Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-06
THE ALLIANCE DIVIDED.
Opinions Differ - 90 the Expediency Of
Forming . Third Party.


At yesterdays morning session Of the
National Alliance, Col L. r. Livingston, from
the committee on organization, made a report
which is to furnish the basis for an ultimate
union between the National Farmers Alliance
and Industrial Union and the Farmers Mutual
Benefit Association, which has an organization
with large membership in the western states.
The report was adopted without dissent Col.
Livingston also offered q resolution providing
for the adoption of the st. Louis Alliance plat
form Of 1889.
THE ST. LOUIS PLATFORM.
This platform demands the abolition OF ma
tonal banks and the substitution of legal tender
treasury notes in lieu Of national bank notes, in
sufhcient volume 10 carry on the business of
the country on q cash system; that Congress
prevent, by law. the dealing in futures" of all
agricultural and mechanical productions: free
and unlimited coinage of silver, and prohibit
ton OF alien ownership of land. and adoption
OF some Just plan by which the government
may acquire ownership in such lands and also
In lands held by railroad companies in excess
Of the actual needs; that taxation, both state
and national, shall not be used to build up one
interest or class at the expense Of another that
all revenues, national. state and county. shall
be limited 20 the actual necessary expenditures
OF the government, economically and honestly
fractional paper currency to facilitate exchange
through the United States mails. and that all
means of communication and transportation
shall be owned by the United States govern
ment.
SEVERAL AMENDMENTS MADE.
An amendment was offered by Mr.. Loucks Of
North Dakota providing for the ownership Of
all railroad and telegraph lines by the national
government. Mr.. Livingston opposed this and
a m "A
providing that the liberty TO control and oper-
ate all such lines shall vest in the govern
ment, and. il after a fair trial OF this system
II Is found that il does not afford the relief
demanded or effect reforms in the management
OF them, the governments ownership shall be
complete. This was adopted after some discus-
sion.
Mr.. Wade Of Tennessee offered an additional
amendment that every alliance lecturer. state
and national, all newspaper organs of the al
lance shall support the st. Louis and 0cala
platform (amended PLATFORM or suffer suspen-
sion from the order; and, further, that no can
dldate FOR any national political office shall be
supported by the alliance members unless he
Endorses this platform, and any suballiance
not complying with these restrictions may be
suspended at the pleasure of the president.
This was also adopted and the whole platform,
as amended, was adopted unanimously upon q
call OF the roll by states.
POLICY OF THE ALLIANCE.
Dr.. G. w. Macune. chairman OF the national
executive committee, submitted his annual re-
port Of the work accomplished by that body
during the past year. 1t referred at length
to the work Of the committee in having the
subtreasury bill drawn and presented to Con-
gress. The alliance had elected forty members
OF Congress, who would look after the interests
OF the bill. The report recommended q re-
duction OF the salaries of all National Al
lance officers and the removal from Washing
ton OF the National Alliance presidents office,
inasmuch as the retention of Il there entails an
expense not commensurate with it's usefulness.
DIR. Macune spoke at length on the impolicy of
giving the support Of the alliance TO third
party. He favored postponing the matter
until February, 1892. when a convention repre-
senting all sections of the party should decide
whether third party ticket should be nomi-
mated. DIR. Macune's remarks were frequently
interrupted with applause, especially that part
of them which outlined the policy for the Ma
tional Farmers Alliance relative to q third
party, thus indicating very plainly the temper
Of the delegates on this question. The report
was referred without debate.
The committee investigating the official con-
duct of President Polk and Messrs. Livingston
and Macune exonerated all three from anything
derogatory to their standing. but did not free
them wholly from criticism of alleged indiscre-
ton in the Georgia senatorial campaign The
report was adopted.
THE ELECTIONS BILL ENDORSED.
At the forenoon meeting Of the National Col
ored Alliance q resolution was unanimously
adopted urging upon Congress TO pass the
Lodge elections bill and let it apply to all Sec
| tions of the United States.
The principal change from Thursdays reso-
luton is the elimination of the paragraph
criticising and denouncing the white National
Alliance for its action in condemning the bill
Gen. j. H. Rice Of Kansas, who, with Mr.
Willets, the defeated candidate for governor. Il
| an aspirant for the peoples nomination for
United States Senator against Mr.. Ingalls, got
the floor Thursday night on q proposition to
improve the Mississippi river, but took occa-
sion to deliver violent political speech in
which he roundly denounced the republican
party. Among other things he said: 1T had
its origin in the highest impulses Of human
freedom and gloried in being one Of its cham
pions fo- nearly a quarter of a century, but
now it has fallen from its high estate and has
become proving plunderer. 1t Processes re-
Egion, but it is an infidel. It Processes free
dom, but in reality is treacherous tyrant. II
is gigantic conspiracy to erect q monied i'm
perialism upon the ruins of free institutions
It is the champion of trusts. monopolies and
corporations to grind down the toiling masses "
The speech produced profound sensation,
and alliance men Of both parties desired il un-
derstood that his opinions were simply those Of
an individual and not Endorsed by the alliance
as body.
A call has been drawn up for . national con-
ference to meet in Cincinnati February g.
1891, to form "a national union party, based
upon the fundamental ideas of finances trans
portation, labor and land, in furtherance Of
the work already begun by those organizations
and preparatory for q united struggle for
country and home in the great political con-
fiict now pending, that must decide who in this
country country is the sovereign, the citizen or the
About seventy-fve delegates have signed the
call.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
After short time devoted TO routine bust
ness at the afternoon session President Nc
Grath Of the Kansas Alliance moved that the
annual election Of officers be proceeded with,
and placed the name of l.. L. Polk in nomi-
nation for president. The whole body Of dele
gates in Q Simultaneous shout seconded the
nomination and Mr.. Polk was unanimously
reelected president by reclamation.
President Page of the Virginia Alliance NOM
mated B. r. Cover of Kansas for vice president,
and his reelection was also unanimous. j. p.
Oliver of Alabama nominated J. Ii. Turner of
Georgia for secretary. and his election was
unanimous. For national lecturer two nomi-
nations were madeJ. s. Willets of Kansas and
Benjamin Terrell of Tennessee. Willets was
elected by a vote Of 4S against 49, Mr.. Terrell
ia the present incumbent.
REMOVING THE PRESIDENTS OFFICE.
There was much comment made on the propo-
sition Of DR.. Macune to remove the Office of the
president of the National Alliance from WASH
ington. It was interpreted by most alliance
men to signify disposition on the part Of DIR.