St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-11-30


VIII double It's number and power and will
remain eNtrepched for years 10 come in the
confidence of the people. If we fail-and il
Inc failure can be justly charged to the AL
ment Will shrink to nothingness, like the OLD
Grange organization, and its me mory
remain ITO point moral and adorn
tale The coming contest in
the legislature viii be no child's play All
The power of earth and hell will be sum
moned TO protect the robbers and the robber-
les which have SO long depicted and impov-
crushed the people. Cunning, corruption,
misrepresentation, ridicule, argument, will,
Ill turn and together, be brought into play;
the Hobbies will swarm with the paid agents
OF the rings and the railroad companies the
honest men viii be denounced and the rogues
honored; the weak will be fooled and the
| knaveS bribed. Ii viii 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 viii play an important
part II its president is, by any chance. q
corrupt man, he will circulate around the
legislature and-speaking eX cathedra, by
authority, ana in the name OF the Alliance
he VIII by sneerS, lnuendoes and falsehoods,
arrest all efforts made in behalf or the peo-
pie Our enemies will shelter themselves be-
hlnd his skirts, and cry out 1.-The Alliance
does not want this radical legislation. Here
Is their president; listen to his words of wis
dom" II, on the other hand, the president
CT the Alliance is q weak or foolish man. he
Will fall into The hands of the powerful rings
ana cIl9ues OF ST. Paul and 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 bat Will ruin the Al
lance
Under all these circumstances I have de-
termined - putting all modesty aside-to
present 10 you my own name for the office of
president
Ilabored for years in support of the grange;
delivered hundreds of speeches for il, but |
never held or asked for any Office at its
hands. have been working in the same way
Tor the Farmers Alliance for eight years
past, and have never been a candI-
e date tor any position. When ! was
FIRST elected state lecturer the organization
was very feeble, and no one wanted the place
it went begging. was voted for in March
last for president, and in July last for the
nomination for governor, but III both in
stances was not Il candidate. and asked no
man for his support | should be perfectly
satisfied now 10 work in the rear ranks of the
organization, III any position, however hum
bic, did not preceiye clearly that the whole
success CT the Alliance. III the coming legiS-
lature, may turn upon the fidelity of the man
who, on the 30th of December next Is
elected president OF the Alliance. III You
nave faith Ill me: II you believe that for
quarter of a century have fought the bat
tie OF the people, without Il shade of yaria-
ton or turning; if You believe that the rail
road corporations OF this state have not
money enough 10 buy me to desert the cause
OF the people-;iHd this is shown by the fierce
fight they have just waged against me for
senator-then ask YOU to support me. If
you think voa can trust me, elect your dele
gate and alternate TO The annual meeting of
Dec. 81, 1890, and instruct them what to do;
Tor when they reach st. Paul they Will be sur
rounded by cloud of lobbyists eager for my
defeat. Every influence hostile 10 the peo-
pie Will reach into our convention. The
rings and corporations Will pack the hotels,
and the very floor OF your convention, with
their paid agents. who will make the air
sulphurous with their lies against me. They
know very well that my election as presi-
dent will mean business. If your delegate
Is not Instructed they may wheedle him
around by some cunning scheme.
There Is no money i'll the Office of presi-
dent. During my term, if elected, there
WILL viii be I'll no politics i5, in it,for no
simply want the Office for the good l can do.
do moi seek 1t for the purpose of crushing
any supposed enemies: for / should use my
position, If elected, to heal the wounds and
dissensions IN the organization, so that il
1892 we may present united front 10 the
common enemy.
Apart fri N the great interests of legisla-
ton. 10 which have referred, l should if
elected, strive TO perfect and extend the bust
ness part of the Alliance works Tor a great
deal OF the success of our organization must
depend upon that. five are to hold the
farmers together we must prove to them that
the organization is able to make them indi-
yldualIy richer. This can be done by obtain
ing decreased prices for twine lumber ma
chlnery, coal, etc, and by procuring money
for the Alliance members on farm mortgages
at rates OF interest much lower than any yet
obtained. 1t seems to me that proper effort
made in England ought to enable US to secure
loans at q per cent per annum. Money is
now being loaned In the great cities of our
state, by American capitalists at 5 and per
cent per annum, and going begging in Eng
land at and 4. But, of course, in all such
matters he alone can negotiate or speak who
officially represents the Alliance. No sub
ordinate officer can interfere with or control
such matters.
OF course all that l have said in this COM
munication | might have presented to you
indirectly, through newspapers. or by the
mouths of friends; but am plain, blunt
man, and prefer to go at things in straight
forward manner If you think can do YOU
good, as your president say SO in your al
lance and instruct your delegate according
ly. II not say so; and so instruct your del
egate: In any event l shall continue 10 work
for the principles represented by the Alli-
ance as long as life lasts. If you do not
want me for your president l shall reassume
the place held for years in the ranks Of the
movement as common soldier in the battle
for reform. AS state senator shall strive
to do my individual duty whether Endorsed
or repudiated by the Alliance. That much.
at least IS safe. In any event beg that
you VIII see that your sub-Alllance is repre-
sented on the floor OF the state convention.
1t will be the most important convention of
farmers ever held in Minnesota, and prob
ably the largest. Remember that YOU
can use your annual dues to pay the expenses
of your delegate. If you are too remote or
too poor 10 send delegate, you can. as the
constitution provides. elect as your delegate
some member of another sub-Aliance. pro-
vided that one person can only represent two
Alliances. Remember, also. that the larger
the meeting of Dec. 80 is. the greater will be
its effect for good on the legislature, which
will meet few days thereafter Every sub
Alliance in the state should be represented
Dec. 30. The revolution represented by Mr.
Owens $1,000 votes must not move back
wards.
I would also ask, if there are any AL
lianees in your county that are dead beyond
resurrection, that you send me a statement
OF their name, number and address. Such
defunct bodies may be used by our enemies
as sort of rotten borough to get men
upon the floor of our conventions who NAV
! abor to destroy our organization.