The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-02-23
THE THIRD PARTY AGITATORO
Opening Session Of the Industrial Confer
GIC0 al 81. Louis.
CAMPAIGN ISSUES UNDER DISCUSSION
Remarks by L. L. POlk, 7. Y. POWderlY and
lglatiGS DOnnelly-R Reforms Demanded
by the Farmers.
Special to THE MoRNIxs CALI.


more than did the motion made by Secretary
! Hayes of the Knights of Labor late in the
| afternoon. A curious series OF events led
| up to it. B. f. Terrill of Texas had been
selected to call the conference to order,
and during all the welcoming addresses
and throughout the speeches OF Polk, Pow
| derlev and DOnnelly he tenaciOusly re-
tanned the chair, no move being made even
/ to effect temporary organization. At the
! conclusion Of the addresses hayes jumped
! up and moved that Acting Chairman Ter
| rlIl appoint the regular committees pro-
| ceeding which would practically have given
| the Texan entire charge Of the convention.
! The third party men were dumfOunded and
| the convention was instantly in an uprOar.
! General Weaver sprang to his feet, yelled
| that the motion was out of order and
| quickly mad Il motion that the convention
! proceed to temporary organization. Friends
| OF the new movement rallied and carried
the motion with a hurrah. The core of the
| sensat ion is disclosed when it Is explained
| that the third party men believed, whether
! justly or unjQstly, that combination had
been made between Macune, Livingstone,
| Hayes and Ierrlll to down the new party
scheme. If the motion had carried they
say Ierrill would have appointed commit.
! tees 10 suit the antis. Apparently, how
movement are in hopeless minority.
Third Party Conference.
1t was q cOuglOmerate gathering that met
In convention at 2 o'clock this afternoon to
confer upon the deSirabity Of third party.
Nearly dozen national organizations were
| represented, and the talk among the dele
gates was principally whether the Prohibi-
tiOnists could be pac6ed and dragged into
the fold with a declaration in favor Of
| hatiOnaliZing the liquor traffic. This was
a subject most eagerly discussed. Prob
ably the liveiest topic was whether
| Leland Stanford men would succeed,
| In what is said to be their secret
purpose, in forcing the nomination Of a
third Presidential candidate before the
Democratic or Republican National Con-
ventiOns were held. Two prominent Kan
sas men are understood to be quietly circu-
| latng among the delegates pulling every
possible string in this direction for Stan
/ ford. The idea was that should the Cali
fJrnian be made the third party's standard
bearer he would stand a chance of ind0rSe-
melt in the other national bodies later on.
Lively Discussions.
Before Benjamin Terrll Of Texas called
the meeting TO order the big halt was lively
with dis 'uSSiOns. The National Committee
Of the Peoples party, sixty-niHe of the
| biggest guns Of the political army, was gath
cred on the stage of Music Hall, aud the
main body of the hall and galleries were
filled With groups of delegates and spectators.
a delegate from Oregon had the floor for
a time, declaring the opening gun Of the
national campaign would be fired by his
State, and calling for help to carry Oregon
for the Peoples party. The report OF Schii-
ling showed less than $50 remained in the
party eXchequer, and that of Sl200 sub
scribed at the Cincinnati Convention only
one subscriber had turned in cent Chair
man IaubeneCk was authorized 10 appoint
a committee of ten to canvass for funds.
"a WAS hpt
as to whether it should record itself as or
I derng the arrangements made for a ma
tional nominating convention when a halt
was demanded by Marion Cannon, Presi-
dent of the California Farmers Alliance,
and it was decided before doing anything
further to await the action of the conven-
ton. II that body decided to take action
looking TO the nomination of a Presidential
candidate, the Peoples party would 60 ahead
upon its own hook Immediately.
Opening Exercises.
At 2:2j o'clock Terril called the conven-
tiOn to order without the fOrmality of an
address and caused smile by announcing
that the congregation" would rise while
the proceedings were opened with prayer
by Rev. Mr.. Basher of MillagevlIe, Ill.
Miss Alice Mitchell of the National
WOman's Alliance sang the "Star-spa gled
Banner" and the audience Joined in the
chorus. Considerable merrlment was
elected when Terrill went right on as a
matter OF course acting as Chairman, as
though there was no such thing as tempo
rary or permanent organization. Terrill,
it was generally understood, does not favor
an immediate third party Presidential nOm-
inaton, and 1t began to look as If
he had concluded to shape things a
bit while he held the reins. This
Impression deepened when he proceeded to
read typewriter document urging the
convention to confine the demands to land,
trou rgott ion win
moral reforms until they had more time.
This would leave the prohibition issue out
in the cold, and toward the rear of the
stage, among the distinguished guests, could
be seen Miss Frances Wizards features
quickly shaded by frOWn OF pOrtentOuS
proportions, while the third party or bust"
delegates throughout ths hall gave equal
signs OF dissatisfaction. President Polk OF
the National Alliance was introduced by
Terril and the announcement made that
Polk's address would be followed by one
from P0wderly and another from D0nnelly.
AT the mention of these three possible PreSI-
dental candidates the convention mani
tested much interest.
Unequal Conditions.
President Polk said the farmers had as
sembled here to perform a solemn and re-
spOnsible duty. ON Wall street and in
boards Of trade money was p per cent; in
many small towns IN the West money was
from 10 to 20 per cent This had to be
righted. The farmers paid over 20 per cent
of the taxes. and if money can be borrowed
in New I Ork on cotton and wheat at IL
per cent, why can't the same thing be done
in the NestP He compared the gain in
wealth of the New England States with the
producing States Of the West and South as
five to one Of the former against the latter.
He entered a solemn protest against
these unequal conditions. In closing Polk
said I'VE want relief, we demand relief,
7 w hof I cd
from Maine to California, we must have
relief if we have TO wipo the old parties
from the face Of the earth" This was
greeted with tremendous applause. Some
thing of an anti-cimaX was created by some
of the Polk enthusiasts in the gallery fling
ing to the breeze at this juncture a huge
banner inscribed with quotation from
Folks apparently eXtemporaneous speech.
Remedy Demanded.
Powderly was then introduced and
warmly greeted. He spoke of tile big
bridge from the eaStside of the river, owned
by man to whom everybody who wanted
TO enter st. Louis had to pay tax The
time had come whe0 the people would sur
mount these difficulties. IL was not
Powderly nor Polk. but the people who
would remedy this when the proper time
came. P0wderly also spoke on tie question
of the restriction of immigration. Years
ago." continued POwderly, 1--WE nominated
G. Y. Weaver Of Iowa." Great bursts of
cheers greeted the mention Of the Green
back Presidential candidate. Weaver
beamed smlingly upon the cheering multi
tude from the platform, but sobered up
when PowderlY icily warned the convention
10 cheer not the man, but the principles
Political Wedding.
Ignatius Donnelly next appeared on the
rostrum. The coming gatherings of Demo-
Gratis and Republicans, he said, as compared
with this convention, would be simply CO.
agulatlons of unprincipled politicians to
divide the plumber. He predicted a wedding
soon to occur-that Of the Democracy and
[ne weud 6e a1g a the beereHny
of plutocracy; Grover Cleveland and
BENJAMIN Harrison would act as