The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-14
A FIREBRAND.
CONTINUED from First Page.l

Upon recOnvening of the afternoon
session, Chairman Monnett ruled that
the report of the committee on national
organizat ton is privileged business. He
called on the chairman of the commit
tee, Gen. J. B. Weaver of Iowa. Gen.
Weaver stated that the report had been
unanimously agreed to in committee
and asked the convention to adopt it
in the same manner
Secretary Norton of Alabama then
read the report which was in part as
follows:
ORGANIZATION PLAN.
1.-The committee on national organic
alton report that they have considered
the question of a national organization
to combat the evils of the trust and
monopoly power of the land. They
have thoroughly considered the plan
of organization of the American anti
trust league and find that the plan of
organization therein provided for. as
amended by this committee is admir-
ably suited to the work before us; be-
ginning al the precinct league and run
ming up to the township organization,
from that to the county organization;
from that up to the state organization
and from that up to the national or
ganization, the plan being well adapted
to the easily masSing together of the
men of America opposed to monopolies
and trusts and thereby making their
forces effective in driving from the leg
iSlative halls of the state and nation
the tools of monOpOlieS and trusts and
putting III their places iIicl III ~ III
pathy with the public welfare.
we therefore present to the confer
ence the following constitution and
recommend its adoption and we recon-
mend that the delegates from the sew
eral states here represented recommend
from their respective state q national
vice president for their state and three
men to represent their state in the ma
tional committee and that the said
body of men, composed of the national
wee president and the three national
committeeman, proceed to organize
every voting precinct of the United
States of America into nom partisan,
antitrust leagues, in which the test of
membership shall be that they shall
subscribe to the constitution and decla-
ration OF principles adopted by this
body.
"The constitution recommends that
tho name of this organization shall be
the American Trust League; any
American citizen of satisfactory char
acter and qualifications shall be ell
igible; local leagues to be composed
members. county leagues of five or
more local leagues; local leagues may
form state leagues on such basis of
representation as convenient
Until the first national convention
is held the national league shall consist
of the national committeeman, the ma
tional .egisla tive committee and the ma
tonal officers. Thereafter the national
league shall be composed of delegates
elected by popular vote of the members
of each state Each state shall be en-
titled to one delegate to the national
league and one delegate for each adj
ditiOnal 500 members. A national
president, to hold office two years, is
provided for, with power to choose re-
main ng officers, including national
committee of three members from each
state end territory, and a national ex-
ecutive committee of fifteen, of Which
the league officers shall be members,
and which shall appoint committee on
ways and means to raise necessary
funds"
Provisions for afiliating the local
leagues with the national organization
and leVieS of dues, etc, are made. 1t IS
provided that the national vice presi-
dents shall act as chief organizers of
the state leagues, and shall appoint
a chief organizer for each county. The
county organizer may appoint organic
ers for the sub division of his territory.
The report concludes: The executive
committee shall temporarily appoint
the vice presidents and three national
committeeman and the delegates in the
conference as made shall make recon-
mendatiOnS to the committee for this
purpose; and the vice president so APP
pointed, shall as soon as advisable call
a state league for the purpose of elect
ing their successors and perfecting the
state Orga niZatiOn. The vice presidents
so appointed shall hold their places I'M
til their offices are filled by the state
league and the national officers until
the national league fills their places
your committee recommend that the
platform adopted by this body be made
the declaration of principles of the ma
tiOnal organization.
Resolved, That we Recommend NJ.
Lockwood for president; H B. Martin
and W. B. Fleming, for financial secre-
tary.'