The McCook tribune., 1890-12-12
The National Alliance.

OCALA, Fla. Dec. 3.-A public meet
ing of the alliance was held yesterday.
About 200 persons were present.
President Rogers of the Florida alli
-ence presiding. Governor Fleming
welcomed the delegates. Hon. John
Z. Dunn, prominent aspirant for the
United States senatorship, followed the
governor in brief address. Presi-
dent Polk of the South Dakota alli-
ance, delivered an address in which
he predicted victory for-the alliance
at the ballot box in 1892.
Chairman Rogers introduced Presi-
dent Polk, who delivered his annual
address. He said:
Profoundly impressed by the great
magnitude of this gigantic movement
of reform, involving issues momentous
and stupendous in their character as
affecting the present and future well
fare of the people, and the public mind
is naturally directed to this meeting
with anxious interest, if not solicitude,
and you cannot be unmindful of the
Importance and respoL sibility that at
taches to your action as representa-
tives, coming from states and locali-
ties remote from each other in their
material physiological characteristics
and marked by the social and political
differences which must necessarily
arise under our form of government
it is your gracious privilege, as itshall
be your crowning honor, to prove to
the world by your harmonious action
and thorough fraternal cooperation
that your supreme purpose is to meet
the demands of patriotic duty in a
spirit of equity and justice.
He then reviewed the causes Of agri-
cultural depression. The president de-
-clared that this depression is an anom-
ally to the student of industrial pro-
gress. Retrogression in American
agriculture, he said, means national
decay and powerful and promising as
in this giant republic. yet its power
and glory touch not the degradation of
the American farmer.
The alarm incident to the centraliza-
ton of the money power and upbuild-
ing of monopolies was then pointed out,
and both political parties were con-
tdemned for forcing and encouraging
this condition. The president urged
that additional organizers be sent at
once to Oregon, Washington, Ohio,
New York, New Jersey, Arizona and
other states.
Among his recommendations was one
that an organization be formed to be
bo,
posed of the national president and
the presidents of all the state unions,
their duty being to look after legisla-
tive reform demanded by the alliance,
both in state legislation and congress.
He deprecated sectionalism and closed
with an eloquent appeal for national
harmony.
In his recommendations upon the
proposed national legislative council,
President Polk said: Il would respect
fully suggest that legislative council
to be composed of your national presi-
dent. who shall be eX-officio chairman
and the presidents of all the state alli-
ances represented in the supreme coun-
ellis. that this body shall hold its an
nual meeting within six days after the
adjournment of the supreme council at
such time and place as may be desig-
mated by the national president; that it
be empowered and authorized to ap-
point such legislative committees as in
its Judgment will be wise, and that it
be required to transmit to each of the
states in printed form through the ma
tional secretary for distribution to the
reform press and leaders and members
of the order all measures or bills,
together with arguments in their favor
as they may decide should be enacted
into law"
In relation to political action, Presi-
dent Polk said that, while the order is
political, it cannot be partisan or Sec
tional, in its action. In support of