The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-12-11
Evidently Democratic.

on wednesday adopted the following
preamble and resolutions:
WHEREAS, The President of the
United States, in his annual message to
Congress, recommends and urges the
passage of the measure
known as the Lodge election bill; and
WHEREAS, Said bill involves radical
revolution in the election machinery OF
the Union, both State and National, and
its passage will be fatal to the autonomy
of the States and cherished liberties of
the citizens;
WHEREAS, Said bill is partisan in
spirit and will pe partisan in its applica-
tion, thus revitaliziRg the CORY ghost OF
sectional enlargement and
WHEREAS, In the holy war which we
have declared against 'sectionalism, the
freside of the farmers of the North,
East, West, and South are the citadels
around which the heaviest battles are
being fought; and to the end that
victory may crown our crusade and fra
ternity and unity reign; therefore, be it
Resolved. By the National Farmers
Alliance and Industrial Union of Amer
lea in national counsel assembled, that
we do most solemnly protest against the
passage OF said Lodge election bill, and
most earnestly petition our Senators to
this unpatriotic measure, which can re-
and b ,loved country.
Resolved, further, that copy OF this
preamble and resolutions be forwarded
to each Senator in Congress.
We have believed from the outset that
the controlling influences of the Farmers
Alliance, SO far as it deals with politics,
are Democratic, and these resolutions
prove it. They are based upon gross
and evidently malignant partisan mis-
representation The first "whereas" in
the preamble states deliberate false
hood. The President did not in his
message recommend the passage of the
Lodge bill. He might very properly
have done so, but as matter of fact he
never once referred to the Lodge bill or
any other of the federal election bills
presented in Congress.
The second whereas" states two false
hoods. The Lodge bill does not in the
slightest degree interfere with the State
elections or attack the autonomy of the
States. 1t simply gives to the National
Government that control over the cleo
ton OF Representatives in Congress that
the State governments exercise over the
election of Representatives in the State
Legislatures and State officers. 1t does
this in strict conformity to the express
language of the Federal Constitution
and the decisions of the Supreme Court.
The third whereas" grossly misrep'
resents the President, whatever may be
the provisions of the Lodge bill. Presi.
dent Harrison earnestly recommended
an absolutely bipartisan and i'm.
partial federal election law. The con
vention declares that he recommended
measure 'that is partisan in applica-
ton" The convention has clear right
to say what it pleases about any particu.
lar federal elections bill, or the princi.
pie of federal control of federal elections,
but it has no right to lie about President
Harrison. A federal election law has
not yet been passed, and no one has any
right to say that the measure finally
agreed upon will be either partisan in
spirit or application. 1t may be, and we
believe it will be, something entirely
different from that.
The position OF the Ocala convention
in regard to this matter is the Demo.
cratic position. The preamble and reso.
lutions breathe the spirit of ex Con.
federate Bourbonism to the last degree.
Tammany Hall or South Carolina
Democratic State convention could in
vent nothing more partisan or more
false.
There was some mild dissent from the
spirit OF the resolutions in the conven.
ton, but the Democratic element had
big majority, probably five to one, and
they were adopted unanimously. That
is to say, those who objected kept silent.
This action commits the National
Farmers Alliance to the suppression of
the Republican vote throughout the
South, and stamps it as an ally of the
Party. And this was already
plain from its manner of working. It
operates through the Democratic Party
in the South, SO as to ensure the election
of Democrats; and runs Independent
candidates in the West, in order to de.
feat Republicans.
The resolutions were presented and
adopted to help the Democrats in Con.
gress defeat federal elections bill.
They were inspired by Democrats and
nine out of ten, at least, of all who voted
for them are Democrats. The whole
business was simply Democratic trick.
Cleveland Leader.
In the organization of the State Decen-
nial Board of Euualixation at Columbus