
mediate data, but it will be observed
with varying anticipations by those in
terested i'll the political developments
of the early future. The fact that
some thirty-five or forty congress-
men owe their election in part
or entirely to the movement brings it
into the general light as not anticipated
very widely. 1t has the inspiration of
remarkable achievement in its initial
essay. 1t has secured a foothold the
national arena where it can command
public attention and have consideration
by virtue OF its exhibited strength, and
the possibilities that seem to be before
1t. The purposes in view, as gathered
from the organs and spirit of the re-
ported proceedings, are calculated to
enlist the sympathetic attention of the
vast element that is specially repre-
scented. The scheme means the confed-
Grafton OF all the famous organizations
of the entire country in grand army
for the accomplishment of political
ends and the promotion of GER
tam economic policies. 1t is designed
to secure also the cooperation of the la
Dor organizations, and the working
classes TO great extent outside of Or
CARNATIONS. PoWDERLY, the grand
master of the Knights of Labor. is pres
ent at the Florida congress, and other
representatives of bodies more or less in
sympathy. There are those in the Oh
servationS of this movement who claim
to see it as the dominant political force
i'll 1892. Large possibilities are before
1t. end they are very greatly dependent
upon the prudence and conservatism of
the platform adopted by the convention
in Florida. Heretofore the most nnted
declaration has been in favor of
the scheme to flood the country
with cheap money by disburs-
ing to farmers, at a trifiing inter
est, immense sums, with farm prod
ucts or lands as security. There is
wide distrust of such devices, even in
the Alliance ranks, the late candidate
for governor in this state beng among
those who regard it as unsound in prin-
clple and pernicious in practice. The
Alliance in this state has refused to i'll
dorse the scheme. 1t does not appear
that 1t will be made an essential feature
OF the platform as national organiZa-
ton. There are wild and visionary
theories floating about, gatherings gen
orally of those inexperienced in the
practical phases of public politics. 1t
is even predicted by some who dispar-
age the movement that such extreme
and lmpracticable policies will be in
dorsed that the mass of the farmers will
leave it, and as a political force it
Will soon be spent. But the open
ing address of the president of the
Alliance indicates only policies that
nave III great measure been advanced
by reasonably conservative people. He
said the Alliance will demand the res
toration of silver to all the rights and
qualities of legal tender which gold
possesses; equalization of taxes; prohl-
bition of alien ownership of land; own
ership and control of transportation
lines by the government; limit of pub
lie revenues to the economic admins
tratIon OF the government; graduated
taxation of incomes, and the election of
United States senators by direct vote
of the people,
The strongest dissent will be had to
the ownership of railroads, though the
tendency i'll its favor will be increased
by the recent appearance of vast COM
binations or trusts in the field. Most Of
the points have the marrow of political
force in them. The Democrats have
urged several of them. They have just
carried the legislature of Illinois by
$4,000 majority i'll the popular vote,
mainly on the issue of the election of
senators by the people. There need be
little apprehension that the farmers
. of the country, as class, will go to
dangerous extremes. They may for the
moment be bewildered by the vision of
enthusiasm, but they are the solid. con-
sentative element of the land. AS to
whether they can give durability to
| national organization in politics, with
| out an engrossing and overshadowine
| issue like that of slavery in the forma-
ton of the Republican party, is not now
considered. Causes not now visible
only can prevent the Alliance becoming
factor in the contestin 1893 OF so much
| importance that it cannot be disregard
| ed i'll political computations. That it is
possible for it alone to elect the presi-
dent iS Dalnai,ly hut n draano of ,,na;