St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-26
FAILING OF CESAR.
The Unclaimed Ambition of
the Brainy Sage Again
Breaks Loose.
Does He Scheme to Hand Over
the Alliance to Senator
Merriam,
While He Will Be Governor
and Then Battle Wash
burn e?
Present Indications Are That
the Alliance Will Split
in Twain.

eiOo 10 oelllCu fCly uSoply. lu6 ldCL IT,
mains there is a vast amount of politi-
cal figuring being done at the present
time. This may be due to the fact that
the legislature has just adjourned, and
then again, it may be because Of the
coming meeting of the Farmers Alli-
ance. This meeting, while too far in
advance of the next campaign to exer-
else any great influence over it, is likely
to be productive of very serious compli-
cations-so serious, indeed. as to cut
the great Alliance party of year ago
sQuarely i'll two.
1t has long been apparent to every
close observer of current politics that
the governor of the state is very anxi-
GUS to win to his support a portion, at
least, of the Alliance vote, and in this
project he has had one able and untiring
lieutenant, the Sage of Nininger. More
than year ago the Sage, standing IN
the background, caused the governor to
be given an opportunity to address the
annual meeting OF the Alliance. And
what was the result? Instead of
speech filled with platitudes anent the
farmer, farming and the general
condition of the state, Gov.
Merriam surprised everybody by
making square-toed low tariff speech.
telling the farmers that the causes of
their woe could all be centered in the
tariff. This pleased the Democrats of
the state wonderfully, but it did not Sc
cure the governor what the Sage had
calculated Oman Endorsement by the
organization. The farmers. while ap-
proving Gov. Merriam's S sentiments, had
evidently heard of
The Old Adage
which says. beware of the Greeks bear
ing gifts" and they declined to swallow
the bait thrown out by the Sage and his
eXcellency, attractive though it looked.
The Sage himself is now determined
to HE himself back to the Republican
party. Evidence Of this is not hard to
find; indeed, one need go no farther
than the last or next to the last caucus
of the Alliance members of theSenate,
when, in discussing the election of a
speaker pro tenn of the senate, the Sage
openly declared in favor of going in
with the Republican senators. He was
OutYoted by his fellow senators, who
were decidedly opposed to any coalition
with the majority party.
Straws show which way the wind is
blowing, however, and there are few
Alliance senators who doubt that the
Sage will be found in the Republican
camp IN 1892.
The first move of the Sage after the
close of the session goes far to confirm
the statement that he is working in har-
mony with the governor. 1t was the
action OF the executive committee of the
Alliance which first passed resolutions
denouncing Darlington Phelps, the
chairman of the Alliance state central
committee, aud the very next day re-
solved that this committee was merely
temporary organization, and that
1t was in all things subject
to the executive committee of 1.-The
State Farmers Alliance. The absurdity
of this declaration is evident from one
fact alone-the executive committee
dld not appoint the state central COM
mittee, and it cannot take away its
power, no more than the executive COM
mittee of the League of Republican
Clubs can remove the national Republi-
can committee.
Why did Mr.. Donnelly make this
move? is fair question and one upon
which there is apt to be q digerence of
opinion. The fact of the matter is that
the state central committee of the Alli-
ance is made up largely of men who be-
long to
T'he Anti-DOnnelIy Faction.
Among them are the friends of ex-
President Hall, eX-Presldent L. II. At
wood, Hon. Charles Canning, Hon. Jay
La Due and Sidney NJ. Owen These
men take but little stock in the Sage
and his spasmodic efforts at reform, and
II the latter Is to remain at the head of
the organization they must be downed.
With the idea of doing this the Sage
blandly suggests that the question of
whether or not the state central CON-
mlttee is 4 permanent organization be
left to the June convention to be then
settled by majority vote.
This proposition has been rejected bv
Chairman Phelps, who claims that the
committee stands in exactly the same
position as the Democratic and Repub-
lican state committees, and further an
nounceS that regardless of what any
other organizations and committees NAV
do the Alliance state central committee
will issue call for convention in 1892
"a convention. too, to be composed of
representatives of the same OrganiZa.
tions that met in this city OH July 16 last
year.
Unless the Sage yields his point there
will be two Alliance conventions next |
year, one headed by Mr. DonnelIy, and |
ready for coalition with the Republi-
cans. and the other headed by S. NJ. |
Owen, r. j. Hall, ,Carrngton Phelps, |
11AOCIC w dlACus OOlIu I1OlllpO, IL. l..
BiOrge and other anti-Donnelly men. |
With matters thus split up things will |
be i'll excellent shape for the formation |
of ticket something like this:
For nited States SENATOR w. r. Merriam.
For governor, Ignatius Donnelly.
In the present shaky condition of the |
Republican party of Minnesota, even |
the bitterest enemies Of the Sage will |
not object to a coalition with section |
of the Alliance, even if it involves the |
of the Sage for governor. 1t |
will be bitter pill for some of the Re |
publican leaders to swallow, but thev !
will do it quick enough when the time |
comes. Gov. Merriam will favor it. and |
the last two campaigns in this state have |
demonstrated the fact that
he is not only shrewd but far-sighted |
politician.
1t is great slate, but it may be broken
Oh at least badly cracked very soon.
Legislative Extravaganza.
The Republican papers of the state
are now engaged in preferring charges
of extravagapce against the late legis-
lature. When these same papers re-
ceive bound copies of the Journals of
the two houses they will be very likely
to turn aside from this agreeable occu-
patton. They will be obliged to do so
for self protection for the Simple reason
that all lavish appropriations were
made by the solid Republican vote,
aided by a few scattering |