The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-04-18
ST. PAUL, MINI, APR. IT, 1890.

Mr.. O. S. Campbell, OF Mantorville,
asks us a number OF questions, some
of which have been answered time
and again in the GREAT WEST. 9th
ers, would suggest that he address
Mr.. Donnelly personally. We are
not the keeper of that gentleman's
conscience. Nor can we publish a pa
per solely to allay a mans "sus-
picions." This is not said to irritate
Mr.. Campbell, but to ''fire up an
army of cynics-who bite off their
friends ears! We are in the Alliance
work-and our advice to every
farmer is to get there too-whether
we are "honest" or not will not ex-
cuse any man. We don't care to al
lay any "suspicions. There are q
hundred newspapers in the west, and
politicians sprinkled from Washing
ton to San Francisco, all suspicious.
We have a work to do, and so has
every honest man.
As to a state party, if all the
farmers of this state-alliance farm
ers-feel like pledging themselves to
party action, Mr.. Donnelly will
doubtless Join hands with them glad
ly. The GREAT WEST will certainly.
But if political dummy is to be set
up to be knocked down at the polls
in derision, why don't do it! If Mr..
Campbell knew as much OF the
~party'' politics that underlay the
"wOrk" at the State Alliance as we
did he would hesitate. The average
farmer knows as little OF the forces
at work underlying those attempted
District Alliances; those nomina-
lions for some OF the offices: those
local candidates coming fresh-stuffed
from St. Paul politicians; those Sc
,cret conclaves right in the capitol
building, as we know OF the politics
of Paris. This paper was stemming
a corrupt tide almost single handed
and yet actually bore the odium of
being in league with them! What
was the RESULT In one small Office
room in the Capitol Mr.. Scheffer and
his friends watched the conflict. At
the Clarendon q room was devoted
to running in" men like Strain, of
the Battle Lake Review. one of the
Gilman old-timers; Gardner, of Now
er county; Sprague and his brethren,
and a large number of known Mer-
riam men, were all conspiring for Ger
tain political effects. Now if such
were the tremendous power OF the
parties at a delegated body like that
what shall we do in the seething cam
paign with billions OF money and a
thousand Offices all waged against
us?
Do not misunderstood US. We are
not now opposed to party action.
But we say that at the time OF the
State Meeting. when a few of us
looked over the field, tears would
have been more freely drawn than
ballots. There never was a darker
hour for the Alliance Of Minnesota
than when certain men, who had
suddenly sprung into the Alliance
work, nominated Geo. w. Haigh for
,Secretary-and as to the conflict
over Mr.. Donnelly we have nothing
now to say.
But the sentiment for party &C.
ton is growing stronger every day.
The gang rule" was apparently
overthrow. though scheming is now
going on which would spring a
cataract over the eyes OF the sera
phim. If we were to tell you what
we now know-since the State Meet
ing-you would yourself simply toss
the items one by one over YOU
.shoulder-and go on dreaming.
The great increase OF loyal senti
ment, however, presages power a
the ballot-box that may bury tn
>schemers! If so God hasten tn
movement. And if the Alliances @
Minnesota conclude to enter the field
even for forlorn hope, the GREA
WEST will put forth its very bes
energies in the front line of the COZ
dict.
Mr.. Campbell's question about Nj
Donnelly's "desertion OF the Labo
Ticket is absolutely too old an
threadbare. If, after, all that ha
been said in regard to that miserab]
lie. the Alliance men still hang to i