Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-03-11
PRESIDENT HALL.
Some Facts in Regard to the Ocaln Con-
vention Not Generally Understood.


dents, held for the purpose of considering
what Legislation should be urged upon con-
gress One of the important functions of
this convention was the election of a nation
al leg slative committee three. The union
of Missouri will feel gratifled at the fact that
its president was elected a member of this
committee.
Under ordinary circumstances the election
OF President Hall on this, the most impor-
tant committee in the National Alliance,
would not be specially significant, as his
well known abilities make him at least the
peer of any man i'm the order, but there are
circumstances which make his election es-
pecially complimentary. These are as fol-
lows: At the Ocala convention President
Hall was member of the committee COM
posed of one from each state charged with
the investigation of the rumors published in
the papers to the effect that National Presi
dent Polk, State President Livingston, of
Georgia, and DIR. G. w. Macune were mixed
up in an effort to elect a railroad lawyer
to the senate from Georgia The
committee found nothing, whatever, to
implicate Messrs. Polk and Livingston in the
alleged transaction and fully eXonerated
them. But they did find that DIR. Macune
had taken repeated trips to Georgia on passes
over the road for VIII ch Mr. Calhoun was
attorney, and that he had borrowed 5000
from Mr.. Calhoun. In order to preserve
harmony, the majority of the committee in
sisted that DIR Macune should be exon
Grated, too. To this Brother Hall protested
vigorously. lie could not see why the editor
of the National Farmers Alliance organ at
Washington should be going to Georgia to
borrow 50 ,009 of railroad lawyer, why
the latter should make the loan to one of
such opposite principles and having no per-
sonal claim upon or relations with him un-
less there some such consideration as
described in the newspaper charge. This
being supported by her evidence influ-
President Dl fn 6iSaR fPn he
action of the committee and refused to sign
any paper cooperating Macune He held
to the sound and just principle that officials
of the order must be above suspicion, and
that it was infinitely better that the truth
should be told and not covered up, and any
one whtewaShed in the interest of har-
mony.
When Brother Hall made his minor
ity report he was almost, il not alb
soutely alone, in refusing to exonerate
Macune without convincing evidence;
but with the magnificent courage that
is his most prominent characteristic,
he stood up in the convention for what
he believed to be right This action, together
with his pronounced opposition to the sub
treasury Sc hC me, left President Hall practi-
cally-cut off from the main body of the order
at the Ocala convent on and with the sup
port of less than a dozen other members.
But at the convention OF presidents at Wash
ington things wore different aspect Hall
has not changed he stands on those ques-
tions 10 day just where he did last December;
and yet on the first ballot he was elected
over Macune to the Legislative committee by
a vote of 70 out of SO, of the same men who
were delegates to Ocala. As Hall has not
changed, it locks very much as if other peo-
pie have come to think he was ght. As the
official organ of the state union we congratu-
late Brother Hall on this honor. and believe
that the members of the union will do like
wise.
1t is but just to Brother Hall to say in this
connection that his opposition to the SUBJ
treasury scheme is not based upon any mere
whim. He is opposed to it because he be-
lieves it would be ruinous to the very inter
ests it is expected to aid, and because he
thinks the agitation of it prevents the enact
ment of other financial measures that would
be a real benefit. But he pledges himself, if
it can be shown that the bill would accom-
plish the desired results, to do his best to
secure its enactment.
As to the truth of the charges against Dr
Macune, the journal has nothing to say, as
it knows nothing. We only publish what
was printed i'll the daily papers at the time
journal of Agriculture.
Commenting on the above article, l
would say that so far as Mr.. Calhoun
is concerned, be he railroad attorney or
not, he was author OF some of the most
notable, luminous and cogent articles in
favor of the alliance and alliance prin-
ciples that were ever published in the
press of Georgia. He would have made
a far better senator, from an alliance
standpoint, than either Gordon, of
Georgia, or Vest, of Missouri. If, as
the Journal says, it knows nothing as
to the truth of the charges against DR..
Macune, why does it take the oppor-
tunity to rehash the matter for the de-
lectation of the enemies of the order?
But not only is the Journal to blame
in this direction, but it either is woe
fully ignorant or wilfully mendacious;
or else the proceedings of the national
legislative council were entirely illegal
and out of order. Proof; Section 1 of
Statutory Law No. 30 of the National
Farmers Alliance and Industrial Union
reads thus:
1t is hereby enacted by the national
supreme counc l, that within sixty days of
the adjournment of the supreme council
meeting of all presidents of states composing
the supreme council, together with the
national president, who shall be officio
chairman. shall be held at such time and
place as may be designated by the national
president and the meeting thus constituted
shall be known as the national legislative
council of the National Farmers Alliance and
Industrial Union, and onefourth of the
membership shall constitute quorum.
Section of said law No. 30 provides as fol-
lows: 1t may appoint national legislative
committee consisting of not more than three
members, to be chosen from its oicn body, and
require said committee to give such personal
service as may in the judgment of the coun
Gil be necessary to proper presentation for
the measures before congress, Each member
shall receive such compensation as may be
"A nj of ifG
ury. The per diem and mileage of the Iegis-
latye committee shall be fixed by the ma
tional legislative council, to be paid out of
the national treasury upon the warrant of
the national president.
As DIR. Maeune is not president of
a state alliance he is not eligible to
membership in the national legislative
council As the national legislative
committee must be chosen from the
members of the national Legislative
council, it is hard, very hard, to under
stand how it came about that DIR. Ma
cune's name was presented before the
council as candidate for membership
in the legislative committee.
As the Journal remarks, ct is Int
just to Brother Hall to say in this con-
nection that his opposition to the sub
mere whim" Mr.. Hall is opposed to
the sub-tneasury plan, although it was
almost unanimously indorsed at Ocala.
Fla, and was reindorsed by the nation
al legislative council at the council
meeting referred to by the Journal at
which Mr., Hall was elected member
of the national legislative committee.
Why then Is he, an alliance man. on
posed to demand formulated by the
national body? The only plausible
answer to this query is this: Mr.. Hall
IS a democratic alliance man, and like
all such, he prefers to sacrifice
alliance demands rather than ieop-
ardlze the success of the democratic
party, Heace as Messrs. Vest, Carlisle
and Mills, the leaders of the party, azx,
on record in opposition to the sub