St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-08
DOC" AND ZIG" RULE
Donnelly. and Fish Carry the
Alliance in Their Pants
Pockets.
The Subtreasury Scheme
CPammed Down the Del
egates' Threats.
National Prohibition and
Other New Things Forei-
bly, Advocated.
Gen. j. H. Baker Goes Down
to Defeat With Flying
ColorS.

NO1O1
1t was Doc Fish's day again in the
Alliance convention yesterday at
Minneapolis. He had defeated Gen.
Baker the day before for the state
lectureship solely upon the difference of
opinion of each candidate to the office
upon the subtreasury scheme emanat-
ing from the Peoples party and copied
by Fish. Baker is professed Alliance
man, in full sympathy and accord with
the fundamental principles of the
party, but he holds that the subtreas-
ury proposition Is both impracticable
and class legislation of the worst
stamp. The majority of the convention
are ductile before Doc Fish's oratory
and he was elected. Then he had the
coign of vantage again by being ap-
pointed chairman of the committee on
resolutions, and the platform upon
which the party must battle for supre-
macy in this state is an exposition of
doc Fish'S views. Hence he was the
lion of the day. Any oppositioDs to his
declarations were swept away as easily
eS cobwebs are brushed from the wall.
Gen. Baker and Senator Hixon were
numbered among the opposition that
fell PROSTATE before the tremendous
march of the Fish faction. And "Doc'
Fish's differences were hailed with joy
and tumultuOus applause, while the
speeches of the opposing element met
with cheers and derision.
The entire day was devoted to the
consideration of the platform, and 1t is
very vOluminous affair. covering a
wide scope of political and quasi-politi-
cal topics. Some are innovations, but
most are patterned after the sentiment
tfat has pervaded the party from its in
ception.
When Doc Fish took the platform to
read the result of his laborS, the entire
members of the convention had not vet
assembled. but they came in shortly
uutil full complement was present.
The first resolution was upon the none
tary system of the national government,
ana 1t produced the first sensation. The
initial test came upon motion to re-
consider the motion to pass upon each
plank as read, and it showed Fish in a
secure majority. The vote was an
nOunced 225 to l4S. This pleased P II.
RanlIly UNNECESSARILY.
Senator Hixon, from the committee,
when 1.-THE Fish resolution was read,
asked permission to submit minority
report. He protested that the subtreas-
my plank had been passed upon by the
committee before he became aware of
II. lie had never suspected that it was
to be the first resolution in the report.
Mr.. HlXOn argued that it involved a
principle that should be acted upon by
rational convention and that it does not
properly belong to the province of any
state organization. In arguing against
the
Subtreasury Clause.
the senator felt free to caution the con-
vention that it will rrecipitate county
seat war in every county i'll the United
States. The minority report reads:
The minority begs leave to dissent from
the majority for the following reasons: The
OeaiR' platform contains financial PROPOSE
tons which believe to be REVOLUTIONARY
their character and subversive to good gov
eminent. The subtreasury or storehouse
scheme, if carried out, would afford no relief
TO the laborer or poor man in The cities. The
fuctuation in values of products causes the
machinery necessary 10 carry out these plans
to make II totally impracticable of successful
operation. Any reasonable and practicable
measure Ct expanding the circulating me-
lieve the present circulation totally made
Quate to answer the needs of the people.
There was likely to be an intermin-
able debate. and President Donnelly
had the foresight to prevent it by sug-
costing that twenty minutes be given to
each-Gen. Baker against the plank and
DOC" Fish in substantiation. The plan
was happy, and it was so ordered with
out diSSention.
Baker TO the Front.
Gen. Baker maintained that If the
subtreasury plank was adopted it would
be the rock on which the Alliance of
Minnesota and the United States would
split. 1t was a gigantic piece of class
legislation. If the bill now before con-
gresS was passed it would occasion
state and county fights in the location
of subtreasuries and the selection of
agents which would eclipse the hottest
political or county seat war ever known
History cried out against the adoption
of the subtreasury plank.
But DOC" Fish had the sympathy of
the crowd, and they cheered heartily
and applauded with vehemence as he
progressed with his luminous recital of
the benefits that would ensue from the
proposed new financial system. A sam
pie of his argument that the measure is
not class legislation is that law against
highway robbery may be considered
class legislation because it seeks to ben
eft the men that are robbed. This
proposition had an electrical effect. and
tremendous applause ran through the
hall like a cyclone and drowned out the
doctors voice for a time. Fish then
cited the fact that thirty-nine states had
already Endorsed the scheme. and he de-
family challenged Gen. Bakers posi-
ton, and asserted that before the latter
was five years older he would have rea-
son to regret that he ever took such a
bad stand.
Mrs. Lease created a perfect furore
when she responded toa call and argued
the question.
So the debate ran rampant for an
hour. 1t was a carnival of oratory-
some eloquent and some Indifferent, but
all unique. 1t became so serious that
Maj. Hotchkiss, the whilom greenback-
er, and the present editor of the Ma
tional Republican, of Preston, under
took to conciliate the factions Dy i'm
pressing the Importance of harmony.
Mrs. Diggs took her turn heroicaliy and
1gnatius Donnelly aired his views and
sentiments, and A. Z. Ball begged for
five minutes. to eXpostulate. He saw
only one fault i'll the plank. 1t did not
go far enough.
Finally vote was reached on the
substitute, and it was lost. 467 to 81. It
was moved, 1t should be related, by
Gen. Baker to strike out that portion
relating to the suJtreasury scheme.
The original resolution was then adonf-
ed amidst tumult and confusion. and an
GjOurnmeut was taken until o o.oloolr