The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-02-05
ALLIANCEA AND GRANGE.
ALLIANCE AND POLITICS.
The situation In Alabama Caused by Il
st. Louis Confederation

AuC III sAhDhunh Suuseu Nv TIC
st. Louis Confederation.
A Montgomery (Ala.) special to the
st. Louis Republic says: The political
situation in Alabama is exceedingly in
teresting just now and the conflict
deepens day by day. The guberna-
torial election will take place in Au-
gust this year. The State Democratic
convention will meet in the spring and
make nomination. The Democratic
nomination usually settles the contest
in this State, but it is possible that the
organized Democracy will have to face
some opposition in the coming cam
paign. From now until the convention
meets it is free-for-all race, and the
candidates are working the field for all
1T is worth. At this time there are four
announced candidates, whose names will
be placed before the convention, as fol-
lows: 7. G. Jones, of Montgomery; Sam
uel Blackwell, of Morgan County; Judge
Richardson, Of Huntsville; Captain
Joseph F. Johnston, of Birmingham, and
R. F. Kalb, of Montgomery. Several
other Alabamians have been mentioned
as excellent gubernatorial timber, and
may be 'in the hands of their friends"
before the convention meets.
All the gentlemen whose names are
given are running as Democrats, and it
is not proba BILE that the Republicans will
put out ticket.
Hon. r. f. Kalb, one of the candidates
for Governor, is now serving his second
term as State Agricultural Commission
er of Alabama. He is leaning heavily
upon the Farmers Alliance for support,
but it is not likely that he will be able
to command the forces in the agricult-
ural districts. There is a general i'm
preston throughout the State that Mr..
Kalb and his close friends are inaugu-
rating and leading political move
ment which seeks to turn the
Alliance in political machine
and elect men of their choice to Office
by the formation of an independent po-
litical party if necessary. Mr.. Kalb was
member of the Alabama delegation to
the recent National Alliance convention
in st. Louis, which adopted platform
of confederation with the Knights of
Labor and National Union One of the
express declarations of that platform
was that 1--WE will support for Office only
such men as can be depended upon to
enact these principles into statute laws
uninfuenced by party caucus" Mr.. Kalb
and the other delegates have been ar
raigned by the Democratic press and
politicians of the State for being party
to such undemocratic declarations. In
Alabama the safety of the Democratic
party depends, as it has always depend
ed, upon the party caucus. No matter
how many candidates may he out for
any particular Office, after nomination
is made by the party caucus and conven-
ton through the regular Democratic
processes, the Democracy rally to the
support of one man and presents solid
front against the enemy.
Since the reconstruction era no pOlit-
ical movement in Alabama has been
able to oppose the party caucus with
any degree Of success. Mr.. Kalb and
his fellow delegates from Alabama tC
the st. Louis convention have denied
that they favored or Endorsed the un
sound and undemocratic planks of the
platform adopted, but the record il
against them. They have been de-
nounced as dishonest and untrue to the
interests of the farmers of Alabama
whom they represented in that conven
ton, and Mr.. Kalb has weakened ant
lost following in his candidacy until hi
chances for nomination are frail ant
slender.
Unfortunately for the Farmers Ali
ance of Alabama few scheming ant
self-seeking politicians have found thei
way into its lead. The editor of tn
official organ of the State Alliance an
several of its official leaders are me-
who have openly opposed the Demo
cratic party as Republicans or Inde
pendents, and to further their ow
selfish aims and purposes they wi
not hesitate to lead the unsuspec
ing farmers down between the Red Sc
walls of political defeat and disaster
But the war is already on. and it is nc
likely that the farmers of the State wi
submit to leadership which if followe
out would lead to a disruption of tn
l Democratic party.
The president of the State Allianc
, has ordered boycott against the Mon
gomery Advertiser because that pape
as the recognized organ of the Stat
{ Democracy, has sounded the alarm an
demanded of Mr.. Kalb and his fello
delegates an account an explanation
their conduct at the St Louis CONVEX
). ! ton. The Advertisers course has bee
n openly Endorsed by the Democratic PEE
= pie and papers throughout the Stat
s and a. majority of the Alliance m"n WI
@ are Democrats have declared then
y selves openly opposed to any indepon'
J. ent political movement. A number
t County Alliances have adopted resol
# tons repudiating the ST. Louis platfor
!. as undemocratic and dangerous, al
g the "rotten planks" are being used
# powerful weapons in the hands of Den
8 ocratic leaders.
J. THE ALLIANCE IN ARkANSA!