St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-02
Fathers OF REFORM.
Organizers OF the Minnesota
Farmers Alliance Swing
Into Line.
Still Demanding Reform, They
Have Enlisted Anew in
the Battle.
Three Ex-PPesidentS and
Many Other Officers Are
Among Them.
Ex-Congressman Milo White
Deserts the Old Repub-
lican Hulk.

lican Hulk.
The Republican party has become the
plant tool of rings and monopoly.
1t is time for a complete change in the
Itate and national governments.
The issue has been made plain and
llear by Grover Cleveland in the ma
ional campaign and by Dan w. Lawler
IN the state contest.
Thousands of former Republicans
have deserted their old party in this
.ampalgn, and thousands more have
about made up their minds to do so.
r. ii. Atwood, of StearnS county.
X. j. Hall, of Stevens.
George w. Sprague, of Fillmore.
Charles Canning, of st. Louis.
ID. w. HiXson, Of Grant.
Seth BOttomley, of Martin.
John Diamond, of Blue Earth.
ii. f. Sanford, of Grant.
George w. Haigh, OF Blue Earth.
M. Nach6ar, of Scott.
Gen. j. II. Baker. of Blue Earth.
Thomas G. HOdgsOn. of Grant.
J.
past been officers of heMinnesotaFarm
ers' Alliance, all of whom were sup
porting S. M. Owen two years ago,
are this year doing valiant service in
the fight the Democracy is making
against the rings and mOnOpolles.
Look at the list; although far from
complete one of the officers of the Alli-
Rnce who are 'enIsted for the war" as
one of them expressed it, it contains the
pames of three eX-preSidentS of the
organization, and treaSurerS, vice preSl-
dents, secretaries and district organic
ers. The stand taken by these men in
this campaign means great deal and
represents change of sentiment and
reformation of the political lines that is
bound to turn out the old ring that has
ruled this state SO long and place in
power men who will give the people the
reform legislation they have been so
long demanding.
This campaign has many features
common to that of go, features appear
ing in all of the great convulsiOns when
political party is going to pieces and
new ones are forming.
Then the newspapers teemed with the
announcements of prominent Democrats
who had lett their party on the slavery
Issue and joined the Republican party,
uSt as they now contain reports of elni-
nent Republicans who are joining the
Democratic party because of the pater-
nalism of their party, of which protec-
lion is bet one illustration.
The OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES element in
the Republican party is driven off and
taking refuge in the ranks of the Dem
Dcracy,
Notably is this the case with the old
Abolition stock, coming to us because
they are still AbolitiOnists, opposing
the white slavery of protection.
In this state the same tendency is at
work among the men who began years
ago to labor for reforms in the economic
conditions of the farmers of the state.
The original promoters of the Alliance
mOvement-the men who fathered it
and stood at It's head and guided it, who
gave to it years of unselfish effort that
good might come to their fellow men
have found themselves forced either to
abandon their convictions and Surren-
der their objects or else to leave the Re
publican party.
They made brave fight.
III some directions they accomplished
much, but when they sought the aid of
the state to reform abuses that had
grown up under the shadow of the state,
they found themselves thWarted by
power which they could not see or
locate, but which they felt. Imbued
with early prejudices, when they de-
cided to take a hand in the political
field and try to win at the polls the
relief denied them in legislative halls,
they could not unite their forces with
the only pOlitlcal organization existing,
and made the serious mistake OF an in
dependent movement. The result was
hOf Il % oh
working for reform and gave to the Re-
publicans further lease of power.
Since the conflict of go they have seen
the organization they built UP with so
much toll pass under the control of dem
Rgogues whose loyalty to the farmers
PAUSE they have good reason to suspect.
They were compelled to believe that the
new leaders were but secret allies of the
Republicans, OStenSibly opposing, but
really and consciously aiding them by
preventing the union of the reform
forces OF the state.
They beheld their organization di-
Verted from the objects it pursued and
sent after visionary schemes, whose ad-
Vocacy could but bring contempt and
defeat.
1t became a practical question what
10 do.
To follow Donnelly was to aid the
power they had fought; the mOnopo-
listic forces which, under Republican
rule, had fastened upon the industrial
energies of the state and fattened on
the labor of the masses.
Return to the Republican party they
could not and would not. To stand
Rloof inert, moody, idle, would not be
doing the part OF men in the great fight.
They saw a great organization, fully
equipped for the struggle, eSpousing
vigorously and sincerely the reforms
they had asked for. Ii bore name they
had been taught to dislike.
To join it they must set aside the
prejudices Of years. They were too
to let mere gToundlesS prejudice prevent
them from doing what they thought was
right. They cast these aside, ana are
Today fighting for the success of the
Democratic ticket, state and national,
because they see in this the only means
Of accomplishing what they desire.
First in this long list is the name of E.
II. Atwood, of Stearns county. For
many years he was an influential leader
In the Republican party. He believed
IN it, and was then, as now, a hard
lighter. Years ago he saw that there was
something wrong, and when the Far
merS' Alliance Sprang into existence he
went into it. Twice he was made pres
Ident of the organization. Two years
ago he entered into this independent
movement with all his energy, seeing
that there was no hope of securing the
reform legislation demanded from the
Republican party. THIS year, after
carefully considering the matter, Mr..
Atwood laid aside his old prejudces
md is working with the party that has
promised the reforms the old Alliance
was organized to secure.
r. j. Hall was the nrAsjdent of t'a