The National tribune., 1890-12-11
FARMERS ALLIANCE.
Meeting Of the National Body at ocaln, Fla.

ance and Industrial Union met at Ocala Fla,
Tuesday, Dec. ,. Nearly every State was
represented, aud the Opera House was crowded
with Alliance men and women.
President Polk delivered his annual address,
| congratulated the Alliance on its achievements
since the last meeting, and then reviewed the
causes of agricultural depression. lie said
that " retr0gressiOn in American agriculture
meant National decay and powerful aud prom
Using as is this young giant Republic, yet its
power and glory touch not the degradation of
the American farmer"
The alarm incident 90 the Capitalization Of
the money power and upbuilding Of mOnopO-
lies was pointed out, and both political parties
condemned for forcing and encouraging this
condition. lie recommended the establish
ment OF an organization TO DO known as the
National Legislature, to be composed Of the
National President and the Presidents OF the
various State Alliances, their duties TO DC 10
look after legislation in the States and i'm Con-
gress. lie also recommended changes in the
Consultation, and recited demands to be made
ia financial, land, election and tax reforms;
deprecated sectionalism, and closed with an
eloquent appeal for AatiOpal harmony.
At the conclusion of President Folks adj
dress the Alliance resolved itself into a sort of
love feast, during which G. A. Power, an old
Union soldier from Indiana, moved that all ex-
Union soldiers in the hall who Endorsed the
President with reference TO the burial Of sec
tionalism rise up TO be counted The motion
prevailed, and between 40 and 30 stood up
( amidst the widest enthusiasm. Under the in
spiration Of this good feeling an eX-Uni0n sol
der IRON Wisconsin stood up in his seat and
/ called upon all Union soldiers present 10 give
three cheers for the old Confcderates la the Al
lance. They were given with a will. Then
IL was the Coniederates' turn, aud they cheered
the old soldiers of the Union with a volume
/ aud heaTtiness that raised no doubt as 10 the
genuincness Of their feeling. The cheers
ended with wild old-fashioRed rebel YELL"
aud, as its echoes died away one aged veteran
Of the C0nfederacy shouted, IN a voice that rang
out clearly through tue hall, That's the
genuine article; I've heard il before"
la the evening a business session was held at
which charges were preferred against National
President Polk, Judge Livingstone, President
Of the Georgia Alliance, aud DR. Macune be
Editor OF the National Economist in which 10
was charged that undue influence had been
used Ia elect a Senator from the State Of Geor-
Pa. From his own testimony, il appears that
DIR. Macune went TO Atlanta during the Sena-
tOrial contest aud took part in the fight, advO-
eating the election OF Mr.. Calhoun. The de-
fcatcd wing of the Georgia Alliance are the
movers ia these charges A committee was
ordered 10 investigate the charges, and a mem
Der from each State delegation was appointed
on the committee. r..
I Al Wednesday meeting Of the Alliance, Del
/ egate McAllister, OF Mississippi, Introduced
resolutions denogBcing the Lodge election bill,
1 stating that IL would involve radical revOlu-
! ton Of the election machinery OF the Union,
/ both State aud National and its passage would
/ be fatal 20 the cherished liberties Of all citi-
! zcns The bill Was partisan in spirit, and would
! be partisan IN its application, aud that the
! Farmers National Alliance must s0lemly pro-
q A Ali
aud ask the Senators TO employ all fair and
/ legal means 10 defeat the unpatriotic measure.
Mr.. McAllsteT spoke in support OF the TesO-
! lutions. Mr.. Dcming, Of Pennsylvania, said
/ that there was feeling at the North that the
! Farmers Alliance was Southern OrganiZa-
ton, its members were saturated with Southern
sentiments, aud that the passage of such reso-
/ lutiOns would strengthen these opinions and
check the growth Of the Alliance in the North
and East. A delegate from Illinois expressed
practically the same sentiments, aud feared
that The adoption Of the resolutions at this
time would confirm the charges sometimes
4 heard that the Farmers Alliance was partisan
I body. The resolutions were unanimously
adopted amidst the widest enthusiasm A
resolution was offered indorsng Senator stan
fords bin for loanng money on lands at per
cent. interest, the mortgages 10 run for 80
years
On Thursday several delegates spoke in
favor Of the formation Of new party,
10 take the lead in National politics. aud
they promised the following Of the different
/ alliances aud other wUTkingmeu's OrganiZa-
lions which are ia sympathy with the 81. Louis
platform.
On Friday the Committee on Organization
I made a report, which is 10 furnish the basis
/ for an ultimate union between the National
| Farmers Alliance aud Industrial Union aud
/ the Farmers Mutual Benefit Association. I'm
der this proposition the Mutual Benefit Asso-
! citation will maintain its separate organization,
but will be entitled 10 representation in the
National Alliance Council, aud the Executive
1 Committee OF each organization Is 10 meet here
after and arrange the details OF this union. A
| resolution was also offered providing for the
adoption Of the st. Louis Alliance platform OF
! 1853 DIR. Macune, Chairman Of tho National
! Executive Committee, submitted the annual
/ report Of the work accomplished during the
past year. Gen. Rice, Of Kansas, delivered a
political speech, in which he denounced the
1 Republican party as unworthy Of existence.
The speech produced profound sensation, aud
Alliance men say that il is not the opinion OF
their organization, but simply that OF an indi-
yidual. The committee appointed to inyesti-
gate the charges affecting the official conduct
Of Polk, Livingstone and Macune find that il
has been unable 10 ascertain a single fact I'M
plIcating the official reputation Of President
Polk but thought lie ought not % have written
the Norwood letter. As TO Mr. Livingstone, OF
the Georgia State Alliance, they did not find
anything dcrogatory OF his personal or official
standing, but are not prepared 10 indorse his
course in the Georgia Senatorial contest. That
| Ia the case Of DIR. Macune nothing has been
| found TO lessen their confidence in his personal
! integrity and loyalty 10 the order. However,
they regret his official connection with the
Georgia Senatorial contest The report was
adopted.
Al Fridays session, President Hall, Of the
Missouri Alliance, protested against the adop-
ton Of the report of the majority generating
DIR. Macuuc, but Macune's friends objected Ia
his stating reasons, Oh the ground that his
previously formulated objections were in the
nature OF minority report which he had now
forfeited his right 10 make by reason Of the
Conventions final action on the majority re.
port Of the committee. Mr.. Hall stated as lis
objection in refusing 90 sign the minority re,
| port, because il censured President Polk foi
| writing the Norwood letter, aud because il
| exOneTatcd DIR. Macune, although the latter had
| admitted before the committee that lac had
| gone 10 Georgia and formed a combination
| among Alliance Legislators aud others in Tn,
| interest of Mr.. Calhoun for United States Sen
| atOr, aud that he had also admitted that Cal
| houn had loaned him 81 000 aud that Macun,
also admitted he remained 10 days in Georgis
lobbying for Calhoun's election. The readinl
Of this document produced profound sensa
tion in the Convention.
As soon as quite was restored the Convention
took up the Presidents annual message AnC
suggestions most Of which were adopted. Be