The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-05-26
THE THIRD PARTY BORN.

AIC6f a TWO DAYS session Oh Tile CLu-
cinnati Conference, which for good
humOr. harmony and enthusiasm has
lever had a parallel, perhaps, in great
deliberative bodies in this country, it
adjourned, presenting to the voters of
the country it's name THE Peoples
Party of the United States" and it's
platform for their favor and endorse
ment. We present to our readers an
account of the last days proceedings
which we clip from the Washington
Post Of the 21st inst. There were
present LAZY delegates from twenty
seven States. Of the Southern States,
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Missouri, Texas, Tennessee
and West Virginia were represented.
Senator PETER, Of Kansas, presided.
It will be seen that sentimentalism,
s~ectionalism and social and theoretical
issues were discarded in the platform,
and it presents live industrial and
economic issues to the people. On sew
eral very important questions, the
platform takes advanced and bold
ground. The unanimity and determi-
nation which marked the action of the
body must impress the political stu
dent with the conviction that this
movement will be an important factor
in the politics of the future.
In an editorial on the situation, the
Post says:
1.-The spirit of reform in the shape of
revolution is undoubtedly abroad, and
the successes that it may here and
there achieve are likely to be cOnta-
giOus.
ut will be we'll for the politicians to
put their houses in order. By wisdom
they may break the force Of the storm,
but the storm is in the air. 1t may
spend itself, but while it lasts it adds
an element Of doubt to all political
calculations"
1t will be seen that. the conference
adopted, substantially, the Ocala plat
form and provided for a full repre- sen
tation in the National Conference to
be held February 22d, 1892.
LAST DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
CINCINNATI, OIluO, May AU.-A l1UUlO
political giant was born into the world
to-day. 1t is the literal truth to state
also that no more wonderful exhibition
of lung power at a natal event was ever
in the Cincinnati Music Hall.
For a moment in the morning when
the great gathering of farmers and
wage workers voted eagerlyfOr making
the formation of a national executive
committee a part OF the programme,
the result was, to q certain extent,
fOregOne. All doubt was removed in
ten seconds, when toward evening,
after scenes of almost unprecedented
turmoil, the fresh, clear cOuntenance
of IgnatiuS DOnnelly, of Minnesota.
chairman of the committee on resOlu-
tiOns, beamed from the rOstrum on the
struggling, yelling a of humanity
In the convention, and DOnnelly, with
a dignity befitting his words, an
nOunced that the committee had be
come a unit for starting a third party
in the nation without another inStant's
delay.
1t was marvellous to see the effect on
delegates and spectators alike. Fa-
tigue, fOrebOding QuarrelS, vanished
as if struck out by lightning. Breath
less and hushed, the listening hundreds
waited as DOnnelly continued, earnest
ly: We think we have performed a
work that will affect the politics of
this country for the next fifty years."
That was enough. The audience
could contain itself no longer, but with
dynamite force exploded in a terrific
thunder of applause.
A sensational feature of the pro-
ceedings following D~Onnelly's an
nOuncement came after the platform
proper had been adopted. A Cali
fOrnia man was the Individual that
nearly rivaled the classic youth of
ancient renOwn, who fired the Ephes-
ian dome. The C~alfornian's name
was j. w. Miller and he was a Pro
hibitiOnist from the summit of his
sleepily-brushed hair to the very
bottom of his bOOtheels. Apparently
nothing on earth could discomfort that
Californian. Over 1000 thoroughly
enraged and disguised brawny gran
gers and mechanics turned on him as
if they could tear him limb from limb,
but he refused to bulge an inch. He
worked his jaws without ceasing,
though every syllable he uttered was
lost IN the hurricane Of jeers and con-
tumely.
The Californian wanted to thrust be-
fore n convention q resolution pledg-
ing the new party to the prohibition
cause, The convention emphaticaIIy
did not want to submit to any such
process. But it had to-. The nerve
and grit of one man against a thousand
carried the day, and the Peoples
party before it was an hour old was
forced to go on record upon the young
Westerner's resolution. The cOnven-
ton, however, instantly took it's re-
venge. Like a vicious young colt it
kicked the resolution into Kingdom
come with a sickening ~suddenness and
vigor that must have surprised even
Mr.. Miller himself, though he managed