The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-01-13
LONG, OF MAGNOLIA,
Chosen President of the Farmers
Alliance fOrthe Coming Year.
Other Officers Elected.
ALLIANCE DECIDES TO UNITE
WITH THE ALLIANCE OF
THE SOUTH.
Way for Farmers to Settle the Money
Question Is to Take Hold Themselves.

The delegates to the Farmers Alli-
ance Convention on Tuesday. Jan. 5,
did their share of freeing Cuba from
the oppressor's yoke and agreed that
it was the best thing for the Alliance
to unite with. the Farmers Alliance
and Industrial Union of the South.
The officers for the year are:
President. G. Long, Magnolia.
I4ecturer-H. Y. Poor, Bird Island.
Secretary-J. @. Hanley. St. Paul.
Treasurer-H. A. Swain. Northfield.
Vice Presidents-T.J J. Meighen, For
reStville; @. II. Hopkins, Faixfax; An
drew Richmond, Saltwater; w. G.
DAILY. Mapleton; f. S. Fairchild, Min
neapolis; r. j, Hall, Morris.
Legislative Cemmittee-P. II. Ra-
hily, Lake City, chairman; II. Neigh
en-, Forrestville; H. V. Poore, Bird
Island; NJ. ]. Costello. st. Paul; J. T..
Ames, Northfield; W. G. DAILY, Maple
ton; W. w. Prendergast, Concord; E.
Paul; R. J. Hall, Morris.
The first action of President Yer
milya at the opening Of the morning
session was the appointment Of a COM
mittee to walt upon the Railroad and
Warehouse commission and demand
relief and the enforcement of the stat
utes concerning honest grain weights.
P. H. Rahilly was chosen as chairman,
and his associates were T. J. Meighen,
H. V. Poore. M. j. Costello, W. G..
DAILY, w. w. Prendergast and J. T..
Ames.
Hamlin V. Poore, who represents
the Farmers Alliance and Industrial
Union of the South, said that it was
time the Alliance of Minnesota took
some action to preserve it's OrganiZa-
tion. The State Alliance is losing
ground steadily, he declared, and the
proper thing to- do was to unite with
the newer orgcniZatioA--the Farmers
Alliance and. Industrial Union. Min
nesota is the only state that is outside
the organization" said Mr.. .Poore. sin
thiSinew society we have ritual,
password and grip, by which we eau
protect ourselves against hostile intlu-
ences. We have the beneficiary and
insurance features and in my opinion
it is proper that this Alliance should
seek mem bership in the new OrganiZa-
tion."
Radical changes are coming and
are necessary for our protection" said
Mr.. Poore. Every man must consti-
tute himself committee Of one, and
get around among the farmers and get
them to organize at once, and main
tain vigorous organization. We must t
be in position to say to the politi-
clans anu Cne great political parties,
abolish those useless offices and use
every means toward economy But
we are helpless and our only remedy
for the future lies in organization.
There is system, believe, by which
farmers can do business with 95 per
cent of paper money and S per cent of
the other kind. This sys tenn should
be Investigated. Let us not wait for
Others to right our wrongs, but take
matters in our own hands. In no 9TH
er way will we get our rights and full
protection"
G. II. Hopkins denied that the influ-
ence of the Alliance was waning. The
only way for the farmers to settle this
money question was for them to take
the matter in their own hands. The
middle-men must be done away with.
The prod ucer and consumer must be
brought together.
NJ. J. Costello declared it was the
middlemen, in the form of railroads,
that we're absorbing the wealth Of the
farmer and depriving the workingman
of hisdues. He made the gloomy pro-
phecy that politics would not settle
this question, and that the farmere
were but wasting their time in at
tempting to secure legislation to set
tie the financial policy, that would be
Of benefit to all classes. "No solution
Of this deplorable state of affairs can
be had through politics." he declared
mo amount of legislation can destroy
our pernicious system Of finance.
There Is but one resort, and we of
America are standing on the brink Of
the word, and, l believe, the masses of
the De opie would be hurled forward in
the awfullness Of physical revolution"
Mr.. Costello disclaimed any intention
to arouse any volutionary spirit, but
did desire to show the conditions that
exist and the oppressed state Of the
American farmer and workingman.
President Vermilya then appointed
the special committee of three that
has been asked for to vestigate the
local labor exchange, naming Messrs.
Kmes, Holden and Rrevig. Later this
committee reported that the labor ex-
change had been organized in St. Paul
but short time. but it aimed to do
work without payment of money: that
it brought the consumer and prod ucer
in direct contact; that the product Of
one was interchangeable for the labor
of another. The convention accepted
the report. and further investigation
Of the subject will be made.
Mr.. Hoskins had introduced reso-
luton calling on the government to
recognize the belligerency of Cuba, and
there was considerable debate on the
question. Finally Mr.. Rahily put a
Quietus on the resolution by declaring
that the resolution was all right, but
that the convention had too many
matters nearer at home to look after.
When the motion was put uniting
the State Alliance with the Farmers
Alliance and Industrial Union. it was
carried almost unanimously Then