The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-12-16
THE INDUSTRIAL LEGION.
An Organization Formed For the Purpose
Of Advancing the Principles of the Oma-
h0 Platform.

Z
ha Platform.
An organization styled 1.-THE Indus.
trial Legion of the United States" was
formed at Memphis, Tenn, on Novem-
Der II by prominent leaders of the peo-
pies party, who are also prominent in
the Farmers Alliance, the object OF
which is to carry out politically the
measures embodied in the declaration
of principles of the Omaha platform OF
the peoples party, together with free
speech, free ballot and fair count.
The industrial league is to consist of
three classes, the first to consist OF
male members over twenty-one years
of age, intended to group together as
voters, and will be regarded as the
senior class; the second will be the
Junior class, which will consist of male
members under twenty-one and over
fourteen years of age who shall be edu-
Gated and trained to become voters of
the peoples party, and the third class
will be known as the women's aid corps,
which is intended as an auxiliary to
the senior legion. The legion is much
after the fashion Of the grand army and
partakes of a secret character, while
the meetings may be secret or open, at
the option of the members.
The founders of the legion are promi-
nent leaders of the seven great indus
trial organizations comprising the peo-
pies party, together with the foremost
peoples party leaders. Among the
charter members are Hon. H. E. Tau
beneck, of illinois, chairman of the ma
tional executive committee of the peo-
pies party; George F. Washburne,
chairman of the eastern division of the
peoples party, Boston, Mass; Congress
man Otis, of Kansas; j. F. Willetts, for
merly national organizer and lecturer
of the Farmers Alliance; President H.
L. Loucks, of South Dakota, of the
Farmers Alliance; L X Taylor, of
Tennessee, secretary of the Farmers
Alliance; J. Fl. Turner, II. Marion But
Ter, vice president of the Farmers Alli-
ance; w. F. Morgan, st. Louis, secre-
tary Reform Press association; S. Nc
Lallin, Topeka, president Reform Press
association and editor of the Topeka
Advocate; Hon. Frank Burkitt, of Mis-
sissippi; Hon. L. P. Featherstone, of
Arkansas; Alonzo Wardall, superin-
lance. Paul Vandervoort, of Nebraska
ex-commander-in-chi of the G. A. r.
The organization of the Industrial
league of the United States was per-
fected by the election of the following
officers: Paul Vandervoort, commander
in-chief; Hon. Frank Burkitt, of Missis-
sippi, vice commander-in-chief; j. H.
Turner, Acknowledgement; j. f. Wash
burn, of Massachusetts, quartermaster-
general; Congressman T. e. Watson,
national recruiting officer: j. f. Will
let's, of Kansas, national recruiting Of
fcer of the western division: w. S.
Morgan, national sentinel. Executive
council: Hon. H. E. Taubeneck, of
Illinois; Hon. Marion Cannon, congress-
man-elect of California; Hon. Marion
Butler, Hon. ]. H. Davis, of Texas; L.
e. Dean, of New York; j. T. Willetts,
of Kansas. These, together with the
council. Of the officers of the women's
aid corps, two were elected by this
body as provisional officers to organize
that department, being Mrs Anna L..
Diggs, of Washington, D. c., and Mrs.
Marion Todd, of Michigan.
Mr.. H. E. Taubeneck, of Illinois, was
seen by reporter of the associated
press and he was enthusiastic over the
organization of this league or auxiliary
of the peoples party. Said he: LEAD
ing alliance and third party men of
each state have been elected as state
organizers who will appoint deputy
county organizers and strong organ
ization in each county in every state in
the union
care you member of the Farmers
Alliance?" he was asked.
''No; and I understand there has been
some comment made on my coming
here, it being claimed by some persons
that l am trying to NEEDLE with Farm
ers' Alliance matters? This is not the
case. Icame here because / could meet
prominent members of the alliance
handily, and hoping to perfect the or
ganization of this league. It is now an
assured fact; and inside Of thirty days
we will be established in every state in
the union, and by next year this time
we shall have million and half Of
members, when we shall be prepared
to go on with the campaign for 1894
We are in to win this time, and win we
shall"
This is very important and wise &C
ton. If it is necessary that there shall
be any other organization besides that
of the peoples party to advance politi-
cally the principles of that party, it is
extremely lucky that some other organ
ization has been selected other than
the National Farmers Alliance and In
dustrial union. It is, however, very
difficult for the average man to under
stand why any other organization is
needed than that of the peoples party
itself. There can no more exist non
partisan industrial organization in
which political partisanshi2 is made a
test of membership, than can an estab-
lishment into which none but mem bers
of one certain church are admitted be
maintained as non-sectarian college.
The alliance is a non-partisan political
school, in which members are educated
up to true conception of political
ethics and just comprehension of po-
litical economy. This alliance school
is intended to graduate independent
voters-populists, if you please-but
like that of the Saviour, its mission is
ito call sinners, not the righteous, to