Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1894-03-16
The Farmers Leader
State Central Committee.
Representative Independents Moot ~
Sioux Falls and Arrange for tho
State Convention.

State Convention.
The Central Committee meeting at
Sioux Falls was a harbinger Of victory
for the people in 1894.
The independent State Central Com
mittee met IN the City Council Chamber
at Sioux Falls last week Wednesday in
the forenoon and was presided over by
Hon. T. NJ. Simmons chairman. At
l:30 the meeting rs-assembled after din
ner, and at this time nearly all were
present. The large and spacious hall
was crowded and many had to stand up.
There was no secrecy in the deliberations,
there was nothing to conceal. 1t was
representative meeting of the people of
the state by delegates and many attended
who were in earnest sympathy with the
peoples movement. The selection of
place for the State Convention and time,
developed harmony Of purpose and the
best Of feeling. De Smet and other towns
were kindly mentioned, bat the sentiment
of the convention from the beginning
favored Mitchell as the place some time
in june when the great farming interests
of the State could be best suited, as the
time for the Convention. These questions
were discussed IN open meeting and prac-
tically settled before the Central Commit
tee met in an adjoining room. During
the meeting Messrs. Lowe, Goodfellow,
Hon. Duncan McFarlane. Buchanan.
Editor Knowles of the Black Hills, G. B.
Kennedy, DR.. Fish. Mr.. Loucks, DR..
Peterman, o. NJ. Ivsrson, Editor Kelly,
Mr.. Meredith Alison Bevee of Elk Point,
and others addressed the meeting. 1t
was love feast OF earnest purpose and
harmony. Chairman Simmons, received
several dispatches during the meeting
relating to business aud conveying words
of cheer for the cause. Mr.. Simmons
belongs to an old Virginia family, and
his father and brothers and himself were
ameng the most active republicans in
that state. He has plenty Of sound sense
and is not troubled with an ever conf
dence in rainbow chasing, but believes in
sound buisinecs principles in political
matters. He thinks the Independent
party can extend one hand to the repub-
licans and the other hand to the demo-
Gratis and sayeGed bless you we need
recruits in this grand struggle for human
liberty and commercial prosperity. He
says the democrats generally are looking
towards the independent party, and
thousands of free silver republicans will
vote with the independents this year.
Western republicans are generally for
free silver, but the republican party as
organized and commanded by John Sher
man and Tom Reed, is the main strength
of the gold bug party, hence Western
sepublicans see no hope only in the success
Of the independent party.
The Central Committee Meeting decld-
ed on Mitchell as the place and June 12
as the time for the Independent party to
meet in state convention. The conven-
tion meets on Tuesday and will extend to
Friday, when the jubilee will close.
In the evening Germanla Hall was
crowded with an earnest audience.
Many prominent democrats and free
silver republicans were present. Hon.
Henry Smith called the meeting TO order
and Mr.. Cotton OF Minnehaha. was called
to the chair The first of the speakers
was G. B. Kennedy, followed by Messrs.
Loucks, Knowles, Kelley, Censor,
Goodfeliow and DR.. Fish. The audience
was in hearty sympathy with the spirit
Of the speakers, and the applause was
frequent and the enthusiasm genuine.
Thus was begun the opening OF the cam
paign for 1894. There was strong del
egation present At the afternoon meeting
from Minnehaha, consisting in part OF
E. J. Berdahl, Lasse BSthun, E: 3.
Merideth, John Lansaess. l.. N. Esta-
brook, Henry Smith, Robert Buchanan.
Tom Leavitt, and H. J. Eager. These
gentlemen represent the independent
party of the county, and they are all
earnest workers. Joe Kirby and Melvin
Grigsby were at the meeting, and seemed
in hearty sympathy with the organization
Editor Cochrane and Hon. p. o. Peter !
son of Brookings. Editor Kidd Of Abcr-
deem, comrade Potter and D. G. Tiffany
of Salem, Editor Johnson Of Mitchell. |
Major Dowdcll of Artesian, Editor Know
les of Deadwood- Hon. Duncan McFar-
lane of Washington, J. r. Lowe, prcsi-
dent of the State Alliance, Alison Bovee
of Elk Point, Knute Weeks of Clay, DR..
Peterman and Major Shurtlieff of Parker.
and many others from different parts Of
the state we did not have the pleasure Of
meeting. Lincoln county was represent
ed by o. NJ. Iverson. Frank Leavitt, W.
N. Parke. Andrew Messner. G. B. Ken.
pedy, G. B. Young, ]. NJ. Buswell, w.
H. Pelton, Fl. O. Strand, John 1verson
and there may have been Others whom
we did not see. The writer did not have |
time to see half of those he would liked |
to have met. because Of the great crowd |
and limited time. The independent
party starts out full Of harmony and |
hope for victory.
During the afternoon meeting a COM
mittec consisting Of c: B. Kennedy.
Judge Wilkes. freeman Knowles, T. II.
Null and II. H. Potter, was appointed to
the actual condition of the
vacancy on the supreme court bench
filled by Gov. Sheldon. and report at the
~ eovy>u$iaM