Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1891 — WORLD FEEDERS. [ARTICLE]

WORLD FEEDERS.

Supreme Council of the Farmers’ Alliance. Crash the. Traits, Change the Tariff and Control Legislation is the Unwritten Oath of the Order. The Supreme Council of the Farmers’ Alliance convened at Indianapolis on the 17t67 Mayor Sullivan delivered an address oT welcome, to which J. F. TillmanSecretary of tho Alliance Executive Com* mittee, responded. He drew a vivid picture of the “•MlHon dollar Congress”; declared that the tariff shall come down to a reasonable basis of taxation; declared for more currency, and all other accepted doctrines of the order. General J. B. Weaver, of lowa, made a speech on the general situation, which was received with enthusiasm. He was followed by Congressman Jerry Simpson, of Kansas, in the same f* *ain. President Willetts, of the Kansas a. nance, spoke briefly. As usual, much time has been devoted to preliminaries over which many littl e hitches always occur. Added to this the fact that much of their proceedings were in secret session, it has been difficult to give a fair report of the proceedings. So far as the public is able to judge, the meeting has not been fraught with wanted harmony and thelioped for results. The two great organizations, the Alliance and the F. M. B. A., are no nearer amalgamation the third party movement has brought on( a bitter factional fight in each, and there is an absolute certainty of a split on the sub-treasury question. But these are not the only stumbling blocks in tho way of the Alliance. The Macune and anti-Macune factions are making serious personal charges against each other, and the finances of both orders are running very low. This last feature has resulted in a great deal of dissatisfaction and contention already. In‘the Alliance tho treasury is so low that-it it will possible to defray the expenses of all th° delegates, so Mr. Macune introduced a resolution cutting down the representation two-fifths, and it was adopted. At Wednesday morning’s session of the supreme council of the Farmers’ Alliance and Industrial Union a press committee was appointed composed of Messrs. J. Brad Beverley of Virginia, J. J. Laughinghouse of North Carolina, R. A. Southworth of Colorado, H.W, Bell of Georgia and Thomas Barton of Illinois. Here is the “official” report: The morning session was taken up with reports of corumiHpes. on Credentials and order of business and the appointment of several regular committees. The following resolution "was offered by Col. Livingston, M.C., froin Georgia: Resolved, That the supreme council now assembled do emphatically declare their unqualified adherence to the sub-treasury plan as adopted at Ocala. A rising vote was asked for. It stood unanimous and the declaration from the ihair was received with greatenthusiasm. Thirty-three out of thirty-four of the srganized States were represented*by their full delegation. A written request was lent in to the council by Hall of Missouri Snd McAllister of Mississippi purporting to represent the anti-sub-treasury meeting held at St. Louis,asking the priviledge of the floor that they might make complaints and State grievances. The privilege of the floor was denied them, and on motion of Col. Livingston ttw following resolutions was adopted: Resolved, That a committee of five he appointed to meet the committee f romtbe anti-sub-treasuryites, hear their complaints and suggestions.

The greater part of the evening, session was consumed receiving resolutions and referring them to their proper committeesFully one hundred and nity were referred. Later, on a call from the chair, a representative delegate from each Stat was allowed five minutes in which to state to the council the condition of the order in his State. . This. brought About a genuine “experience meeting” and love feast. A committee from tho F. M. B. A., consisting of Messrs. H. E. Taubeneck, C. M. Sargent and A. Rodgers, knocked at tho doorsof the Council and was received with great applause and a speech of welcome from President Polk, which was replied to by one of the visiting gentlemen. A committee was appointed to meet a like committee from the F. M. B. A. to have b mutual coherence o» matters of Riammon interest. f Chairman W. S. McAllister of Missis* [sippl requested to be hoard In behalf of the complaints and protests of the anti-sub-treasury Allianco men. The letter, although courteously worded, produced the wilest confusion and disorder. Several numbers yelled out "We don’t want to hear anything from McAllister; ho has done more to destroy us than all our enemies put together. Down with his trick to sow discord among us.”

Col. Livingston said there was no occasion for alarm, and moved to appoint a committee of five to meet the anti-sub. treasury committee, hear its protests, and report to the supreme council. McDowel* of Tennessee moved to table Livingston’s motion and bitterly attacked McAllister, alleging that he was here In the interest of Wall st., the eastern press and anti-Alli-anco Democracy of the South. Terrell of Texas opposed the motion to table, saying that there was a large and respectable crowd under McAllister’s umbrella whose complaints should be heard and considered. i Wardall of South Dakota Spoke earnestly in behalf of the motion to table, saying that it would be cowardice to recognize McAllister’s committee, the chairman of which was here representing the worst political elements' in the South, that he had done nothing else for eight months but attack Alliance leaders and oppose its measures. ‘‘lf you don’t mind,” he said “when yon consent to, hear his protest, yon will get bold of an electric battery that you can’t turn loose.” The vote was finally taken on Col. Livingston’s motion to appoint a committee of flye to consider the protest, which prevailed by a two-third 9 majority. President Polk then appointed the committee, with Livingstou as chairman. , i Having disposed of this unpleasant matter

the convention immediately forestalled the prospective protest by adopting s resolution to stand by the sub-treasury p !ap- • , v Thodisposition of the supreme conncl toward the anti-sub-treasnry committe* was pretty clearly indicated in thelettei its committee sent in reply to that of McAllister and his fellows. The letter is u follows: Messrs. Hall, McAllister andothers: Gentlemen— Growing out Of your application before the supreme council to b« ’ heardin regard to certain grievances 01 complaints before that body a committe* was appointed to confer and with powei to hear, conclude and report to the supreme council. Therefore, you are invited to appear before that committee at room 74 Denison hotel, at 8 o’clock a. m., 19tb inst Answer at room 58, said hotel. L. F.. Livingston, Chairman for Committee. The time of meeting was afterward changed to 6 o’clock on the previous evening at same place. At that hour Messrs. McAllister, Teaman arid Gates of tfip auti-sub-treasury committee were met by tho committe# from the supremo council, consisting ol Livingston of Georgia, Beck of Alabama, Householder of Kansas, Tfacy of Texa# and Cannon of California. Dr. Yeamans opened the discussion as follows; Mb Chaibman— On the 15th of September last a convention of anti-sub-treasury men of the Farmers’ Alliance assembled in the city ofSt. Louis. That convention after two days’ deliberation appointed a committee 01 gentlemen from several different States to memorialize the Supreme Council by way of protest against certain principals and demands of the Ocala merd,- « mg of the council. That committee deputed me t o draw up and present that protest. And now in the spirit of fraternity 1 am here in the discharge of that duty. We await the pleasure of the committee over which you preside, The committee of tiie tonneil asked for the reading of the protest, which was done by Dr. Yeamans. Col. Livingston suggested that Dr. Yeamans read the protest, which was done. The reading occupied twenty minutes, at the conclusion of which Col Livingston said, “Now, when you break down dor ~ relief plan you must offer a substitute, and what do von propose?”. Chairman McAllister said that his committee were not empowered to frame a platform, but that they couleji readily improve on the measures against which they are here to protest.