The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-10-21
McGaughey Corrobo-
rates Mr.. DonneI|y,

rates Mr.. DOnneI|y
Mr.. J. P. McGaughey, who was tn
candidate for Lieut.. Governor, OF
the same ticket with Mr.. Donnelly il
1888, and then a prominent leadel
in the ranks OF organized labor
writes the following letter to the Pro
gressive Age of Minneapolis:
Editor OF the Progressive Age.
Nv attention has been called to thu
published statement of Ignatius Don
nelly, in which he gives what pur
ports to be the inside facts in connec
ton with the labor ticket of 1888 il
this state. | have been requested
either to deny or confirm thate state
ment. This request comes from
friends whose attitude towards Mr.
Donnelly, during the past four years,
has not been altogether friendly and
who have had no part in the abor-
tive reform movement Of 1883. Hav-
ing at that time, against my will and
oft-repeated protests, been forced to
pose as candidate for the Office OF
acknowledgement, and being neces-
sarily in position to state exactly
what is true or false in that connec-
ton, do not feel that l can remain
silent in the face of a request of this
kind, coming as it does from friends
whose loyalty to the reform cause,
no man can impugn.
It is true, as Mr.. Donnelly says,
that "there was no party, the whole
thing a sham," so far at least, as Or
ganiza tioD was concerned. In the
forenoon of Aug. %, 1888, there was
held in st. Paul a conference of
knights of Labor, Alliance men, Pat
rons of Husbandry and representa-
tives OF other labor organizations,
for the purpose of promoting their
common interests. Less than a hun
dred attended that conference. 1t
adjourned without political action
being taken. But in the afternoo DON
of the same day a "mass meeting
was called by q few of the men who
were present at the morning confer
ence. At that meeting Mr.. Donnelly
was nominated for governor. Heac-
cepted conditionally, as he says, the
condition being that a fund for cam
paign expenses should be raised.
That meeting nominated me for lieu
tenant-governor against my desire
and in spite of my emphatic declina-
ton. / knew'we had no means to
make a fight, and Mr.. Donnelly is
right again when he quotes me as
saying at the time, "this nonsense of
trying to runa ticket withouta party
and without funds has got to stop"
l said that, however, before and not
at the close of the meeting at Mime
apolis, as Mr.. Donnelly states. But
this does not affect the essential fact.
I may have made that remark at
other times, because that was my
feeling all through. Mr.. Donnelly
says "the next day 1.-THE day after the
meeting at Minneapolis the commit
tee met and withdrew the whole
ticket" My recollection is that this
action of the committee was not
taken until the day following a meet
ing in st. Paul during the week sub
sequent to the Minneapolis meeting.
But this again is not material the
essential fact is that the committee
did withdraw the state ticket as Don
nelly says. It is also true that only
$50 was raised toward the campaign
fund. 1t is true that Mr.. Donnelly
had nothing to do with calling the
convention" and that be returned
from England either on the very day
it was held or the day before.
Mr.. Donnelly is incorrect when he
says that the convention" was held
for personal and local reasons. This
is not fair to the earnest men who
engaged in the attempt to crystalize
the reform sentiment at that time;
it was an honest and straightforward
movement so far as it went.
As to Mr.. Donnelly's challenge to
Gov. Merriam and the republican
party and his relations to that organ
ization subsequent to the with
drawal," l have nothing to say, ex-
cept that if any member of that party
has proof that Donnelly ''sold out"
to Merriam and was venal in
1888 to degree that bars him from
the support of workingmen or any
other class of citizens in '92, then the
present is mighty good time to
bring such proof to the light of day.
After the ticket was withdrawn, Mr..
Donnelly says he supported the re-
publican party 'as a choice of two
evils" That was every mans right,
a right which was exercised by most
Of the men in the conference of Aug.
%.
When Mr.. Donnelly says 81 was
told, at that time, by a leading demo-
cratic friend, that could have SIS, 900
in cash and good fat Office, if i
would take the stump for the demo-
cratic party" he opens up a new
chapter in the story of '88. 1 never
heard OF this offer to Mr.. Donnelly
before, but personal experience. at
that time, makes it almost impos-
sible for me to doubt the truth of the
statement. An offer, similar in kind
fh 0,1rh lose IN q omit xr,oo ,~.l. L.