St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-04
ALLIANCE ON GUARD.
The National Organization
Adopts Resolutions Against
Lodges Bill.
The Force Measure Partisan
IN Spirit and in Appli-
cation,
Involving a Radical RevU1u-
tion in Our Election Ma
chinery.
FhnrOoan TT, - WILL Cx-41k ~.
Charges That Wall Street Con-
trolls the Alliance Vigor-
ously Denounced.

OCALA, Fla, Dec. Sine sensation
OF the morning session of the Farmers
Alliance was when President Living
stone, of the Georgia Alliance. arose to
question of privilege, and SAID that in
consequence of certain rumOrs and re-
ports growing out of especial letters
published in certain newspapers" be-
fore the assembling of this convention,
insinuations had been made that cor
rupt and improper methods had been
employed in the recent senatorial con-
test in Georgia. These insinuations
had been aimed at DR.. Macune and him.
self, and President Folks name had
been connected with them also. He
made speech an hour long, in which
he denounced these rumorS and lnsin-
uations as infamously false, and he de-
manded the appointment of a fair and
impartial committee to thoroughly in
yestigate them. Assertions, he said,
had been made in these specials. that
the National Economist and some other
State Alliance Organs
had been or are being conducted by
Wall street capital, which assertions
Mr.. Livingstone also denied most en-
phatically. President Polk then took
the flour. and, addressing himself to the
same subject. said that. so far as he was
concerned perSonally.he cared little for
SANDERS of this kind. but there were
certain reasons why the National Ali-
ance should make thorough investiga-
ton of the subject, and he therefore
urged the appointment of committee
for this purpose. He was followed by
DR.. G. w. Macune, of the National
Economist, who joined Messrs. Living
stone and Polk in their demands for
Sitting this SANDER to the bottom. in the
interest of the future harmony of the
Alliance. He characterized the rumors
and inSinHations as false in every par
tieular. A delegate who was supposed
70 be friendly to the three men who are
connected with
The Charges
then moved that ta-eemmittee of investi-
gaGiSn, to consist of seven members, be
appointed; but loud murlnur of dis
satisfaction from the body of delegates
showed plainly that this was disap-
proved as being too small. 1t was finally
decided that committee OF inyeStiga-
ton should be appointed, and that it
should consist of one member from each
state delegation in the convention, to
be selected by the delegation itself. All
the speakers demanded that the investi-
CATION should be thorough and search
ing, and that it shall make no attempt
to suppress facts or to present ''white-
washed report" Before the discussion
ended. an opportunity was had for pre-
seuting formal charges covering the i'll
situations contained in the newspaper
article referred to, but no delegate took
advantage of it. 1t is said. how
ever, that this action asked for
by Messrs Livingstone, Polk
and Macune will not prevent the filing
OF charges agar st Macune, as outlined
i'll Tuesdays dispatches. This investi-
eating committee will consist of twen-
ty-Seven or tWenty-eight members. and
as soon as the delegations select their
men it will hold meeting. An effort
is being made 10 have the Investigation
conducted in public sessions Of the
committee. At the
Afternoon Session
Delegate w. s. McAllister, of Missis-
sippi, Introduced the following pream-
Die and resolutions. which were adopted:
Whereas, The president of the United
States i'll his annual message to congress
recommends and urges the Immediate pas
sage of the measure known as the Lodge
election bill: and,
Whereas, Said bill involves a radical revo.
luton in the election machinery or the
Union, both state and national, and its pas
sage will lie fatal TO the autonomy of The
states and cherished liberties of the citizens;
and,
Whereas, Said bill is partisan In spirit and
will be partisan in its application. thus re-
yitaliZing the CORY ghost of sectional es-
arrangement; an6
Whereas, In the holy war which we have
declared against sectionalism. the fresides of
the farmers of the North. East, South and
West afe the citadels around which the
heaviest battles are being fought; and to the
end that victory may crown our crusade, and
fraternity and unity reign; therefore, be it
Resolved, By the National Farmers Al
lance and Industrial Union of America in
council assembled, that we do most solemnly
protest against the passage of said Lodge
election bill, and most earnestly petition our
senators to employ all fair and legal means
to defeat this unpatrioiic measure, which
can result in nothing but evil to OUr common
and beloved country;
& Resolved Further, That copy OF this pre-
aTnble and resolutions be forwarded TO each
senator in congress.
!. Mr.. McAlliSter took the floor in support
of the resolutions, and, at the end of
strong speech. moved their adoption.
As he sat down there was a stiffness
and hush in the convention which fore
BODIED q storm, and everybody expected
it To burst from the Western or North
Z western delegations, but no storm came.
After few moments OF suspense, Dele
gate Deming, or PENNSYLVANIA, arose
and said that he REGARD ed the introduce
ton of the resolutions as untimely; that
there was largely prevalent at the
North a feeling that the Farmers Alli-
ance was Southern organization, its
members being saturated with South
ern sentiments; and that the passage of
these resolutions would strengthen this
opinion ana check the growth of the
Alliance in the North and East. His
language wgs very temperate and con-
ciliatory, and
Ripple of Applause
greeted the close of his speech. Presi-
dent McGrath, of the Kansas State Al
lance, moved the adoption of the resO-
lutions. without reference to any COM
mittees and without debate, which was
lost. A delegate from Illinois expressed
practically the same sentiments as Mr..
Deming! of Pennsylvania. He feared
that the adoption of the resolutions at
this time would confirm the charge
sometimes heard that the Farmers AL
iiance is. a partisan body. The Alliance,
he said, is fast getting the grip IN the
West, and in localities where Repub-
Iican sentiment is strong. This action
of the national BODY would tend to
throw it into political disrepute, and
stop its expansion over the states of the
West and Northwest. President Hall,