The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-02-25

that reused the echoes Of the audiUnc'
and hundreds of delegates and specta
tors in the galleries shouting will
vim. The "Suawnee Rlvern was theI
sung and then g. Z. Walbridge, presi
dent of the city council of st. Louis
welcomed the convention to st. Louis
in an eloquent address. Genera
Master Workman Powderly, who t.
this time had been quietly sitting
among the Pennsylvania delegates
was called to the stage by Terrell
Powderly was given an ovation as hC
seat Of honor. Considerable
surprise was elected that Terrell
| went right on as a matter
of course, acting as chairman of the
convention as though there were nC
such thing as a temporary or perma
nent organization. Terrell, it is gen
orally understood, does not favor al
immediate Third Party presidential
nomination and it began to look as il
he had concluded to shape things q
bit that way, while he held the reins.
This impression deepened when he
proceeded to read type written
document urging the convention to
confine its demands to land transpor-
tation, taxation and money, leaving
"moral reforms" until they had more
time. This would leave the prohibi.
ton issue out in the cold, and toward
the rear of thestage among theguests,
could be seen Miss Frances Willard 3
fine features quickly shaded by q
frown of portentous proportions, while
the "Third Party Or-bustn delegates
throughout the hall gave equal signs
of dissatisfaction.
President Polk of the National Farm
ers Alliance at this point was intro
duced by Terrell, and the announce
ment was made that Folks address
would be followed by one from
Powderly, and another one from Ig-
natius DonnelIy. At the mention of
these possible presidential candi
dates the convention manifested much
interest, and for the time being forgot
they were yet without even temporary
organization and still in the hands of
Terrell.
President Polk said the farmers had
assembled here for tt purpose of per
forming solemn and responsible
duty. On Wall street and on the
boards of trade money was l-2 per
cent. In any of the small towns on
the other hand money was from 10 to
20 per cent. That had to be
righted. The farmers he declared
paid over 20 per cent of the
taxes, and if money can be borrowed
in New York on cotton at 1-2 per
cent, why can't the same thing be
done in the West? God forbid, God
forbid, he said, that he should arouse
a sectional feeling in their convention.
He compared the gain in wealth OF
the New England states with the pro-
ducing states of the West and South,
saying the gain in the New England
states was 5 to / against the South
and West. He entered solemn pro-
test against these unequal conditions.
The time had come when the great
Northwest, the great South and the
great West shall lock hands together
and take possession and run the gov
ernment in the interest of the people.
Tremendous applause.) In closing
Polk said: 1--WE want the relief We
will have relief, AMI | repeat |
now what | have repeated from
Maine to California, we must have re
lief, if we have to wipe the two old
parties from the face of the |
earth" (This was greeted with
rounds &C. cheers lasting q full two
Something Of an anti-climax was
created by some Polk enthusiasts in
the gallery fllnging to the breeze at
this juncture huge banner inscribed
with quotations from the apparently
extemporaneous speech just delivered
by the Alliance president.
Powderly was now introduced. The
delegates in the Massachusetts quar-
ter called for three cheers for him,
which were given with a tiger. Pow
dCrly began by referring to the big
bridge which he termed the big hole
which the visitors to st.
Louis had topay tax. He said the time
had come when the people would sur
mount these difficulties. 1t was not |
Powderly nor Polk that would bring |
this about, but the people would rem.
edy this when the proper time came.
The sneaker took up the question of
immigration. Through the
SutSS vi NuSuiS NuluGh, lC Sdll, "a |
stream pours into the country and dis
tributes itself partly in the coal re.
gions. The cream of manhood is |
crowded West, and they in the East
have instead the poor unfortunates
whom they must educate year after
year to prevent them using bombs in
stead of ballots. He had been and |
still was firmly against the state Of
such things. Years ago." continued |
Powderly, "when we nominated |
Weaver of Iowa - A burst of cheers
at the mention of the name of the
Greenback presidential candidate
stopped Powder|y short. Gen. Weaver
on the platform beamed smilingly
upon the cheering multitude, but
sobered up with suddeness when the
grand master workman Jelly, but
forcibly warned the convention to
cheer not men, but principles.
The clean shaved countenance and
chunky figure of Ignatius Donnelly
followed Powderly on the rostrum.
Donnelly was greeted with applause,
Ho declared the coming gathering of
Democrats and Republicans at Chi
cago and Minneapolis, compared with
this convention, would simply be con-
glomerations of unprincipled politi-