The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-04
THE THIRD PARTY.
MOSES ON TIE
ST. LOUIS CONVENTION.


labor societies, has prepared the following
letter for publication in next Tuesdays
southern Alliance Farmer. Il is pithy
reading and turns the light on the inside
workings OF that notable gathering.
WASHINGTON, D, c., March 80 1892.
Fditor Southern Alliance Farmer
4 great many Rlliancsnen in Georgia have
requested me, as one of the delegates, to make
a report of what was done at the St Louis
conference The other two members of the
delegation. Messrs wilson and Palmer also
asked me TO make statement Please allow
me to comply With these requests, through the
columns OF their official organ
AS q faithful representative, it is my duty 20
make a true statement OF the facts, and there
my responsibility ends and that OF the people
No one, trust, will deem it my duty in this
connection TO notice the brutal attacks that
have been male upon me, maliciously or
through ignorance.
AN UNsoUGHT HONOR.
Twas elected delegate to ST. Louis without
my knowledge. Before agreeing TO accept the
com mission. ! was assured by the officials of
the state alliance that the confereEcB wonId
have no authority TO formulate a platform
or to take any political action that
would be binding upon the alliance. The
original guarantee made TO every mem
her Joining the order was that the alliance was
not a political party, and would not undertake
To control any members political or religious
opinions When the reform press" began to
assert that the organization would be com
mitted TO a political party at the conference,
the presidents of the several state alliances met
as "a advisory committee in Washington and
denied the authority Of the conference to take
such action
When we arrived in So. Louis we learned that
the representatives OF the Peoples party had
been on the ground two days working and
plotting to capture the conference Post
Branch and Ellington we're there representing
Georgia. IL was apparent to one circulating
among the delegates at the hotels that the
third partyites had but little opposition except
from the southern alliances and that the
southern delegates did finally force them
directly indorsing the Peoples party
I listened to the discussions among
the delegates at the various hotels The
thought uppermOSt in the minds of these mon
paTtisansN seemed to BE- how to destroy the
Democratic party and how to build up the So
called Peoples party. TO do this it was con.
coded that the solid south must be broken
Georgia was regarded as the strategic point
one enthusiastic DELEGATE expressed it in this
way: I'VE have an entering wedge in Georgia
we will break the back Of the - democracy
in that state, and other states will follow" We
shall see how thi plot to stihe the voice OF
Georgia was carried out.
HOW REPRESENTATION WAS FIXED.
The conference met at the appointed hour.
It was composed of about eos men and women;
1t had been arranged by the managers that
the first thing on the programme would be
third party speeches from Polk Powderlv and
Donnelley. These speeches were delivered and
widely applauded. temporary chairman was
elected and committee on credentials ap-
pointed. This committee consisted of three
from each organization. Conference adjourned
10 give committee time TO report. Tuesday
morning the committee brought in the follow
inE report placing the representation as fol-
lows:
MA and l. u, 246; F. NIB. A., 81;
knights of Labor, 81; National Farmers Ali
ance, 40; National Citizens Alliance, IS; Col
ored Farmers Alliance. 81; National Citizens
Industrial Alliance, rs; Patrons of Industry, 70;
Patrons of Husbandry, %; Reform Press %;
Michigan Union Conference, 25; Order Of Anti
Monopolists 25; Association OF Machinists rs;
International Wire-workers, 25; Mine Workers
Of Ohio. %; various minor organizations, 80;
total number votes, SEQ.
The COMMITTEES reported that there was
contest over the delegation from Georgia, upon
which they would report later After con.
siderable delay we were allowed to go before
this committee.
Ellington, of the Citizens Alliance, was a
member of it, To our surpriee, we were told
that there was no contest over our seats
Notice. however, that we had not been allowed
TO participate in the election of officers because
of contest. Messrs Post and Kemp. claiming
to represent congressional districts, asked to be
allowed to all the two vacancies caused by the
ao sence of Messrs, Calvin and Bell, the ac-
credited delegates. We agreed in the committee
to this arrangement, with the understanding
tIutt lleY sDOQiu Dc DOunQ Oy che INSTRUCT OnS
gwen TO the absent members 20 vote las a
unit They were seated without such in
strUctions.
GEORGIA CUT THIS FIGURE.
AS finally determined, the representation of
Georgia was as follows:
Colored Farmers Alliance, represented by J .
L, Gilmore, IL votes; Citizens Alliance, repre-
sented by Ellington, Branch and Parker. 3
votes; Georgia Farmers Alliance, represented
by Wilson, Palmer Moses, Post aud Kemp, 8
MT at l Trvir 1
vote.
This delegation met and elected C. C. Post a
member of the platform committee for Georgia.
We entered our protest on the ground that the
representation was unfair. and served notice on
the majority of the delegation that while we
would make no furlher fight in the convention
we would not hold ourselves as bound by any
action taken
While the convention was waiting for the re-
port Of the committee on platform, motion
was made and carried that the roll be called, 1t
was asserted by the secretary chat 100 delegates
naq Oeen seated by the committee on creden-
tialS who represented nothing, l called atten-
ton to the fact that one man on the floor
GAINED to have eleven votes as representing
the colored alliance Of Georgia, and that the
president OF that alliance was there protesting
against his authority to do so. Powderly said
Cnat the roll ought to be called and illegal rep
RESERVATIONS thrown out. At this juncture the
t tne rol5 was postponed As matter Of fact.
the ron was never called, and there is no official
record OF the membership.
THAT PLATFORM REPORT,
Now, as to the report OF committee on plat
tOrn. was sitting on the second tier Of seats
ia 'front.', near the desk. Perfect silence reigned
70 the hall, and heard distinctly every word
mat was spoken. The first part, consisting Of
the preamble or address, was read by Donnelly,
Sna was received with the widest enthusiasm.
ne then announced that Chairman Cavanaugh
would read the platform The president re
quested that there be no applause before the
entlre platform was read, which request was
complied with. Chairman Cavanaugh then
teau the platform, as follows:
~ Oruer 10 restrain the eXtortions of aggre-
sa'ed capital to drive money changers out Of
W temple, TO form g more perfect union,
establish justice, insure domestic tranquility
provide Tor the common defense, promote the
tsneral welfare and secure the blessings OF
merry Tor ourselves and posterity,' We ordain
Cples
a. We declare the union of the labor forces of
sue united states this day accomplished. per-
% aTn and perpetual May its spirit enter into
a. o. hearts for the salvation OF the republic and
'ne uplifting of mankind.
~. Wealth belongs to him who creates it.
H'efy dollar taken from industry without an
s4lVslent is robbery. If any will not work
neither shall he eat" The Interests OF rural
~ SLa urban labor are the same; their enemies are
- We demand a national currency, safe,
ssula and flexible, issued by the general gov
HIInent only, a full legal tender for all debts
bbeoAc and private, and that without the use Of
ssSsunng corporations just. equitable and
U.Nent D cans of distribution direct TO the
hG fahl sgh oil o. ~