The morning call., 1892-02-25
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
Platform Adopted by the Industrial Con-
f0TenGs al St. Louis.
WONlES SUFFRAGE RESOLUTION PASSED
Committee Appointed TO ACt With the
National Party in The Nomination Of
Presidential Candidates.
Special to THE MORNING. CALL

binatiOn Is in existence for the coming Presi-
Dental campaign. So stormy q convention
probably never before ended so quickly in
seeming harmony, and that, too, after
virtually slamming the doors in the face
of the national party, claiming million
Of voters, all efforts of Miss Willard
for juncture with the Prohibitionists haY-
ing been snuffed out at the last moment
The Peoples party men, who are chiefly
from the northern States, figure tonight
that they have by strategy captured the
political strength of the Alliance in the
South. On the other hand, the southern
Alliance men. under .he plea of having
acted as individuals, assert that they have
not altered the position they have always
held.
Platform Adopted.
At the morning session OF the Industrial
Conference to-day. the platform Of the Com
mittee on Resolutions was read. Without
taking vote on the adoption Of the plat
form recess Of two hours was taken.
The platform states the nation is on the
verge Of moral. political and material ruin
that corruption dominates the ball0t-b0X.
the legislatures, Congress, and touches even
the ermine of the bench; newspapers are
subsidized or muUled, public opinion is
slenced, business is Frustrated, homes
covered with mortgages. labor imp0V-
erished and land and money are
concentrating In the hands of cap
italsts. The workmen, it declares,
are denied the right of organization for
sef-prOtectlon; imported pauperized labor
beats down wages a hireling standing army,
unrecOgniZed by our laws, is established TO
shoot them down, and they are rapidly de-
generating into European conditions. The
national power to create money is appropri-
tah fn ri hop m
been demOnetiZed to add to the
purchasing power of gOld and the supply Of
currency is purpOSely abridged TO fatten
uSurers, bankrupt enterprise and enslaye
industry A resolution declares the old
political parties allowed this to exist with
out any effort at restraint and therefore, it
asserts, new political organization, rep
rescnting the political principles herein
stated, is necessary.
Declaration of Principles.
The declaration of principles is then made.
4 national currency is demanded that is
safe, sound and flexible, issued by the Gen
eral Government only, and full legal tender
Tor all debts, public and private, and that,
without the use OF banking corporations,
just aud equitable means Of circulation is
established with tax not to exceed 2 per
cent, as set forth in the sub-treasuTY
plan of the Farmers Alliance or some bet
ter system. 1t demands the free and un-
lIiuIltu coinage
of circulating medium be speedily increased
to not less than SO per capita; a graduated
income tax; that all national and State
revenues be limited to the necessary eX-
penses of the Government, and that postal
savings banks be established by the Gov
eTnment.
The platform declares that land should
not be mOnopOlized Tor speculative pur-
poses, aud alien ownership Of Land should
be prohibited. All lands now held by rail-
roads and other corporations in excess Of
their actual needs, and all kinds now owned
by aliens should be reclaimed 10y the Coy
ernment and held for actual settlers only.
1t declares the Government should own and
operate the railroads, telegraph and tele-
phone and demands that the Government issue
legal tender notes and pay the Union soldier
the difference between the price of the depre-
ciated money in which he was paid and gold.
Prohibition and Woman's Suffrage.
The fight for recognition of the Prohibit
tion issue in the platform started immedi-
ately upon the reasSembllng Of the cOnven-
tiOn. Miss Frances Willard presented a
minority report, which she moved be
adopted Immediately as an amendment to
the majority report 1t favored woman
suffrage and demanded the suppression OF
the liquor traffic.
On motion OF Simpson to lay the minority
report on the table viva vOce vote showed
an almost even split for and against pro-
hibiti0n.
Coached by Powderly, Miss Emma Curtis
OF Colorado, a handsome young woman,
captured the floor and proposed the follow
ing substitute: 1--WE demand that the
question Of universal suffrage be submitted
10 the Legislatures Of the different States
and Territories for favorable action"
Jerry Simpson shouted, "She has solved
the problemw and, some one Immediately
demanding the previous question. the sub
stitution was made by a crushing majority
amid yolley OF cheers, Miss Willard look
ing very gum.
Soon after PowderIy announced hat Miss
Curtis substitute had been withdrawn as
part of the platform, to be offered later on
as simple resolution.
The Minority Report.
To the chagrin Of Powderly, Weaver and
other leaders, Miss Curtis arose and de-
clared that she had done no such thing.
The idea Of dealing with the liquor Ques-
tiOn by separate resolution instead of in
the platform was bT9ached several times
during the confused discussion, and iavOr-
ably received. 1t was now apparently the
purpose of Powderly, having kept Miss
Wizards minority report out of the plat
form, to pacity her and her friends by hav-
ing the convention adopt the Willard plank
as a resolution in place Of that Of Miss
Curtis.
When roll call was reached on what had
now become Miss Curtis minority report,
the vote was taken by States. 1t was thought
the POwderly- Weaver following would re-
sent Miss Curtis spunkiUess by defeating
the report, but POwderly voted the Knights
s0lidly for the minority report Secretary
HAYES declared it carried, 259 TO 246. I'm
official tally-keepers made very different
totals, they declaring the vote really was
352 noes and 23S ayes, which, If official,
would defeat the minority report. Mean
while Miss Willard and Lady Henry SOmer-
set LETT the hall aud did not return.
The knights and most Of the Alliance
men retired for caucus, despite some Vehe-
ment protests.
Conference Committee Appointed.
When the convention got together again
half an hour later IgnatiuS DOnnely, TO the
surprise of great many, declared all busi-
ness could be wound up in half an nour
Defer by unanimous consent the little
woman suffrage matter; adopt the majority
platform report: appoint committee to act
with the National Committee Of the Peoples
party TO call a national convention to nOmi-
nate Presidential and Vice Presidential can
didates, and the thing was done.
The idea took like wildfre among the
tired and hungry delegates, and within two
minutes the majority report was adopted
without solitary voice of dissent and amid
tremendous enthusiasm. Miss Curtis woman
suffrage resolution as substitute for pro-
hibitlOn was then adopted without OppOsi-
tion and the convention adjourned sine die,
after appointing as a conference committee
to act with the Peoples party National
Committee: Van Wyck of Nebraska, Nc
Cune of Texas, Branch OF Georgia. Powers
OF Nebraska, Mcguire of New York, Polk of
North Carolina, Willets Of Kansas. Presi-
dent Humphreys of the National COlored
Alliance, Hackett of Missouri, Barnett of
the Illinois f. NJ. B. A., Morrill, of Louis
lana, Sets of Ohio. Mrs. Leass of Kansas,
Mrs. DR.. Babbs of Texas, Benjamin Terrill
of Texas.
Late tonight the Conference Committee
selected July as the date for the conven-
tioD, the selection of the place being left to
a subcommittee of ten, TO be appointed by
Taubeneck OF Illinois.
ACTION URGED.
Series Of Resolutions Adopted by the Trans