The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-03-12

AA ~ u VIII ~ VI VIC OCdtc prison
committee and the office was
created solely for the benefit Of
Olson. Up to the present time
the committee has held only two
meetings of about two hours dura-
ton each, and for being present at
these meetings Olson has drawn
$115.
The Alliance, especially in the
Red River valley and other por-
tons of the Fifth district, is con-
siderably exercised over the resur-
rection of the famous Bill King
letter, now nearly - years old, in
which most damaging charges were
made against the character of Sen
ator lgnatius Donnelly. The letter
is a part of the congressional record
at W Washington of the contested
election case of Donnelly VS.. Wash
burn, occurring in 1886, and was
addressed by Mr.. King to Mr.. Don
nelly. The occasion for the letter
was an anonymous letter addressed
to Hon. W. M. Springer, the then
chairman of the elections commit
tee of the house Of representatives,
making a corrupt proposition to
MIR. Springer. Donnelly at once
charged that Bill King was the
author of the anonymous letter
and sent to Minneapolis for speci-
mems of Kings handwriting, the
latter writing the famous letter in
question to Mr.. Donnelly charging
him with the most shamelessly cor
rupt practices, on the pretext of
furnishing him with the desired
specimen of his handwriting. A
few weeks ago certain Minneapolis
politicians sent to Washington and
procured a copy Of the letter in
question which was published re-
Gently in the Pioneer Press. It
was imperative for Mr.. Donnelly
to do something or lose his entire
influence in the legislature as well
as in the Alliance, so he made
bluff at bringing a 100000 libel
suit against the Pioneer Press, FL
ing the papers in Minneapolis, be-
lieving that the citizens of that
community were so prejudiced
against, the paper that he would
have an exparte> hearing and that
the T. L. would have no standing
in court or with the jury when It
came to making up a verdict. It is
not believed by those who know
the inside history of the case that
Donnelly ever intended to bring it
to trial. His purpose was simply
to give the public a pretext for
suspending Judgment until the
close of the legislature. A new
difficulty, however, has just arisen
which will necessitate change of
his original plans. Several sub
Alliances have adopted resolutions,
it is claimed, demanding that Mr..
Donnelly push his libel suit with
all possible speed and that until
the judicial investigation is con-
cluded, he surrender the preroga-
tives Of president of the Alliance
to the first vice president. If the
suit results in his acquittal, he will
at once resume the presidency;
otherwise it is desired that he make
his resignation permanent. The
argument used in these resolutions
is that charges of similar charac-
ter have been made so frequently
against Mr.. Donnelly and allowed
to pass unchallenged, that it is time
for the good name and reputation
of the Alliance that an investiga-
ton should be held and Donnelly
either indicated or, in case of con
viction, removed from all eonnee-
ton with the Alliance.
The senate finance and house APP
preparations committees held Joint
meeting, Thursday night, at which
some startling and sweeping re
forms in respect to public expendi-
lures were proposed. A sub-com-
mittee was appointed with. instruc
tons to draft a plan to redistrict
the State for judicial purposes
with a view to reducing the judici-
ary and the expenses thereof. It
is proposed to drop one Judge in
Ramsey county and one in Henne-
pin and to consolidate a good many
Of the districts in the northern half
of the State. It was also agreed
to recommend the reduction Of the
State militia to one regiment and a
company of artillery. The State
dairy commissioners department,
which has cost $4,000 a year, is
to be cut down to $4,000, and the
forestry appropriation abolished
altogether. For the first effort at
retrenchment and reform, this is a
pretty good starter and if the COM
mittee keep on in the same line,
IL