Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-18
The Indianapolis Conventions
Open Inauspicously.
Attendance Small and Enthusi-
asm Lacking.
The Third Party People Particularly
Disappointed.
President Polk and Secretary Tillman
Both Scout the Idea of Making
Political Machine OF the
Alliance.
Associated Press DISPATCHES.

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 1.-THE open
meetings Of the farmers organizations
today were disappointment to the AL
lance leaders, and particularly to the
third party men. The attendance has
not been as large as expected, nor the
enthusiasm so great. Conflicts OF
opinion have arisen on important sub
iects which are calculated to seriously
interfere with work. While the attend
ance is small, the fight for and against
the third party movement is none the
less bitter.
The sessions of the f. M. B. A. and
Alliance this afternoon were secret, but
it is understood the issue was squarely
joined in each, and the result in each
case was drawn battle. Nothing but
the final vote can determine the relative
strength of the factions.
THE OPENING SESSION.
The supreme council Of the Farmers
Alliance was called to order at 10 40
o'clock by President Force OF the In
diana Alliance, with nearly all OF. the
129 delegates and 800 spectators in at
tendance. Mayor Thomas L. Sullivan
welcomed the delegates to Indianapolis.
j. Il. Tillman, secretary Alliance execu-
tive committee responded. After thank
ing the people of Indianapolis for their
warm welcome and paying tribute to
President Harrison, he said:
.It is the farming and laboring peo-
pie who feed the world; who fought the
battles of this country, and to whose
energy and patriotism this great and
glorious land of ours is indebted for its
richest blessings liberty and peace. 1t
is not our mission to tear down nor dis
integrate our honestly conducted indus
tries, but to all illegitimate combina-
tions and monopolists that tend to
destroy the very spirit and intent of the
constitution.
f'e NOT POSING AS POLITICIANS.
'sWe are not here as politicians seek
ing to disrupt the partisan political par
ties, or to promote the fortunes of any
political aspirant; nor are we here in
the interest of any third party, for by
our very organs teachings we have a
right to vote with whatever political
party we may think will best advance
good government"
He called attention to the last billion
dollar congress, and criticised its expen-
ditures, which, he said, were more than
those spent by all the congresses in the
first seventy years OF the history OF this
government.
This he said, is more than IS for every
man. woman and child in the United
States, to support national government,
not including other taxes levied. He
skHnr, IL, mould
dure it if collected directly from them
lected through our tariff. Say what you
please about the tariff, but it must and
shall come down to reasonable basis
of taxation. These reckless expendi-
lures Of congress must be stopped or we
will continue to change the personnel
OF every congress.
THE ALLIANCE OATH.
'sYes this is not all, or is at the bot
tom of that which brought about the
uprising OF all the people in all parts of
this great country. / can best illustrate
it by the use OF these words: Transpor-
tation, tariff and trust. Here is the
trouble, and there are three C's which
are the first letters of three words
Crush, change and control. There is an
unwritten and iron bound oath our
friendly newspapers abuse us so much
about. / will now tell you what this
oath is. 1t is to crush trusts, to change
the tariff and control transportation. :"
Continuing he said: 1--WE are going
to succeed in our efforts to obtain large
circulating medium. We must have
more currency and we will have it.
NOT A THIRD PARTY.
''The Farmers Alliance means the
greatest good for the greatest number,
and it is determined to have exact JUS
tice for all, and especial favors to none.
1t numbers in its corporation nearly
5000, and has come to stay and will
be held intact as non-partisan organi-
zation. Members of all political parties
may join the organization, and it will
never become third political party.
There is big political significance in it.,
but not a party political significance,
because that would mean hopeless
ruin"
Tillman's reference to the non-parti-
san nature of the Alliance caused some
thing of a sensation, and was received
with about equal evidence of approval
and disappointment.
OTHER SPEECHES.
Gen. J. B. Weaver of Iowa made a
speech on the general situation, which
was received with enthusiasm.
He was followed by Congressman
Jerry Simpson, OF Kansas, in the same
strain.
President Willet, Of the Kansas Alli-
ance, spoke briefly, and the meeting ad-
journed.
AT 2 O'Clock the Alliance went into
executive session at the board of trade,
and the National f. M. B. A. at the
courthouse, both discussing the third
party movement.
PRESIDENT PoLK's ADDRESS.
At the opening meeting tonight the
attendance was less than one thousand.
President Polk delivered his annual ad-
dress. He reminded the representa-
tives present that upon no body
have greater responsibilities rested than
on this, since the Continental congress.
The demand Of the latter for equal