The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-08-12
COMMITTEE OF CONFERENCE.
POPULISTS, DEMOCRATS AND
SILVER REPUBLICANS MEET.
HtfA i1ftVe
They Agree Upon q Program Which
Will Unite the Reform Forces
,'ss+fs ts ss
,a5 and Lead to Victory.

III and Lead to Victory.
Probably never IN the history Of this
state was there more unique gathering
OF divergent political views than that
which occurred last Monday at Hotel
Brunswick, Minneapolis. The meeting
was called by Mr.. Thomas J. Meighen,
of Forestville, the chairman of the Pop
ulist state central committee, by special
invitation, at which the leading MEM
bers OF three different parties from all
sections of the state were invited to be
present and take part in the proceed
ings.
Mr. Meighen demonstrated his ability
as diplomat and leader by the delicacy,
conservatism and firmness with which
he handled the meeting.
Mr.. Meighen opened up the meeting by
stating that he was responsible for the
gathering, and that he wanted it dis
tinctly understood that he was only act
ing In his own private capacity as citi-
zen of the state with the interests of the
people at heart; that he thought he
would try and do his duty by this at
tempt to get the reform forces together,
and hoped some plan could be agreed
upon that would be fair, reasonable and
satisfactory to all parties concerned, and
that united and determined effort would
be made to redeem the state from the
domination of the corrupt Republican
machine which has controlled it since
its admission to the union. He urged
calm and patriotic consideration of the
matter before the meeting.
The matters were discussed at consid-
cradle length and all Joined in the deli
cacy of their position as representing au-
thoritatively no one.
The discussion soon brought out gen.
eral desire that something should be
done to prevent the same confusion
which was the result Of the Chicago
convention in nominating a full ticket
without the advice or consent of the Pop
ulists.
1t was finally agreed that each polit-
lea party would get together and decide
what their demands would be, and then
report to general conferenc before ad-
jOurning. f.f
The following committee Of seven
from the Populists, consisting Of Hon.
1gnatius Donnelly, of Third congress
siOnal district; J. c. Hanley, of the
Fourth district; Prof Dobbyn, of the
Fifth district; DR.. johnson, Of the Sew
enth district; Martin e. Tew, of the
Second district; H. A. Swain, the First
district, and F. H. Clark, the Sixth dis
trict.
After a general discussion, which last
ed for several hours, the following de-
mands were presented by Mr.. Donnelly
to the general conference: "That we ask
the Democratic state convention to re-
serve the places of four presidential
electors. the lieutenant-governora and at
torneygeneral for the Populists, and
ask, to- have committee appointed to
meet this committee, who would be au-
thOrized to present the demands before
their convention" All the demands of
the Populists were cordially received and
adopted. Then Mr.. Donnelly was made
chairman of the general conference, and
Mr.. Griffin, of the silver Republicans.
was made secretary. Meeting adjourned
to meet at the Exposition hall next day
at 2 o'clock to meet the official confer
ence committee of the Democratic state
convention. Much credit must also be
given for the manly, fair and earnest
manner which Mr.. T. ]. McDermott,
chairman of the state central commit
tee, presented and argued the Demo-
cratic side of the question, and the spirit
of concession which pervaded all of his
remarks.
The Democratic portion of the confer
ence, of which Judge Rea, of Minneapolis;
Hon.sJ. H. McGrath, of Winona; Hon. H.
]. Peck, of Shakopee, and other leading
Democrats throughout the state, &C
cepted the whole program. Mr.. DON
nelly, DR.. johnson and Mr. Swain, of the
Populists were most solicitous that the
idea should prevail that the Populists
committee were acting only in their pri-
waite capacity, and that it was just pos
sible that our state convention might
not adopt this plan, which was also &C
cepted.
And at the request of many readers Of
the Representative" I herewith also
present Mr.. Donnelly's speech in full as
appeared in the St. Paul Globe, before
the state Democratic convention.
Hon. H. ]. Peck, of Shakopee, from the
conference committee, reported that the
agreement was as stated in the Globe
yesterday-Lind for governor; Populist
for lieutenant governor; Democrats for
secretary of state and treasurer; Pop
ulist for Encouragement, and an even
division of electors. He said there was
a distinguished representative of the
Peoples Party present, and introduced
Ignatius Donnelly.
Then a scene ensued, the like Of which
has rarely been witnessed, even in the
most exciting crises, in the proceedings
of any convention. When the Sage ad-
vanced to the platform pandemonium
-reigned supreme. His reception was one
which indicated that even the most self
possessed of the delegates and those
least in touch with the doctrines which
Donnelly has been enunciating for the
past 20 years, were his enthusiastic adj
mirers. The feeling seemed to sweep
over the convention that this great man
whom the Democrats Of the state had
for years reviled and misrepresented,
was, after all, the leader and the prophet
Of them all, whose faith in the common
people had never wavered, and whose
devotion to the popular cause had at last
triumphed, as all true heroism will
sooer or later.
The vast convention arose and cheered
and cheered again. A revolution had
just been effected, and they recognized
it. They were honoring the man, to de-
feat whom in his candidacy for gov
ernor four years before, they had placed
in nomination their own young Prince
Rupert-Daniel w. Lawler. And where
was Lawler now? He and his friends
had. few moments before, been thrown
ell but bodily out of that same conven-
ton. and were vending their way back
to St. Paul, sadder but wiser men.
It needed not Donnelly's fine touch of
humor and sarcasm to demonstrate to