The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-12-12

campaign. I wss defeated for the
nomination for governor by q most
unworthy and contemplate trick !;
by the Importation of bogus labor
delegates to out-vote and override
the Alliance. In one case nine fell
lows got together in Minneapolis,
called themselves a labor club, :"
and elected ten delegates to the al
lance convention of the next day! I
submitted to all this. l even moved
unwittingly, to admit the ten skale-
wags to the floor of our convention,
to vote down ten entire alliances. /
supposed they represented thousands
of votes. I Withdrew my name as q
candidate for governor, when saw
the kind of fight that was made on
me; and made Mr.. Owens nominal
ton possible. l voted for him. I
even got up and made q speech en-
dorsing and complimenting him, and
urging all members of the Alliance to
support him. l consented that Mr..
Hall and the glorious Lathrop
should act as president and secretary
OF the Joint convention; and saw r.
j :, Hall, without any conference with
me, or my friends, appoint an execu-
tive committee, without single con-
spicuous friend of mine on it. We
were the majority of the Alliance
proper, but we were utterly ignored.
Mr.. Owen never extended to me the
hand of friendship or good will.
Neither he nor his committee, flor
Hall said they were all submitted to
him for his approvaD. ever asked me
to support the ticket. Voluntarily
without being asked by any one but
William W. Erwin, l went out and
made speeches for the party, and
everywhere urged the people to sup
port Mr.. Owen, conscious that if he
was elected his administration would
be dominated by my implacable, re-
lentless, personal enemies. And yet
in my own county I built up Mr..
Owens vote to 1,O36, when 1 might
have quietly traded him off, or
slaughtered him. And while 1 was
thus working for Owen the newspa-
pers that were supporting him were
tOully abusing me.
And now you ask me if l will stand
by the Alliance! Can you conceive of
the possibility OF any man being
nominated for governor, by the Al
lance, in the future, who will treat
me more discourteously or ungener-
ously? Can you imagine any man,
out of devotion to great principles,
and the public welfare, swallowing a
more loathsome mess of humiliation,
than l have had administered to
me, during the past year, by the
hands of Mr.. Ovens particular
friends? l feel very sure that if had
offered to make fifty speeches for
$4,000 per night, (my usual charge
for lectures), tor the Republican par
ty, in the recent campaign, the $5,-
600 would have been cheerfully paid
me. l turned my back upon the
money. l turned my back upon my
friend, William R. Merriam, and
without solicitation, under the lead
ership of a cabal of my enemies, I
went out and labored for man who
was in no sense my friend, simply be-
cause he represented my principles.
And now this gentleman thinks it
would be wise to suppress me Gin the
interest OF harmonyP' And you
question my fidelity to the Alliance!
1 do not write this letter in anger
but in sorrow. l have no desire to
Increase the discussions in the Al
lance. l would end them. I am
ashamed and grieved to the soul,
that an ambitious politician, not
farmer, not an Alliance member, but
a St. Paul banker, with devilish cum
ming, and by the use of money, is
able to reach into our organization
and distract and tear us to pieces.
1t is spectacle to make honest men
weep and devils rejoice.
Understand / do not charge YOU
with any Of this dirty business You
are simply the victim of liars-of
cowardly, vicious, infinite liars.
l have the honor to be, with
great respect, your friend,
IGNATIUs DONNELLY.
SPINKs, Miss.
EDITOR GREAT WEST: