St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-03
Gen. Baker Will Not Head
the Alliance Party State
Ticket.
The Committee Accordingly
Withdraw From the State
Campaign.
Alliance Members Urged to
Keep Up Their County
Organization.
The Peoples Party Sub
Treasury Sch enc Round
ly Roasted.

ly Roasted.
The Alliance state central committee
met yesterday at the Merchants. and,
so far as the state campaign is con-
cerned, yielded up the ghost. The AL
lance state convention, which met in
this city July z, nominated Gen. John
ii. Baker as the standard bearer Of the
party for the gubernatorial Office. No
other nominations were made, but the
state central committee was authorized
to consult with the leaders of the PeO-
pies party and decide as to the best in
terestS of the Alliance in regard to the
filling up of the ticket. Messrs. Erwin,
Baker. Hall and other prominent lights OF
the party, accordingly appeared before
the Peoples party convention, but were
refused hearing. The opposition to
them was led by the redoubtable doc"
Fish. 1t was expected, and given out,
that the Alliance leaders would put a
full state ticket in the field; but, be-
yOnd Issuing manifesto to the people
and selecting r. j. Hall and G.. w.
Sprague as electors, nothing was done
up 10 the time OF the meeting yesterday.
There were nineteen of the twenty-one
members OF the committee present. with
w. w. Erwin in the chair. Gen. Baker
promptly placed the following letter be-
fore them:
TIC the Alliance State Central Committee
Gentlemen: herewith submit my declina-
ton of the gubernatorIal nomination the
STATE Alliance committee was pleased to ten
der me On the 7th of July last. 1t will be re-
membered that l reserved the privilege of so
dong should circumstances. in my Judgment
Indicate such course wisest for the cause
am OF the opinion that the general situa-
tlon IS such, both for the ensuing campaign
and our future as an organization, that we
withhold present political action It appears
10 me that you can as well preserve the Alli-
ucset as with il, though / trust that con-
tinued local action will ensue. especially in
the legislative field. Somes of us were orig
lnally Republican Alliance men; some Dem
oeratc Alliance men. The suspension of
present political action by your com
mittee will leave the members of the
Alliance in this state free to CO.
operate with such political party as,
in their judgement will best promote true
Alliance principles. l respectfully submit
we had better SO form our action that we
may not be subjected to the charge of resist
ing any real reform movement. I have not
at any time, as YOU well know. stood in the
way OF harmony We distinctly stated that
we desired none CT the offices These we
were willing to remit 10 greed and ambition.
IL A"N.s VIC Oilll SOISUl 10 Keep tDe reform
forces of this state i'll the same path so sue
cessful!y pursued in 1897. 1t should be borne
IN nina mat the original purpose OF the AL
nance was non-pariisan. 1t was established
Tor The economic and social betterment of
The farmer. Against The best judgment of
the bes; men of the Alliance il was plunged
into the mire of politics. Its influence as a
hon-poiitlcal organization was vastly more
powerful than 1t will be as a political party
The moral influence it brought to bear upon
the old parties was healthy and successful
But Its present management in this state
mas brought to it new and extraordinary po-
litlcal measures. The most unfortunate step
I ,taken by the Peoples party of Minnesota.
ana sought to be enforced with relentless
discipline. was making the sub-treasury
the only test of party loyalty. To this pro-
| crustean bed must all its followers Conform.
A bold and reckless scheme. it has nc home
i'll the atmosphere of honest political! econ
omy. Above all, it is the special child of
class legislation. Political charlatans offer
II, as wine at the banquet, to beget irrides-
cent dreams of easy fortune. Tomorrow it
VIII be consigned 10 the lumber room OF po-
,ltical trash Its only function in Minnesota
has been to drive men Of conservative judg-
ment out Of the Peoples party
Inc utter abandonment of tariff reform by
the Peoples party is the most shameless
case or political coWardice iii the history of
the state. This was the potential issue with
the Alliance two years ago: today it is side
tracked for the .suDtreasury, a substitution
OF the fox for the lion. There were plain
al! have united. That we did not do so is 10
| crime of ours. The responsibility lies with
nose VINO nave perverted the Alliance into
a. mere political machine dominated by
"bosses," like the lowest type of political
parties. Our action was a revolt against
such treason, and a rebuke against selfish
ness
To the Peoples party, in its national as
pect, we have offered no opposition. The
general trend of its purposes is good. 1t is
rapidly mastering army, born of many ill.,
justices and wrongs. Its errors are such as
time may cure and the final sitting NAV en-
able it to form its lines of battle on tenable
ground. But in this state, unhappily it has
been SO differed and so led th at for the pres
ent all hopes of uniting the reform forces
are frustrated.
am especially proud to have been NOM
mated by the old Alliance The stalwart
men who created the organization. who were
its promoters and brave builders, have not
struck their flag to the new aud absurd doc
trincs which later men, by craft, have i'm
posed upon it. My grateful appreciation is
due these men for the high honor they have
tory and planted an organization in this state
which political strife will not soon efface.
With Them 1t will be my pleasure to cherish
the old principles which have given real life
ana power TO our cause. Very respectfully,
j. Ii. BAKER
The members discussed the letter for
several hours. There were some who
were UeSlTOuS OIL udFIng the Alliance
represented IN the state campaign by
full ticket. but in the end r. J. Hall
proposed and secured the adoption of
the following resolution:
Gen. Baker having flied his letter giving
substantial reasons for declining the nomin.
alton, as he reserved the privilege Of doing
at the time of his nomination; therefore, be il
Resolved, That it be accepted aud that
this committee deem ii best not to nominate
a state ticket for the ensuing election but to
preserve the Alliance party organization, and
the committee hereby recommend to the AL
lance party in the congressional and legisla-
tive districts and in each organized county TO
call their respective conventions and take
such action as the party in conventions shall
decide.
+ By this resolution Gen. Bakers name
lis not only withdrawn. but Messrs. Hall
and Sprague will not run as Alliance
|! electors. The committee decided to
issue all address to the members of the
Alliance setting forth the position of
the state central committee at length.
Messrs. Erwin, Baker, Hixson and Hall
were appointed members of a subcom-
mittee to prepare this address.
/ The committee adjourned to meet at
9 o'clock this morning.