Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-05
AN ALLIANCE FIGHT.
The Factional War in Somerset
County Waxing Hotter.
STRONG TALK FROM CASEBEER.
He Speaks His Mind Freely in Relation to
Prominent Rival.
TREACHERY AND OTHER SINS CHARGED

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.l
SOMERSET, Aug. 4-The fight between the
warning factions of the Farmers Alliance
is still waging unabatedly in Somerset
county. The county Alliance under the
Pennsylvania Jurisdiction met here on Sat
urday. The meeting was a large one, but
harmonious. The county Alliance was ad-
dressed by W. V. Marshall, of the Kansas
Alliance. Mr.. Marshall is the author of a
book on the subject OF cumulative taxation.
His address was warmly received by the
farmers.
The last man to claim public attention in
the newspapers in connection with the Al
lance controversy is August Sembower, who
is the organizer OF the Industrial Union
branch of the Alliance in Somerset county.
This indicates that Secretary Demming,
after having been knocked out by Secretary
Werner, has determined to carry the war
into Somerset county through henchman
sano9wer; Mr.; Werner a,,.nr is an ne experin. i
perfectly at home in fight
although he pretends to deprecate the
present controversy, because he says 1t
throws discredit upon the farmers move
ment, and suggests that the friends of the
newspaper agftators should quietly shake
them of for the good of the cause.
1t is safe TO say that the gentleman at Har-
knew about the shortage of $50 at Washing
ton, d. c., or he certainly never would have
attempted TO strike Werner below the belt.
HE HAS THE INSIDE TRACK.
How did Mr.. Werner find it out? That is
the question. The suspicion is growing
stronger every day that Werner stands
closer to the national authorities than does
the gang at Harrisburg, and it is believed
that the day is not far distant when the
Mount Gretna syndicate will be uncere-
moniously unloaded: besides the other Ma
tional Alliance has already invited the new
Pennsylvania organization to join hands
with their organization. The new orgnnlza-
tion Is independent of all others. in that an
entirely new ritual and working outfit has
been prepared and printed.
just returned from successful organizing
tour through some of the interior Pennsyl-
vania counties, was in Somerset to-day. He
was considerably ruf1ied over the Sembower
interview. He said to The DISPATCH re-
porter that what Mr.. Sembower said was
not SO important as what he did not say, but
full.
why" said Mr.. Casebeer, "Sembower
claims to be preacher of the gospel, and
minister ought to tell the truth If anybody
should. was tempted to spank him at the
meeting of the County Alliance last month,
but the other members told me not to mind
him because he is an unmitigated crank.
A PROFESSIONAL FARMER.
"He makes great noise about being a
farmer; why, my dear sir, have cleared out
three farms in my time, and 1 have never
worried anybody else about it. L know that
this same Sembower was a Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad agent up to within two or
three years ago. Since that time he has de
veloped into q bowling farmer, a local
preacher, a full-blown pink of eligibility
and an Alliance organizer who never or
ganized an Alliance or anything else that L
know Of
"AIl this talk about bogus charters is only
calculated to deceive the uninformed. Our
charters are authorized by the State body.
which Mr., Senbower says was composed
of only five persons, thereby expos
ing his thorough ignorance of our
organization, which, however, is growing
about it, The Industrial Union branch of
the Alliance was started by two men down
in Texas. All things, you know, must have
a beginning Our Alliance has big start,
and all the fanRtical croakers in the State |
can't stop it now.
THE REASON HE CHANGED. |
For my part L Joined the new organiza-
tion because could not see any good to |
come out of an organization that was headed |
by a railroad corporation and a farmers |
implement trust. You see the fundamental /
purpose of the farmers organization is to |
counteract and correct the abuses that these |
monopolles have inflicted upon the country.
"How far do you suppose we would get in /
the right direction with railroad officials 1
and stockholders in the lead of the organi- /
Zation? You might as well talk of running a /
Sunday school with satan as superintend- /
ent,' said Mr.. Casebeer
Talk about lawyers and politicians" con-
tinued Mr.. Casebeer: every ineligible /
member in Somerset county belongs to Mr.. |
Sembowers branch of the Alliance, and |
they have all turned against Mr.. Werner /
and our organization because they are in
eligible to join ours, while they each of |
them have a claim TO membership in the /
other organization under the Industrial |
Union clause and the resolution passed at |
the 0cala convention.
CHARGES OF TREACHERY.
"Mr. Sembower pretends TO be opposed to |
these ineligibles he calls them, but tell /
yOu he is working hand in glove with these |
very fellows. A well-known Somerset poll |
fician went down the river ostensibly on a |
fishing excursion last week and wrote up |
Sembower's interview for him. 1t is these |
very political roosters who are causing all |
the trouble and making all the noise, while |
the rank and file of the membership are per- |
1ectly satisfied and contented, at least SO far |
as have been able to learn"
Secretary Werner reports that he has COM
mlsSlOned IA new organizers since Mr.. Dem
ming commenced to advertise his organiza-
Jion gratuitously over the State as an anti /
organization.