The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1892-02-27
THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE

or the Industrial Associations Of the
Country At st. Louis-The Various Ele-
ments Dissatisfied with the Existing
Political rarties Would Endcavor to
Evolve Something Better.
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 23-There met n
thiscity yesterday-Washington's birth
day-a notable gathering of patriots,
each one ready and anxious to reform
all the abuses to which humanity, es-
pecially that portion Of the human
family which is honored by American
citizenship, is subjected by the rule,
local and national of the two great
parties who have hitherto divided the
votes and the patronage of the coun-
try.
Whether they can agree upon q plan
and make that plan effective; whether
they can harmonic the diverse If not
conflicting interests of the various or
ganizations making up the component
elements of the great convention;
whether they can unite upon leaders of
sufficient personal force and magnetism
to hold these elements together;
whether, in fact, the meeting is to be
big with results Of lasting and bene-
fetal nature, or to gather and adjourn
and be forgotten. remains for the future
to determine.
There can be no doubt of the intel.
lectual force represented by the gath
ering which convened in Music hall at
o'clock yesterday afternoon. There
were present in that body men and
women who have made their mark al
ready upon the thought and action OF
their time. Leaders in the discussion
and solution of the problems of the
social progress Of the age were there.
In the front ranks of the delegations
crowding the grand hall and on the
stage. facing the delegations, sat such
men as l.. L. Polk, of North Carolina,
president of .the Farmers and Labor
ers' Union of America; Terence v.
Powderlv, grand master workman of
the Knights of Labor; A. T. Streeter,
of Illinois, champion of the anti-mo-
nopolists;Hamlin Garland. the novelist
enthusiast of the single tax doctrine;
Representatives Herman Taubeneck,
of ILLINOIS, and Robert Schilling,
of Wisconsin. the apostles of the
peoples party; W. A. Carsey, Of New
York city. anti-monopolist league; Ig-
natius Donnelly, the Minneapolis sage
and student; Secretary Hayes Of the
Knights of Labor; Congressman Davis,
Judge Snyder, of Kansas, Post, of
Georgia. Washburne, of Massachusetts,
Gen. John b. Weaver, of Iowa, Con-
gresham Livingston, Of Georgia, c. A.
Rankin and others
Amidst these men sat Miss Frances
E. Willard, the brains of the women Of
America in the prohibition movement,
representing power ready to go hand
in hand with the organization Of the
third party, which is expected to date
its birth from yesterdays opening of
the convention of industrial associa-
tions of America.
The effecting Of a coalition upon
grounds that will be satisfactory to all
concerned is the first question ut issue.
The draft of platform has been pre-
pared which deals only with the ques-
tions of land, transportation and
money, leaving all other points set
verely alone. This platform is not
agreeable to certain elements Of the
delegations. and will have to be fought
out during the progress Of the convsn-
tion.
The decoration Of the stage of Expo
si;ion Music hall was most striking, its
front and sides being elaborately
draped with the national colors. one
stand of colors rising from the center
and lending picturesque effect to. the
whole.
The progress of the opening session
was marked with noticeable dignity
and order. The conference as a body
is composed of men who contrast favor
ably with any political gathering of the
older parties, and whose evident earn
estness of purpose is apparent in their
hearing