Morris tribune., 1890-10-08
LETTER OF JAMES M. BURLIAGAME

DECLINING the Nomination for Attorney
General on the AiIiance-Lahor Ticket---
Farmers and Laboring Mon. Read and
Reflect.
To the State Central Committee of the
Farmers Alliance and the Industrial .
Union OF the State of Minnesota:
GEN TLEMEN First of ALL let me thank
you for the high honor which you have con-
ferred upon me in selecting me, upon a re-
view OF my past political opinions and ac-
tions, to place upon your State ticket. It
is no mean distinction to be thus honored by
the great agricultural and other industrial
organizations of the State of Minnesota.
After further consideration, feel that
must still say, as / said at the meeting of
your central committee on the 7th of Au-
gust that cannot accept your nomination
for the Office of Attorney General of the
State. AS stated to the committee, Ihave
always been in sympathy and acted
In harmony with that element Of
the Republican party represented by its in
dustrial classes. The demands Of these
classes, wherever and whenever / have
been in condition to aid them, have re-
ceived my unqualified support. 9
The demands now made by the Industrial
party that the tariff, wherever it existed on
the necessaries of life, should be reduced or
even abolished; thatdIscrimination by trans
portation companies shall cease, and that
reasonable rates shall be established; that
watcrcd stocks shall notreceive the rewards
of honest toll, and that the pooling of rates
shall be absolutely prohibited; that mort
gagged Indebtedness shall be deduced from
the tax on realty; that the interest upon
money shall be reduced, and full, free
and fair ballot secured. with many other Of
the demands in your platform, are such as
shall in any party to which l may belong
give my most cordial support; and if it
should become necessary in order that the
friends of those principles might hopefully
work for their success, that the Republican
party should become disrupted and its sew
eral elements gather in support of distinct
i've principles, | should not for q moment
hesitate to ally my hopes and my labors with
those who should struggle for The suprem-
acy of the principles above named.
Most Of the members of your new organ
ization have, but lately, been either kepuo-
licans or Democrats, and as such until re-
Gently you have hopefully sought Tor the
,st:.b, ishment of the above principles IN
~eur respective parties.
s"he Alliance and Labor party ana us
IL il Is will not then, am sure, mlsludge
ala nu the thousands of others who, welded
10 the above principles, still believe. as the
AiI.aurc until now believed, that the re-
fcr.us that they and we seek VIII come
q, ...,.r by adherence to the Repuoilcan ana
nenlucratic parties which we now help 10
L, troll and direct. than by a separation
L. ~ 10 carry out these principles
!, III tie tsepubl;can and Democratic par
tics cx. ing us they have existed during
q tyYeni "-Iour years that have Dcen
v, 'dei: Of This State, the time has never
Of, when anV measure in the interest OF
y, farming aid laboring classes could have
Is ii defeated byany Legislature which mas
| ass.mtled in the State within that period,
| If those classes could be convinced Of the
merit of the measure. Party lines nave
never been drawn, during thai period, 10
| o1,I,ose anY such measure. and the farming
anu other industrial classes have had the
power iii every Legislature during that perl
| cd to enact any such measure II they cno5e.
II any such measure has failed during
| that per cd it HIS been because the farmers
| and others naturally allied with them have
| been opposed to it or divided as to Its utll-
ity OF b cesSlty.
IS cy;st3ice Of this let US recall some OF
| tie ii FERNS that taye been iuaugurated by
| tLe L. ':aia.ures of the State under the con-
| trc # ties as they have heretofore ex-
! isin,
| an. :,vcnty-four years ago WAS i0aning
att rr.,,.t pCr month or "a per cent per
a,.auni now tls highest rate of interest al
| lowed by Jaw is reduced to le per cent and
contracts for more than that rate are Vold
3v the Legislature of 1855 free and open
markets, the freedom OF traffic law, the
grain law, the law fer the distribution OF
| transportation were sec: red In saeb an ap-
proved form that the maintenance OF these
laws is demanded III tile present platform CT
| the Alliance and Labor iarty AS to the re-
| forms dcmandcdin the Alliance platform one
| or both of the great existing parties Is
| pledged TO the following. namely: TO Sc
| cure the reduction of the tariff, to preserve
| our remaining lands to actual settlers In
small quantities; to the improvement of our
waterways; to the adoption oil an approved
system of voting; to the prohibition OF the
e1l:lisy,nent of children under fourteen
years ef $50 IN our mills and factories; to
the settle ilent of strikes by arh'fh atlon; aud
1 to equal pay for equal WorE lfrespectlV OF
| sex. while tho right Of the people To vote on
| a constitutional amendment has a.ycr. 10
| my IL "wledge, been questioned b.. y
| parT.
I fol Il, Id generally very excellent pat
| form o the new party that has been sub
| nl;tted to the Republican party, and Its
| adoption refused
| Tie reduction of the tariff below what is
| needed t. produce sufficient re*eGpe for
| tli,, necessary expenditures of the govern.
| nie:;r is not and VIII not be, demanded by
| auy 1Iar,y, nor viii any party dare todeclare
4 IS a Ont of its pni:ti al creed the imposition
| O; duties apen iJl:o1tatlons that will pro-
| due. more than iSi,t amount
| The co ;trol OF rai .sD:.tls by the government
| ha, never lie. n asked OF the Republican party
| yttit is well know that many eminent Repu5
i.canS are IL favor OF such control ana It IS not
| TAI to presume that tle party Wni .etuSe rs
| support to such demand until II mas beel
| I;ut cf all the reforms demanded in the plat
fol M of the IL W afty none is more vital 10 the
| safety aid scc!i! y Of the republic than hat
| which asks for n Improvement in the conduct
Of our eIe. tiens reform reform is vot;he de-
shall have exactly the same presentation in
the lower nn.ke Of d g9hgres 3b Ieat hSs a9 y
will so quickly bur ont the life Of republican
| institutions an leave the systemb;tt an empty
she. as the honest conviction OF any considera.
| blc number OF our people that they are not
! equally represented ard fair t:oated in the
| law ma l1i-g br,nch OF our government. Upon
| this ,.cint We a. a people af. p,.cniiary Sr,lSf
| tive. n rJph this importa:.t question which is
| now becoming living, vita: iestse before, Tie
people of the country tine .RepuLiienn, fa9ty is
/ Why then should the Republican iar,y be
| disrupted ard the tou.try hur ed in to the rnacl
| strori OF uncerta rty. If rot of disaster!
| In view of past favorable legislation in this
| State upon all i dustrial and economic qucs
| tions, and of the faithful enforcement of THU
sgisdaSn o p{ Of ny fane,
friends and SIX them to seriously INQUIRE o.
themselves. what gain can be hoped for In de de
| f,ating the EeI uhlic, party this fab and in
| stallibg in ii place apotht party.
I am a 4:t-t,s silicsn. and must remain such 81
oeg a as se nas Witch ESri q ths eass nsl
mands n disrot ct theinterests Of the farming
| and .ioth. iou. .trial class s. When the Re
pub |, an j rty, in my judgment. ceases to bt
that par j shdl seek a me in some otnel
| DO it Gel :sahizaiion. Bu; it does not seem Il
me tla II at { rl,. as e. me
Jsert tlrcn y Il :: ay be III ct and wrong bu
i fnsa Nror "a ~ hon stli' wrong in the he ic
IN tbe pa t II ,hc Nil nee ald tustraai Uniol
this fail il any result 70 lows will be the tlefea
of The 4, pubsi d, party AID the success of thu
/ ID mocri,iic Party. What will that mean
| Aside from tha unc rtainiy involved in the in
| aIgrrnti II IA DemocrfSti' ADMINISTRATION il
| this State II VIII mean the defeat of some 0
| our REPRESENTATIVES, iG Congt ess and the posi-
| ble or probabie return Of a pembcfattc Hous
| of Repres enta!iyes TO the next Congress: Thi
/ will mean the long delay. If not final defeat, o
mi,cf -natonal legislation of great importance
the prompt enactment of which is now earnest
" demanded by a majority of the people.f Fo
| these. among other reasons / feel constra net
tt5 decline the honor so generously rendered m'