The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-12-12
The Battle Over the Presidency

The Battle Over tho Presidency.
The question of the election of the
president OF the Alliance is provok-
ing all sorts of comments in the daily
For the purpose of keeping
our readers informed of the curious
views taken by these organs we quote
a few passages
The Pioneer Press interviews a well
known Republican in St. Paul who
says:
my idea of the situation is simply
this: Mr.. Donnelly is out of his ele-
ment in the Alliance ranks. He is
too quick and deep a thinker and too
idealistic for the company he is in. A
farmer of average ability is more fit
ted for a leader Of the Alliance than
is Mr.. Donnelly. He is a literary man
and a genius, not practical farmer,
and venture to predict that unless
he sewers his connection with the AL
lance his pathway will be full of dis
appointments and his efforts to
achieve distinction as their leader
will end only in modification and
chagrin to himself. His ways are not
their ways. Mr.. Donnelly is too large
and too old to adapt himself to the
farmers, and the farmers are not like
ly to adapt themselves to his ways.
They do not understand him and
never will, and 1 doubt if he under
stands them. If Mr.. Donnelly had
affiliated himself and remained true
to either the Republican or Demo-
cratic parties for the length of time
he has been connected with the ALI
ance party, no office within the gift
of either one of those parties would
have been out of his reach"
The last statement is probably
true, for either political party in Min
nesota would be only too glad to
have Mr.. Donnelly as their advocate;
while the Alliance is higgling over the
question of whether he shall have the
Office OF president for one year, an Of
fee without salary; for Mr.. DON
nelly has declared that if electe.I
president he would not take the SAL
ary of $25.00 per month nowpaid to
R. J. Hall. The Pioneer Press also
says:
Sufficient indications have been re-
ceived to show that a lively fight will
be made against him in Otter Tail
county. Many of the leaders in the
last fight against him, live near there,
and they are determined that he shall
not get on top again. Atwood and
Hall have not forgotten the letter he
wrote when they requested him to
keep away from the Fifth district
meeting, in which he said some very
uncomplimentary things about them,
and added that he was man Of
eminence before the Alliance was
born and would be after it was
dead He will get but little sup
port in Otter Tail county, although
it is said he has written personal let
ters to all the leaders asking their
aid. Hon. Henry Plowman president
Of the Fifth district Alliance is friend
" to him, and will render him such
assistance as he can. Senator
Hompe, between whom and Mr.. Dom
nelly there is liable to be sharp
rivalry for the leadership of the ALI
ance party in the senate. is said to
have replied in q letter which was
more forcible than pleasing, and may
cause some lively sparring when the
gentlemen meet, on the floor of the
senate.
There is said to be feeling among
some Of the Alliance men that Mr..
Donnelly is taking advantage of his
position as state senator, to cOerce
them into supporting him. They