The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-16
DEMOCRATS WANT CONTROL
They Would Like to Throw the Farmers
Alliance Into the Cleveland Party.
Pretty Fight Going on in the Memphis Con.
vention-President Loucks's Address,
SCutherners Offended ut His Words.

Farmers Alliance and Industrial Union
met in convention in this city to-day. In
the absence of Governor Buchanan. who
was sick. Col. Robert Gales. secretary of
the Commercial ASSOCIATION, delivered the
welcoming address, which was supple
mented by an address by Hon. A. l.. Min.
State president of the Alliance in Tonnes
see. delegate Dean. of New York, re-
spOnded. and here began to appear the first
symptoms of partisan division. which is
conceded to exist in the ranks Mr.. Dean
said among other things: "The Alliance is
non-partisan III character. but as full of
politics as an egg il of meat"
Delegate Marion Butler president of the
North Carolina Alliance. in the course of
his remarks said: Whatever may To said
of the politics of some of it's members the
Alliance has other objects rather than pol
ftlcs."
The lex non scripta of the Alliance pro-
hibIts members seeking official prefer
ment. but it is claimed that this law Is be-
ing violated, and that o lively contest IS IN
progress between the friends of Presl-
dent Loucks, of North Dakota, and those
OF Mr.. L. w. Macune, OF Washington. ed
ltor of the Economist. The former is being
pushed forward by the third-party element
and the latter by the Democrats. Delegate
Beck, of Alabama, who is a leading light in
the organization, SAID: This organization
should be q democratic organization. if
any thing. To be plain. it ought TO stay
out of politics: That was the original idea.
But they won't, and since they will dabble
In politics. / say give the thing q Demo-
cratic flavor. That's my idea We want
Macune for president. He is a Democrat.
The present incumbent, Loucks. is good
man, but do not think We want him" On
the other hand. Hon. John Ii. Mcdowell,
of Tennessee, is doing all he can TO secure
the election of Loucks, and thus throw the
organization into the POpullte party. The
outcome of the struggle Is looked forward
to with interest
AT to-nlght's session President Loucks
delivered his annual address. He eulogized
the late President Polk, commented on the
crisis through which the Alliance had
passed, and dilated upon the Alliance and
Industrial Union In part. thus:
In its incipience, in the various organizations
now united In the National Farmers Alliance
and Industrial Union we realized that there was
ing in the dark. AS it were. our attention being
directed chiefly to relief through cooperative
efforts in buying and selling with the social. ed
ucational and political features secondary
considerations. Combined capital aud expert
ence against us has made 1t difficult 10 make
much progress in that direction. Many were I'M
duced TO join for selfish financial benefits
who would not ha We joined for the other reasons
and thus they became interested in the great
upheaval in the Nation. We have learned aud
the census reports OF 1890 affirm the PROPOSE
ton. that the trouble is not with the production
of wealth. but with its unjust distribution
through special privileges conferred on
favored industries and private corpora
smooth until We were confronted with with
this political problem. The earnest workers
attention was directed TO It's solution. The
result was the formulation and adoption of Onr
demands, each OF which required change of
laws; in fact. reversal of political action. To
that extent we became political organization,
and our minds were trained TO look for relief
through political action at the ballotbox. rather
than through commercial cooperation. We
should be proud OF the fact that, through it all.
We have been so broad and patriotic To ask
for no special privileges for ourselves class.
We have stood by the grand doctrines OF equal
rights 10 ALL and special PRIVILEGES TO none.
When we became fully convinced that relief
must come through political action, TO repeal the
special privileges conferred on the favored
classes. we were confronted with two enemies
one those who were TO be deprived of the special
privileges, and who. controlling unlimited
wealth, through which they controlled the indus
tries of the Nation, the press anu the political
machinery OF both political parties, were loath 10
lose their so-called vested rights. They
and oppression TO destroy organized labor.
They WELD tremendous power. On the other
hand, many joined our ranks from selfish mJ-
tivcs. hoping TO use the political upheayal to
their own personal Advantage. The enemy from
within will prove more dangerous than those
from without. Some scared of By the
former many were side-tracked by the after. in
their efforts to the organization for their
own personal political advantage or prostitute
they were aaed Those hSre
our worst enemies 1t u fortunate that there
has been an carly opportunity for thoroughly
testing our devotion to principle Honor to those
who have stood the test and renamed faithful.
Ifany have proven unfaithful they are no longer
worthy of confidence and should be removed
from our council. The result in the end will be
beneficial to the order and the cause. II is we'll
for us that those placed In representative posi-
lions watched with Jealous eye by the
masses. At times they may suffer from unjust
suspicion. but the true men need have no fear OF
the final result
Mr.. Loucks continued: 1.-THE spirit of
unrest prevails. 1t must have vent. Or
ganized labor has solved the weighty prob
lens that Cypress it. The Alliance should
not be partisan" The concluding two thou.
sand words of President Loncks's speech
were directed against the political methods
OF the south. To Southern people his Oh ds
were very offensive.