The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-24
Crazy Scenes in the st. Louis
Reformers' Convention.
THIRD PARTY MEN TRIUMPH,
Committee of $50 to Nail Together a
Comprehensive Platform.
1t VIII Even Favor Prohibition-South-
ern Zealots Tear the Mask of Hypoc-
risy From the Faces of Political
Tricksters, and Are in Turn Exposed.

|
a great political gathering than the one
presented late this afternoon in the big
national industrial conference For sew
eral anxious minutes the convention
seemed about to break to pieces in fight.
The committee on credentials caused all
this trouble by seating the contesting, or
third party, delegates from Georgia. As
soon as their names were read pande-
| monium broke loose. Moses, of Georgia,
an anti-third party man, made vigorous
| objection unless the contestants would
| submit to the unit rule. In an instant,
Post, one of the contested men, was up.
| He was here, he said, as a dele
| gate chosen by the State Alliance,
| while Moses was chosen by the executive
| committee. Nineteen-twentieths of the
| State Alliance of Georgia were in favor of
| independent political action, and the
small faction represented by the other
| wing was not deserving of consideration.
| Congressman Livingston, declared Post,
had himself declared in favor of selecting
| delegates all of one opinion or the other
and then chose a set OF men whose pur-
| pose 1t was, as was LIvingston's own, to
deliver the Alliance, bound hand and
foot, to the old Democratic ring. Branch,
| VI pcOIEid, also yellSu at TIE Top Oh his
voice in the same vein.
The uproar increased. Delegates were
shaking fists in one another's faces and
the chairman's gavel had no more effect
than pin. Chairman Brown, of the Gre
dentials committee, said the committee
had recognized the great seal of the Alli-
ance Of Georgia and found three men en-
titled to seats. This left two vacancies,
E L A. L
been filled by selections from the opposing
force. 1t was not question of old politi-
cal parties but question of peace. Con-
fusion continued for fully five minutes.
Finally Ellington, of Georgia, mounted
chair and repeated Posts charges against
the Georgia executive committee. Moses
tried to get at him and free fight seemed
| unavoidable, but the convention, seeming
suddenly to realize the disgrace of the
affair, took an astonishing right-about-face
de ntiais was adopted.
When the conference was opened
Chairman Connor stated that if ANYBODY
was not present for harmonious action he
might get out of the way or be stepped
upon. He then announced that the COM
mittee on credentials had been in session
partial report.
The report recommended the seating of
246 delegates from the Farmers Alliance,
53 from the Farmers Mutual Benefit Asso-
citation, 50 from the Knights of Labor, 81
from the National Farmers Alliance, 15
from the National Citizens Alliance,
81 from the colored Farmers Mu-
tual Benefit Association, q from the
T.
65 from the Patrons of Industry and %
from the Patrons of Husbandry; total,
CIT. The Farmers Alliance was given
twenty-five delegates at large, and thir-
teen minor detached organizations and
individuals were given a representation
of fifty-eight. Ignatius Donnelly moved
to amend that Miss Frances Willard,
Lady Somerset, Clara Hoffman and
F. H. ingalls, be seated as delegates repre-
senting the National Women's Christian
Temperance Union. The amendment
and the report were adopted.
General Weaver moved the election of
President Polk, of the Farmers Alliance,
as permanent chairman of the convention,
and it was carried unanimously In an
instant Powderly, of the knights of La
Dor, was on his feet, hotly protesting
Others added their protests, and an Hi
nois delegate made motion for reconsid-
| Grafton of the election of Polk. The mo-
ton was promptly carried and it was de-
cided that the vote be by states instead of
by organizations. and Polk was unani-
mously elected. Polk then announced that
the next order of business was the
election of vice president and other officers.
VII
Terrlll, of Texas, were elected vice pres
ldents. John w. Hayes, of the Knights
of Labor, was made secretary, and War
wick, colored delegate from Virginia.
assistant secretary.
While a motion by Simpson, of Kansas,
TO adjourn for two hours was pending. DR..
McCune read a telegram from Messrs
| Whitaker and Davis, urging the conference
| to adopt a resolution asking congress to
| pass the anti-option bill. McCune made a
motion that a special committee be ap-
| pointed, but finally recess of thirty
minutes was secured, with the understand
| ing that a committee would be appointed.
| committee on platform was agreed to-
| consisting of one representative from each
organization and one additional for each
| twenty five delegates of that organization
| AZ tllS IOliNGAtApL anu OIS
| from each state.
! The third party fight was brought on in
| earnest by the report of the committe on
| credentials, seating Post and Branch, two
| third party delegates who it had been
sought 10 shut out. In general scramble
| for the floor Post got in first, and in bit
| ter speech denounced Congressman Living
| ston, OF Georgia. as attempting to hand
| over the Alliance in that state, bound
| hand and foot, to the Democratic party.
| The excitement caused by this accusation
| was intense, but after scene of extra
| ordinary confusion the report of the Gre
| dentials committee was adopted by large
| majority, a substantial triumph for the
| third party. The row among the Georgians
! continued fiercely. and was only ended
/ by the sergeant-at-arms forcibly seating
| the warning Southrons. When quiet was
| measurably restored the long list of mem
bers of the platform committee was finally
| completed and read. making a total Of
nearly 80 members. The announcement of
! Post as committeeman from Georgia start
| ed another row in the Georgia delegation,
| whereupon Jerry Simpson suggested that
| half the Georgia delegates be appointed
| for Alaska, TO give them chance to cool
/ Oft
| Willetts, national lecturer of the Farm
ers' Alliance, moved that the covention