St. Paul daily globe., 1890-12-01
The ESAGE'S fine HAND
Writes the Signature Igna-
thus Donnelly to a Remark
able Document,
IN Which He Modestly Asks
to Be Named for PreSi-
dent.
Dire Disasters for the Alli-
anee in Case Another is
Chosen.
What the Organization May
Expect Unless DOnnelly
Rules.
From SUNDAYS GLoBE.l

aside, to present TO You my own name
for the office of president"
The sentence quoted above is taken
from a circular letter. which has, dur
ing the past week, been mailed TO Al
lance men everywhere in the state by
10 less parsonage than lgnatius DON
nelly. The letter, which will be found
in full below, is devoted partly to de-
fense of his actions during the early
part Of the late campaign and partly TO
an elaborate statement of the reason why
he, IAN honest man." should be chosen
president at the coming annual meet
ing. The powerful rings of st. Paul
and Minneapolis are roasted in the
Sage'S characteristic style, and the init
nation is boldly made that it will not be
safe for the Alliance TO elect any one
other than himself to the office of preSl-
dent; for. says Mr. Donnelly, "if the
president of the Alliance is weak or
foolish man he will fall into the hands
of the powerful rings and cliQueS of st.
Paul ard Minneapolis, who will befool
him to the top of his bent. If he is not
desperately in earnest he will be led to
support half-hearted measures, which
will not satisfy the people, but will ruin
the Alliance"
MIR. Donneily closes his communica-
ton with the statement that he does
not seek the office tor the purpose of
crushing any supposed enemies; he is
very anxious for harmony now, and
does not desire 10 hear anything about
the dssenSionS which cost the Alliance
the goyernorship. Will all the other
members of the Alliance be so forgiv-
ing, considering the fact that Mr.. Don
nelly and his paper, the Great West.
did all in their power to diScredit the
Alliance campaign committee. as well
as nearly every man who was heartily
supporting Mr.. Owen IN the early part
of the campaign.
"Will DOnneilv be able TO control the
annual meeting of the Alliance?" was
the question asked of one of the Alli-
ance leaders yesterday afternoon.
No. sir, was the answer, Il am glad Don
nelly sent out this letter, for it will be sure
TO give us full meeting, and can imagine
no combination of circumstances which
could land him in the chair of the president
Of the Alliance. The fact is something was
needed to stir up the interest OF the farmers
and cause them to incur the expense of at
tending n third meeting this year. / have
fought DOnnelly and Donnellyism in the Al
lance for five years, and | shall go back
home and get TO work. Nothing worse than
the election OF Donnelly as president could
that such thing is likely to happen. l be-
lieve that had it not been for Donnelly and
his newspaper organ Sydney NJ. Owen would
now be the gOvernor-elect of this state''
The Sage of Nininger has never been
accused Of being an modest man, ,aud he
has put it well in saving that he had
decided to cast all mOdeSty aside. He
not only wants the presidency himself,
but he is going to demand that his man
DIR. Fish, Of the Great West, be elected
secretary. As an Alliance man well
stated it yesterday, 'DOnnelly'S letter
is notice TO the Alliance that he de-
mandS absolute control of the organiza-
ton and will be satisfied with nothing
lesS.'
The full text of this most remarkable
letter. which is signed by Ignatius Dom
nelly, follows.
The DOnneIly Circular.
will be much obliged if you will read this
letter to your sub Alliance at its next meet
ing. IT Il meeting has not already been called
please see that notice is given, and one held
in time to elect delegate TO the State Aili-
2nce meeting Dec 80, 1890. / desire to
present what have TO say directly TO the
members of the Alliance; and | will cheer
.ully submit myself to such action as they
may see fit to take,
In the first place, beg leave to express my
sincere regrets for The defeat of MIR. Owen
ticket, with the exception of Mr.. Bierman. l
did all i'll my power for the success of the
ticket. making thrty-one speeches in its
favor in the counties of Blue Earth, Rice,
Steele, Mower Olmsted and Dakota. should
have done even more, but great part of my
time was taken up by the felce fight | had
TO make in my own county, to secure place
in the state senate. promised the State Al
Try, 10 get into the Legislature to
help put their principles on the statute
books. have succeeded, after severe con-
test, by large majority, handed
against both The old parties. We gave Mr..
Owen 2l5 more votes, in Dakota county,
than were given to Gov. Merriam-this being
the only county in this section of the state in
which Mr. owen ran ahead of the Repub-
hcan candidate. The vote stood: Owen,
l.u36; Merriam, 821: Wilson. 2,O39. Da-
kota county is ordinarily Democratic; MIR.
Cleveland carried it two years ago by us
majority. in total vote of about 4 ,OOd.
| mention these facts because it was
charged against me at both the state Alliance
conventions held this year that l intended
10 sell out the Alliance to Gov Merriam, if
elected president of the Alliance or if NOM
mated for governor. The results in Dakota
county are sufficient answer to all such
charges.
l congratulate the sub-Alliances upon the
substantial victory the Alliance has gained
In securing the large representation and the
balance OF power in the house and senate
But the battle we have Just fought is a
mere sklrmlsh compared with that which is
to follow i'll the coming session of the leg
lsiatpre: II we give the people the reforms
which they demand and expect the Alliance
Will double It's number ard power, and will
remain eXtrenched for years to come in the
confidence of the people. If we fail-aDd il
the failure can be justly charged to the AL
nance members Or senators-the great move
ncnt Will shrink to nOthingness like the OLD
Grange organization, and its memory
remain 10 point moral and adoru
a tale" The, coming contest in
the th IeglsiataTe Will be no child's play. All
moned to protect the robbers and the robber-
les which have SO long depicted and impoy-
erished The people. Cunning, corruption.
Misrepresentation, ridcule argument will
in turn and together, be brought into plav:
the lobties will swarm with the paid agents
Of the rings and the railroad companies: the
honest lncu will be denounced and the rogues
honored: the weak viii be fooled and the
knaves l'ri5ed. 1t will be like drawing the
back teeth out OF the head of Beelzebub him
self to obtain the remedial legislation which
The people demand.
>. In this tremendous fight the Farmers AL
lance organization will play an important
part. If its president is, by any chance.
corrupt nan, he will circulate around the
legislature, and-speaklng ex cathedra. by
tuthorlty, ana In the name of the Alliance.
ne VIII by sneers, lnuendoes and falsehoods
lrrest ali efforts made in behalf OF the peo-
pie. Our enemies will shelter themselves be-
1ind his skirts, and cry out 1.-The Alliauce
docs not want this radical legislation Here
Is their presidents listen to his words of wis
dom." If, on the other hand, the president
OF the Alliance is a weak or foolish man. he
Will fall into the hands of the powerful rings
md cliques of ST. Paul and Minneapolis. who
VIII betool him to the top of his bent. If he
is not desperately in earnest he will be led to
support half-hearted measures which will
not satisfy the people, but will ruin the Al
Under all these. circumstances have de-
tefmined - putting all. modesty aside-to
present 70 you my own name for the office of
delivered hundreds of speeches for Il, bnt
never held or asked for any office at its
bands. have been working i'll the same wav
for the Farmers Alliance for eight wears
past, and have never been a candI-
date for any position. When l was
1rst elected state lecturer the organization
MAS very feeble,and no one wanted the place
lit went begging. was voted for in March
last for president, and in July last for the