Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-03-12
THE MANIFESTO.

THE MANIFESTO.
ITO the Farmers Mutual Benefit
Association of Illinois: We, the un-
dersigned, your representatives, at
the beginning Of the session of the
General Assembly of Illinois, in accord
ance with the desire of our constitu-
ents and our order. resolved to make
an honest, manly and earnest effort to
elect to the United States Senate a
man who would truly represent the
principles and declarations of the great
independence industrial movement
which has grown up in the land with
in the past few years. In accordance
with this policy we considered the
names of several of the men who stand
high in the independent organizations
and finally selected A. j. Streeter as
the man who, as we thought, more
fully represented the Independent
movement than any other man. We
have stood here eight weeks making
earnest effort to elect the man of our
choice. We have refused to make any
concession of principles to either of
the old parties. We had a hope, not
unreasonable, but natural, that any
help from either of the old parties
would come from the Republican
party, which, like ourselves, was in
the minority in this General Assem-
bly,. We have, therefore, met with
the representatives of the Republican
party and afforded them every OPP
poitunity of ~electing to the United
States Senate a true representative of
our principles. In order to enable
them to act with US in the matter We
have, in acquiescence to their request,
adjourned whenever an adjournment
was desired by them, refused to vote
whenever they desired us not to vote,
in the hope that they would ultimately
see fit to assist US In electing an un-
trammeled representative of the inle-
pendent movement to the United
States Senate.
"We had hoped that our Republican
friends would view this in the light,
perhaps not of q Republican victory,
but as q means of enabling them by
the election of an Independent to place
their political enemies at a disadvan-
tage In the coming contest throughout
the State and in the City of Chicago.
Although defeated at the polls by the
people, the Republicans had an OPP
portunity. by throwing their strength
to the independent representatives, of
gratifying their ambition to defeat the
Democratic party at this time and
thereby place it at a disadvantage
throughout the State and nation.
Protesting to desire toacquiesce in the
election of an independent, they have
negotiated with us and manifested an
inclination to support Mr.. Streeter;but
instead of acting upon this hypothesis
they have adjourned from time to
time and prolonged the contest, and,
finally, respecting u declarations
that the United States Senator elected
must be an independent, they have,
little by little, sought and obtained
from our nominee such concessions and
promises as would, had they been car
ried out, entirely unfit him for. con-
scientiously representing the princi-
pies of the independent organizations.
"Week after week. has passed with
out any satisfactory result, and final
~, thinking the people of the State
have wearied of the contest, determin-
ed that 1t is due to our constituents
and to the taxpayers of the State that
this senatorial fight should be brought
to a close, and having found 1t abso-
lutely impossible 70 elects IN independ-
ent-a man who can represent, I'M
trammelled and unahackled, the views
of our organization-.we have eonelud-
ed that our next duty lies in selecting,
as near rs possible, . man who, while
not representing the principles of our
organization, Is In sympathy with
many of our demands, and comedies
the need OF redress from the legislation
which has been permitted to grow ur
in the interest of corporations and
monopolies. We have conceded that
the voice Of the people Of the State al
large should be respected in the choice
of . United States Senator; and that
voice, 50 far as 1t has been expressed
In the late election, has unquestiona.
bly, been expressed In behalf of Gen.
John II. Palmer and the principle Of
sIectng . United States Senator by
the direct vote Of the people, . princi.
pie which our organization fully and
sarnesey indorsas. BY Q plurality 81
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