THE ALLIANCE.
PUBLISHED EVtfiY SATURDAY MORNING.
i$r tiie
ALLIANCE PUBLISHING CO.
BOHANNAN BLOCK,
Lincoln, - - - Nebraska.
J. BURROWS, :
J, M. THOMPSON,
: . Editor,
Associate Editor.
All communications for the raTorI,?,1,d
le addressed to THE ALLIANCE PUBLISH
ING CO., aud all matters pertaining to the
Farmers' Alliance, Ineludittr subscriptions to
the pape, to the Secretary.
E 3D ITORIA.L.
' A CtSTOMS UNION.
The pan-American delegates have at
last got through'-with their outing, and
are leisurely getting ready for business.
Having ridden over a large portion of
the continent they must appreciate the
extent of 'our' country.; They have
viewed our great cities, inspected our
magnificent buildings, looked through
our public institutions, criticised and
admired and flattered our fair women,
and have been wined and feted by the
select four hundred snobs who form the
thin upper crust which must be broken
i. , mt of rrpninnft heart of
4IU VJWil i.r . L. tv .v - -
American society. After all this, if
they are ready now to get down to
real business without a long soak in
cold towels they are a remarkably good
lot of men.
One of the subjects which has been
named for their meeting is a customs
union. They will have no more diffi
cult question to deal with. Undoubted
ly, from every economic and statesman
like point of view, the great desidera
tum of all the countries of this western
hemisphere, is free and unrestricted in
terchange of t heir natural products and
their manufactures. But the legislation
of the past has apparently had for its
object the restriction of such an inter
change. We have all of us been taxing
the productions of our neighbors, and
some of us are foolish enough to believe
that in so doing we are getting the as
sistance of these neighbors in paying
our running expenses. We have all es
tablished vexatious and expensive regu
lations to prevent the fruits of our
neighbors' industry, or the bounties of
their soil and climate, from being
brought across our borders without pay
ing the legal impost. Y e have estab
lished a network of custom houses along
every national line, and employ an ex
pensive army of .. inspectors to prevent
the farmers of these countries from
swapping- diamond . rings when they
shake hands across the border. The
existing restrictions between the coun
tries of the western hemisphere are
axdies of a barbarous age, when the
principles of trade were not understood,
and when it was believed that a tax up-
Oil a CC ri$llll iHllllC IW I UJIUll lu-
then owners of that article, instead of a
means by which their profits could be
enhanced. While we have established
lines 01 custom nouses, .England nas es
tablished lines of steamships. ' The re-
isult of these respective policies may
mow be seen in the condition of trade
between us and our near neighbors, and
between them and England. The latter
vountry comes to our very doors and
takes the lion's share of the trade that
naturally, by location, similarity of in
stitutions,' and the laws of necessity, be
longs to us.
As a progressive and expansive na
tion, desiring for the use of our laborers
and mechanics the raw material with
which our neighbors are so richly en
flowed, and desiring unrestricted mar
kets for whatever we may have to sell,
we must desire to annex all the coun
tries of this western hemisphere. We
lo not desire to assume their debts, to
influence their local laws, nor interfere
with their local police. At the same
lime, to annex them for purposes of
trade it -would be necessary for us and
them to take an interest in certain na
tional laws and regulations affecting
trade. Now -how is this great national
-desideratum to be accomplished? .Take
the case of Canada, for instance. Of
what would a customs union between
this country and Canada consist? 1st, Of
absolute free trade between this coun
try and Canada, with customs regula
tions which.- would prevent smuggling
into this country through Canada. 2nd,
Of the admission into our congress,
and into the Dominion parliament, of
commissioners from each country, who
should have a vote and voice on all in
ternational tjtjiestions, and no other.
The same principle would apply to our
southern neighbors. These two princi
ples practically applied would make a
trade confederation extending from the
Straits of Magellan to the Arctic ocean,
and would weld the people of these two
continents into a homogenous race that
would rule. the world.
The absurdity-of maintaining a line
of custom houses betweeen this country
and the British North American pro
vinces may be shown by a summary
of the trade letween these provinces
and the United States for almost any
year. We will take 1887, that being
the latest date' to which we have official
treasury returns:
Total imports from British
North American provin
ces for 1887, were $33,015,581
Total exports to same pro-;
vinces for same year $30,162,847
Balance of trade in our fa- '
-imv 41 Q-JQ 1)9"'
Now, the total trade between these
provinces and the United States, except
the sum of $1,853,237, was an exchange
of products. But in order to effect that
exchange our importers have paid jx
luty on the total imports, and the im
porters on the other side have done the
same thing for their side, while the to
tal net result is the, duty to the U. S. on
the amount of the balance. The total
um of this balance would probably not
pay the expense of the two lines of cus
tom houses for that year. Add to this
foolishness all the irritation caused by
these imports, the delay in the receipt
of goods, the actual prohibition of trade
that takes place, and the curtailing of
the market for our manufactures, and
the extent of the folly of this system
may be seen. And this is repeated, on
ly on a smaller scale, between us and
every country in this hemisphere.
Let the United States annex Canada,
by allmeans, and the South American
republics as well. The plan we have
proposed will accomplish it, but in or
der to adopt it we must give as well as
receive. It never can be done by a
high protective tariff.
The Knights of Labor and the Single
. Tax. ...
It is announced that the General As
sembly of the K. of L., at its late ses
sion at Atlanta, adopted a declaration
in favor of the single tax on land val
ues. If this is true and wo. have no
reason to doubt it it is a fatal blunder.
The single tax idea is an attractive but
deceitful fallacy. Based alone on the
theory that land belongs to the commu
nity, it assumes 'that rent, or the use of
land, may be taken by the community
for its annual use, and that the general
result of this would be to place all taxa
tion upon landlords, and relieve labor
ers and small farmers entirely, or al
most entirely, from its burdens. Never
did a greater fallacy obtain so many
supporters. The error of the idea is
fundamental; and it would seem as
though a fair understanding of the ba
sic principles of the creation of wealth
and of taxation, would enable any or
dinary mind to detect its fallacy. No
matter how, or upon what, taxes may
be laid, they are never paid out of accu
mulated capital, but are always paid
out of current labor, or current produc
tion. Kent has no existence separate
from labor. It is the annual creation
of labor. With interest undisturbed,
the more of the annual production of
labor which is taken for public use the
less there will be left for the laborer.
The single tax men propose to take all
rent. To those who are renters ulone,
and intend always to remain such, it
would make little difference whether
they paid their sent to a landlord or the
community, providing the amount
Avas not increased. But to all
those laboring men w ho wish to own
their own homes, and to all farmers
who own the land they till, and. are
thus their own landlords, the difference
would be vital. They would be com
pelled to pay to the" community the rent
that should remain in their own pock
ets.
The idea so strenuously urged by Mr.
George that exemption from other tax
ation under his system would more than
compensate for the confiscation of all
rent, is quite as fallacious as the other
idea that such confiscation would re
lieve labor, as the following figures
will show. Annual taxes are estimated
to-day as" follows: Local, $313,000,000;
national $312,000,000. Total $025,000,-
000. Annual rent of land is estimated
now at $2,000,000,000, or an excess over
present taxation of $1,375,000,000. Con
nect the above with the pregnant fact,
that to prevent the holdiug of land for
speculative purposes, and thus open the
so-called natural opportunity of access
to land to all persons, it is necessary
TO TAKE ALL KENT IN TAXATION, and
some adequate idea of the relief from
taxation which will be experienced by
laborers through the single tax, may be
had.
It is unfortunate that just at this time
when the Knights endorse the single
tax, Mr. Herbert Spencer, the eminent
economist upon whose writings more
than any other man's Mr. George leaned
when Avriting Progress and Poverty,
should repudiate the application which
is being made of his theories. In his
letter to the Loudon Times of Nov. 9th,
conveying this repudiation, he says:
"There is no reason to think, that the
"substituted form of administration
"would be better than the existing form
"of administration. The belief that land
"would be better managed by public of
"ficials than it is by private owners .is a
"very wild belief."
The Demorest Medal.
We publish this Aveek the scheme for
the Demorest contest. Considerable in
terest in this contest has been excited
in this state by the fact that a little girl
of Republican City Avon the large gold
medal in the contest at Norfolk, and
the diamond medal in the contest at
the national meeting of the W. C. T. U.
at Chicago.
The idea of the Demorest contest is
certainly a fine one. While cultivating
literary taste and talent, and drilling
the young contestants in elocution and
oratory, it makes them for the time the
expounders of genuine temperance
principles and arguments. It also may
in many cases bring the liquor seller to
hear his own children advocate temper
ance principles in their competition,
when he could not be induced to listen
to any one else.
THAT NEMAHA TRINITY AG AIN.
That, precious trio Hoavc, Majors
and Stull, got scooped down in Nemaha
county, on the Gth. Turnip bitters
couldn't save them. Hoavc and Majors
ought to be made to sleep together for
a year. Stull ought to be whipped for
being in bad company. If they were' to
be crucified Stull should be in the mid
dle. We would be glad to state our
opinion of Church Howe, but the lan
guage isn't adequate. If any new words
come in Avithin a year which express all
the villainy that has ever been con
densed into language heretofore, Ave'll
save them up, and boil them doAvn, and
if avc can get a sufficient number to
gether Ave may some time put some ad
equate notion of this roan Howe into
plain English. -
Tins paper is the best advertising
medium west of the Mississippi river.
SILVER BULLION CERTIFICATES.
The Omaha Bee of Nov. 20th has an
editorial under the above caption into
which are crowded as many inaccura
cies and misconceptions as to money
and the silver question, and the relation
of bullion to money, as there are sen
tences in it. It is amazing how a man
of the ability and penetration of Mr.
Rosewater can employ a waiter who
will pile up rot in this manner.
After saying that the secretary of the
treasury might favor bullion certifi
cates, it adds:
It is not known upon what basis of value
he would have such certificates issued and
redeemed, that is, whether they should repre
sent the coinage or the market value of the
bullion, but perhaps this is not a matter of
very gTeat importance, since for all the pur
poses of circulation the certificate would un
der any circumstances represent and have
the purchasing: power of a dollar."
If the editor will explain how and
why, "under any circumstances," a
bullion certificate would have the pur
chasing power of a dollar, he will con
fer a favor. How would such a certifi
cate be money at all? Suppose the gov
ernment buys up wheat at its market
value now and then, and stores it in
government warehouses, and issues cer
tificates upon it, just as the warehouse
men do. Would such certificates "rep
resent and have the purchasing power
of a dollar?" And if not, why not?
Bullion is a commodity, and so is wheat.
Both have variable prices on the mar
ket. Neither are .money, in any sense
of the word. It is certificates of dollars
this country wants, not certificates of
bullion, or wheat, or any other prop
erty. In four separate and distinct places in
a half-column article the Bee writer al-
hides to the expense to the government
of the coinage of silver dollars, which
lie says would bo saved by issuing
bullion certificates. If this editor had
read The Alliance last week he would
have learned that Ave now coin each
year $33,000,000 out of $24,000,000 Avorth
of silver, making $9,000,000 gross profit
in the operation. The writer ought to
know enough of coinage to knoAV that
even if cent per cent of bullion A-alue is
put into a coin, which it neA'er is, the al
loy more than pays, the expense of coin
age. . -: '
The expedient of bullion certificates
is au invention' of the money poAver to
continue the demonetization of silver
and contract the volume of dollars. If
Mr. Stewart eA er favored it, as the Bee
says he did, but Avhich Ave doubt, it was
simply as a concession to the mining in
terests of Nevada, and to make a market
for siher bullion, and not as a sound
financial measure.
The editor asks:
"Why should the government continue to
coin dollars that do not pret into circulation,
ever' one of which represents a tax on the
people to the amount of the cost of its coin
age?" The last clause aa'c ha e already an
swered. To the first clause Ave would
say, because the people need dollars to
increase the price of their Avheat, corn,
pork, beef, bullion, and other property.
Because the contraction of the volume
of dollars has brought the country to
the verge of ruin, and caused the bank
ruptcy of many a good business man.
As to the silver ' dollars not going into
circulation, and not being wanted by
the people, that is a lie. If the govern
ment certifies that it will pay one sih er
dollar on presentation of course it has to
hold that dollar until the certificate is
presented. But that dollar, through the
certificate, is performing the functions
of money just as completely as though
it was itself in circulation. The Bland
bill went into effect Feb. 28, 1878. From
and including that date to Jan. 1. 1888,
there had been coined 289,731,150 silver
dollars. The statement of the secre
tary of the treasury for June, 1889,
shows that there were then in circula
tion of gold certificates $116,792,759, and
of silver certificates, $257,895,204. These
facts effectually dispose of the lie that
the people do not want the silver. Of
course they prefer the certificates, but
they Avill take all of either them or the
hard dollars they can get, or of anj-
thing else that is money.
THE NEW PARTY.
We print this week a. letterfrom Mr
Stebbins, of Buffalo county, in regard
to a neAV party. It seems now as though
the many factions will soon be driven
together into a neAv party by the mere
logic of events and force of circum
stances. s We have little sympathy with
the efforts of every little clique Avho
have a special ism to form a neAA- party
in which their pet hobby will be the
leading idea.. If neAv parties would
save the country we must noAv Jm? very
near regeneration, as Ave have tAvo or
three on each corner and seA'eral in the
middle. When it becomes apparent to
the people that the republican and dem
ocratic parties are both dominated by
the monopoly poAver, as they are, and
Avheu the people arc prepared to drop
immaterial side issues and write on one
or tAvo or three leading and vital points,
the factions will come together, and the
neAv party Avill come to stay. Until
that time tariff and the bloody shirt
Avill be Hung before the people like a
red rag before a bull, and the money
poAver and the railroad monopolists Avill
Avork their schemes and make the laws
to suit themselves.
On one thing Ave Avish to be distinctly
understood. The Alliance is not a par
tisan society, and Ave protest against it
being changed to- a political party or
used for political ends. Fanners of all
parties are invited to join it on the ex
press ground that it is non-partisan in
its character. To induce therrii;o join
on this plea, and then turn it into a po
litical party, would be a great breach of
faith, to say the least. But it would do
much more. ,It would destroy the Alli
ance as a distinctively farmers' society.
On the other hand, if joining the Alli
ance educates men in the direction of
political independence, t we consider
that a good Avork, and may God speed
ii.
INSURANCE.
We publish this week an article from
the IoAva Homestead in regard to mu
tual insurance in IoAA'a. At its annual
meeting the Alliance of this state took
some initiatory action in this matter, by
first asking the legislature to amend the
laAV relating to mutual insurance com
panies, and by appointing a committee
to investigate the whole question. A
much needed amendment tj the law
was secured, though not all that Avas
asked. The proposition of the Dakota
Alliance to establish a branch insurance
department in this state was for some
time under consideration, and has de
layed the establishment of an insurance
department by the Executive Board of
the StateAlliance. We believe Ave can
now safely assure the members of the
Alliance that action on this matter Avill
be had soon after the St. Louis meet
ing. The plan adopted will be as liberal
and inexpensiA e as is possible, and it is
hoped that all members of the Alliance
who need insurance will aA-ail them
selves of it as soon as presented, so that
insurance, may be made effective at
once. ' ,
CITY GUARDIANS.
The A'igror and activity of the real estate ex
change promises to supply what the city has
long needed, a representative body of citizens
to vigilantly guard the interests of Omaha.
Bee.
The above is enough to make a horse
laugh. To select a society of real es
tate speculators to "guard the interests"
of a city is just too awful funny for any
thing. The men who make poor men's
homes impossible, Avho raise rents to
the skies, who increase the cost of liv
ing in all lines, who meet every stranger
at the gate and size up his pile and con
spire with each other to get it to set
such a crowd to guard a city's interests
is. very .much 'like setting a hyena to
guard a lamb.
THE COST OF INSURANCE.
From the Iowa Homestead.
While the -plan -of mutual insurance
among fanners has become the fixed
and settled policy in many parts of the
West there being, for example more
companies than counties in Iowa, and
these growing in strength every year
an attack is made, every now and then,
against the system, in order to mislead
and deceive farmers. , The attacks are
generally made in counties Avhere there
have been, for a year or more, heaA-y
losses, amounting, as they often do in
some single year, to more than the regu
lar rates for the average of fiAe years in
stock companies. Local agents, armed
Avith this one fact, assail the system, and
endeavor to create dissatisfaction among
farmers Avho are patronizing, or about
to patronize, farmers' mutuals. This,
Ave observe, has been the effort recently
in Floyd county, IoAva. The ansAver to
all this sophistry is to take the history
of a company for five or ten years, and
then compare this Aviih" the history of
other companies, and thus get the aver
age of the losses. The rates made by
stock companies are based on the aA'er
age of losses, plus the cost of doing the
business, plus profits on the capital in
vested not on this risk, nor that class
of risks, but on the business as a whole.
The only fair way, therefore, is to com
pare the aA-erage of expense incurred by
the farmers' mutuals with the average
of premiums charged by stock compan
ies. ' ' ''
To refute the charges made against
the Floyd County Mutual, its Secretaiy,
Mr. P. Cole, has gone back over the
histoiy of that company for eight years
and compiled a statement which Avill be
read With interest by farmers "every
where, as follows:
To shoAv the comparative cost of the
mutual and stock arrangements, Ave
propose to shoAv the farmers of this
county the amount of risks in force on
the first of January of each year from
date of organization in 1880 to January
1st, 1888, and also the assessment in
mills for each year; also Avhat it Avould
have cost on the same amount in stock
companies at their lowest regular rate,
which is three mills on the dollar for
each and every year; also the amount
saA-ed or lost each year by insuring in
the Floyd County . Mutual, and the
amount of interest at seA-en per cent, on
advanced premiums on the risks carried
for five years in a stock company:
MILLS.
COST OF IN
SURANCE. 5 1
YEAR.
o 00
S
3
S3
3 S 2 X
1880..,
1881...
1882. . ,
1883...
1884...
1883...
1886...
1887...
f, 325,3851
361,519.i!l
422,562! 1
4 l,5s2
553,7161 ,
655,655 34
878,469 3i
1.030,764!!
J315.38 970.15 ' 656.07
135.91:1114.
Dl " Z7H.64
422.56j 1267.
235.7611 414
"276.85:1661
.68: 845.14
59 1 178.82
141384.29
96 t 327.83
40 219.62
2294.79;! 966
2 856.02! 2 635.
1 030.76 3 092.29 2 061.53
The above exhibit shows that for the
eight years the assessments in mills
aggregate thirteen mills on the dollar in
our Mutual, and tAventy-four mills in a
stock company for the same period
The amount saved to the farmers of this
county in premiums for the first five
years amounts to $4,337.55v The. inter
est on this amount of premiums paid in
adAance amounts to $1,746,16, Avhich,
added to $4,337.55, makes $6,083,71.
OAving to the heavy losses of 1885-6, the
aA-erage amount saved in the last three
years is below that of the first period,
$1,514,08, and interest for three j-ears
$340.72, which makes 31,854,80 saved for
the three years, and a grand total of $8,
452.55) for eight years. This exhibit
ought to be very satisfactory to every
member of "Our Mutual," and ought to
receive the careful consideration of eA'
ery farmer in Floyd county; for. Avhether
a member or not, he is benefited by the
Floyd Mutual, not only in the loAver
rates offered, but in the more liberal
adjustments given in cases of loss. Our
statements are backed by the records in
the office of the Secretary of the Mutual,
Avhich are open to the inspection of ev
ery farmer wanting information. In
vestigate this matter, instead of accept
ing the smooth stories of these stock
agents Avho are so anxious to fill their
pockets at your expense. It is a fact
that if there Avere no County Mutuals in
the State Ave vyould all have to pay two
per cent or four mills on the dollar for
each year, and many are doing so to
day. Every fanner should keep insur
ed, and there is no company that, for
cheapness or reliablity, equals the
County Mutual.
While stock companies haA-e their
helds, and, Avhen properly conducted,
are a grea t public benefit, and are, in
fact, indispensable in cities and towns,
and Avherever risks lack general uni
formity, there is no doubt but that the
fanners' mutual gives the cheapest and
safest insurance on farm risks. A properly-managed
farmers' mutual can do
the business cheaper than any stock
company, and for reasons that are ap
parent at a glance. First, it costs the
stock company from 'twenty-live to thir
ty per cent, as agent's fees to secure the
risk, while it costs the fanners' mutual
next to nothing. In case of loss, it costs
the stock company larger traveling ex
penses to adjust the loss, while-' it costs
the mutual nothinfr. It costs the stock
company the salary of a high-priced ad
juster, the mutual the cheap rEit diem
or its secretary. The stock company
obliged to keep an expensive ofhec ana
to make dividends on its stock; the mu
tual has a cheap office and no divKlemis.
The stock ' company loses constantly
from bad notes and bad investments;
the mutual does a cash misims, ami
has no money to invest, lor these and
other reasons, the . establishment of
fanners' mutuals is simply a question of
the capacity of farmers to organize and
do business on business principles. The
risk is the same in one class of compan
ies as in the other, the amount of losses
cannot vary, and the general principles
that govern the business are the same.
It is simply a question of economical
management, and the mutual plan has
every advantage When applied to risks,
like those on farms, of substantially like
character. We do not beleive the mu
tual principle can be applied to live
stock as against disease or death, nor to
city property, nor mixed commercial
risks. The stock companies must deal
Avith these, and charge enough to pay
them for so doing.
That "Weak Spot."
Some of our exchanges seem disposed
to seA-erly criticise certain members of
the late Bankers' Convention, Kansas
City, because of their expressed desire
to have the Treasury notes retired from
circulation. Is this criticsm? We think
not. Those gentelmen did not go to
Kansas city for their health. They did
not go there to consult as to the public
welfare. They Avent there to look after
and consult about f heir oAvn interests.
Did they not attend to it all the time!
Some of them asserted that "the Treas
ury notes constitute the Aveak point in
our monetary, system," and that they
should be retired. Well, it is true from
their standpoint. The Treasury notes
do constitute a weak spot in our money
system. These notes are the only part
of our paper money that costs the peo
ple nothing, that pays no tribute to interest-absorbers.
And from the stand
point of the interest-absorbing profes
sion it is an outrage that they should
exist. Just think of it. The American
people had the free use of those $346,000,
000 of greenbacks for OA-er a quarter of a
century to do business on; they have ab
solutely used the public credit for the
public benefit to that extent Avithout
paying any private parties for permis
sion to do so. Just think of it! Had
those notes been Avithdrawn from circu
lation at the close of the Avar and inter
est bearing bonds issued instead, as
EACH OF OUR PRESIDENTS SINCE THAT
TIME HAVE RECOMMENDED, think of
Iioav much additional interest our peo
ple Avould have the pleasure of paying.
Even at 5 per cent it Avould amount to
$17,300,000 yearly, or in twenty-live
years to $482,000,000 at simple interest.
lhink of the number of good men that
amount would have made rich! Think
of the number of extra millionaires it
Avould have created! And there is real
ly no excuse for the people in failing to
pay this, because there" are any number
of gentlemanly interest-absorbers in
the country who were ready at all times
to fulfill the duties of their profession.
And the people would never 'feel the
additional burden of a feAv hundred
millions, more or less. It is not to be
Avondered at, then, that the members of
the Kansas City convention, proud of
their profession and jealous of its inter
ests should be in favor of removing "the
one Aveak spot" in our money system.
Besides, there are many eminent finan
ciers who declare it grossly unconstitu
tional for the people to use the public
credit for the public benefit.
Mr. John J. Knox said in the Kansas
City convention that he hoped the last
decision of the supreme court upon the
legal-tender notes "would be soon re
versed." John J. is au interest absorb
er, not only by profession, but also by
instinct. He judges this world and all
the people therein solely by- their ability
to pay interest. A people unable to
pay a good round rate of interest are to
him Avorthless. Where interest is high
and secure, is his ideal of a progressive
nation. He is therefore always and
consistently opposed to every proposi
tion to make currency plentiful or to
loAver interest. But he is not to blame
for this. It is his nature to think thus.
He cannot help it. Why, then, should
he be criticised for attending strictly to
his oavu business? He and his confreres
are correct in considering anything
weak that cannot bring them a profit.
Interest absorbing is a respectable pro
fession. It has grown to immense pro
portions, and is to-day the most pros
perous business in the country. It de
seives and should receive the fostering
care and protection of the goA ernment.
If the government does not exist for
that purpose, what does it exist for
National Economist.
The Northern Pacific railroad Avill
furnish the bond market Avith $160,000,
000 worth of coupon bonds bearing 5
per cent and fet run for 100 years. If
the greenbackers obtain power, as thev
will, and make money as cheap 'as the
bankers uoav get it, these bonds will
still go on for generations dnuving their
5 per cent a legacy of serfdom for .all
who use the roads'. The Atchison, To
peka & Santa Fe road has issued $230,-
000,000 of bonds, most of which draw 4
per cent, $80,000,000 5 per cent. Judge
Fairall has decided that a legislature
cannot reduce railroad charges so Ioav
as to make it impossible for the road to
pay operating expenses and fixed charg
es. If this decision stands, such stu
pendous bond selling Avill enable the
road forever to charge . all the traffic
aviII bear.
JOB PRINTING.
The Alliance Pub. Co. has just add
ed to its outfit a neAv Gordon jobber,
and is noAv prepared to do all kinds of
job work in a tasteful manner. We
have just printed a new edition of the
ritual for the State Alliance which for
neatness cannot be excelled. Send us
your jobs, and we Avell print them as
good as th(best, and as Ioav as the Ioav
est. Do not send money by postal notes.
They are no safer than stamps. Postal
notes lost cannot be traced or recovered.
Send by express or money order, regis
tered letter or bank draft.
Johnny Banker.
TCNE, TANK" DOODLE.
BY PEEKB PI.OWMAM.
Johnny Banker came to town,
ma purses lull of money;
He stuck his eijrn upon the door,
M'ho people thought it funny.
Chords.
Johnny Ban kvr, ha! hn! hn!
johnny Ranker's purses;
Johnny Banker hai ha! ha!
Johnny Banker's purees.
Bowing, smiling all. the while,
He took us by the hand, Blr:
"In need? I am j-our friend indeed,
How at your command, sir."
Chorus Johnny, etc.
Johnnr Banker sowed the land,
To rea p a crop of gold si r ;
He put his mortgage on it then,
A mighty one to hold, sir.
Chorus John n-, etc.
Johnny Banker said "It's due.
Your note, your note is due, sir;
The mortgage holds you In my vice,
And many more like you, 6ir."
Chorus Johnny, etc.
Johnny Banker took our land.
He charmed us with his purses;
We farmers now haATe lost our homes,
Tis said, by sad reverses.
Chorus Johnn-, etc.
Johnny Banker has his crop,
The gold is in his purses;
The Knights and Farmers all agog
. Are giAing Johnny curses.
Chorus Johnny, etc.
Johnny Banker drank our blood,
Oh! Mister Knight of Labor;
And when he pierced us to the heart,
He used his golden saber.
Chorus Johnny, etc.
Honest Farmer, whore is he?
Oh ! now he's Honest Renter;
Johnny Banker holds his house and land,
He took it by Per Cent, sir.
Chorus Johnny, etc.
Johnny Banker, out, get out!
We need no more your dealing; i
Per cent, per cent, per cent, per cent,
Is little less than stealing.
Chorus.
Johnny Banker, ha ha! ha!
Johnny Banker's purses;
Johnny Banker, ha! ha! ha!
Johnny Banker's CURSES.
DEMOREST MEDAL CONTEST
HEAU.
BU-
EDUCATION OF YOUTH IN TIIE
PKINCIALES OF TEMPERANCE BY
MEAMS OF A SERIES OF ELOCU
TIONARY CONTESTS IN WHICH
SILVER, (iOLD, AND DIAMOND
MEDALS OF HONOR WILL BE
AWARDED THE SUCCESSFUL
COMPETITORS.
The Medal contest Bureau, No. 10
La,t 14th stieet, Iscaa o k aie pieced t() conclmle tlmt tle tt.dci:cy of grain
to announce that, through YY . Jennings jrambling is to drive tub amekican
Demorest, Avho furnishes the medals fakmeu fkom tiik faum, ani the re
free of expense, and suitably inscribed, suit will be that foreign peasantry Avill
arrangements have, been made for a se- do our farming, i e., a class of people
riesof elocutionary contests in .which
,
young persons of either sex, under
twenty-one years of age, are invited to
recite before an audience in some school-
room, church, church parlors, lecture- large land holdings and bring the meth
rnnm or h ill ods practiced in Ehghmd to America.
' " nil . it ...Ml i ,. 4. 1
rp., . P . .
The arrangements for these contests
are as follOAVS:
A competing class to consist of eight
or ten, but in no case less than six. The
selections to be taken exclusively from
the book of recitations, which can be
procured for ten cents per copy.
A public meeting to be arranged, for
which these recitations will form the
programme, which may be interspersed
Avith music. Three disinterested per-
.
sons, of mature age, are to be chosen to
act as judges, for whom suitable blanks
Avill be furnished free. At the close of
the programme, the competitor who
has, by the decision of the judges, been
awarded the prize, Avill be presented
with a handsome silver medal in a satin-
lined morocco case. Other classes can
be formed, but all contests arranged
must be lor uinerent dates. ro hcav
medal -will -be sent until' a certificate
signed by judges and chairman has been
received, nrovidincr that the nreeedini?
contest nas oeen properly conducted.
vhen eight or more have obtained
silver medals, these may form another
class to compete for a gold medal under
the same conditions. And again, eight
or more who have received gold medals
may, in tiie same manner, enter into a
contest for a larger gold medal. And
m like manner, eicrht or more holdini?
this larger gold medal may compete for
a diamond medal, which is a handsome
gold medal set Avith diamonds. At
each contest the speakers are to learn
new pieces..
No one holding a medal shall corn
pete the second time for the same kind
of a medal. Those who Avin silver med-
ver medals may compete tAvice for the
first gold medal, but only one trial Avill
be alloAved contestants for the large
gold and the diamond medals
To give all young people an opportu
nity to compete for these honorable tro
phies, ooys or girls m any school, pub
lic or private, Sunday or secular. Hand
of Hope, -Loyal Temperance Legion,
J m-cmie temple, Section of Cadets, or
iithor institution frv tlio vminf i(lxr
singly or in connection Avith others, can
arrange for one or more contests
As soon as a class has been formed
and the date fixed, notice should be
sent to the Medal Contest Bureau, and
the medal Avill be forAvarded so as to be
presented at the time of the Contest
Do not send for medals by postal card.
Pastors, parents, teac hers, officers and
members of the W. C. T. U., leaders of
temperance and religious organizations,
and all others others interested in the
young, are kindly invited to get up these
Contests, co-operate in this movement,
and encourage the children under their
direction or control to learn the pieces
and participate in the competitions.
Medals, Recitations, and all informa
tion can be obtained on application to
Mns. Charlotte F. Woodbukv,
General Superintendent,
10 East 14th Street, New. York City.
The Great West is the name of a
thouroughbred Farmers' Alliance " 13 hinted it not asserted that the
WeeklvnewsDaoer launched at St Paul Pwers granted to congress do not in
weeKiy newspaper launcned at fet.iaul, P,t1,i0.Annv,.prtnrrT.,i..a 4..o
the first three numbers of which are re-
ceived. It strikes straight from the
straight
shouldler and beards the corporation
lion in his 4en. If the Farmers' Alli
ance people will stand by and support
the papers that advocate and defend
their cause, as other interests do, they
will soon have plenty of papers, and
with the power of a strong press
added to the numerical strength
of the farmers, they will be invincible.
OPTION DEALINU A VICE? IT SHOULD
BE A. CRIME.
American Farmers or Foreign Tenant,
Winch:
The necessity for relief to the grain
raiser and stock feeder is apparent.
The disease is recognized. Dissolution
is at hand unless a remedy is found.
Eruptions on the skin are overlooked
when the vital part of the system is at
tacked with a malady. When a man's
bram is effected, his liver cut of order
or his heart diseased the boils that
break out are unnoticed.
The state of the markets on grain
and stock threaten the heart of the
grain and stock producing interests of
the West.
We see an effect. What is the cause?
We learn that a committee of th
United States senate is insulted ami
treated with contempt by those engaged
in dealing in stock.
We are informed that demagogues
are bjsy inflaming the public mind
against men engaged in the laudable at
tempt to destroy the price of grain.
We are taught that the federal consti
tution is to narrow too relieve the know n
distresses of those engaged in agricul
tural pursuits and that state constitu
tions are not broad enough to reach the
disease.
If this bo true, we must either pre
pare for a worse condition of the grain
and stock market, or we must amend
the fundamental land.
If the states cannot regulate this by
uniformity of legislation, then the pow
er should be, by amendment, confer
red on the federal government. We
are suffering from a course that only
criminal laws can Avipe out.
The optioit dealer and his friends cry
overproduction, but statistics prove
that the amount of grain produced lias
no effect on the market.
The bull and bear raise and lower
prices according as they command cap
ital. Whether wheat is 00 cents or $1 .00
per bushel cuts no figure. Supply and
demand have no perceptible effect on
prices. If the bull is successful mar
kets are good; if the bear triumphs
there is a crash.
Option dealing or selling what one
does not have and has no intention of
possessing, or putting it in its true
light, betting on the price of grain and
stock at a future date, is vicious, be
cause there is an incentive on the part
of one party to bet and destroy the
worth of an article.
If a man bets $100,000 that lots on
Main street will depreciate fifty ir
cent in three months, he must, to gain
his wager, create a panic on Main
street lots, and his endeavor, if known,
would result in a "hanging bee;'' and
yet so-called respectable men bet on the
price of grain, and the result on the
real owner of grain is disasterous.
We maybe wrong in our conclusions
w "e uul u e "epressioii, or
vn uuiuuu aiiuuu) umu a ls
to taim the large tracts of land they
.vili flf.m,iiP
There is a growing tendency on the
part of English capitalists to seeuifc
AUO 1C&IUL Will W il lt-illllb tWSS il
tpnants, nn(1 Pri4 Wfl kn ittll0 Ameri-
.,., wsil hnmion tb farm. Iffarmirnr
becomes unprofitable no one cm blame
him tor so doing.
, I do not think we shall ever have a
1? " ""VfA1.?".
linings iiae iiappciit-u man i umt-i rcu
riot on account of the price of wheat.
We do not counsel any raid on the
bucket-shop management but we are
indifferent as to its result, should one
lw'':Jll'.t
Aiiere is an evil, a vice, uamagingine
rron an(1 stock interest of the west and
south, and this vice should be made a
crime.
The Kram gamier should be on a
level with the poker chip man, the keno
caller, the faro dealer, The grain man
is quasirespectable everywhere; - the
common gamuier ostracized every
where; and yet, so far as the conse
quences to the people of this country
are concerned the common gambler is
harmless, as compared to this output of
respectable grain monte population
which has swarmed on us in the last
decade.
The common gambler has no capital
'ind has a bad reputation.' His life
brings poverty on himself and disgrace
to his family. His victims are few and
are to blame for being caught. The
gambler dies unregretfed, unwept and
dishonored. The grain monte man has
capiuu, power, uiuuence. position, anu
the result of his life is injurious to that
pursuit in life which makes America
the pre-eminent nation of earth.
Hob us of grain and stock and we are
paupers. Debase this industry and we
are a. nation of serfs; uplift it and we
are the most prosperous of all people.
If we are to have an American farmer
we must have compensation for lalr.
Slaves, peasants, serfs are the only
farming class that can be made to toil
for others at wages or profits less than
the cost of a crop and the continuance
of the option dealer will result in driv
ing Americans from the farm, and fill
ing their places with an alien tenant
class a class that will be brought here,
not to be citizens, or own land, but to
eke out a livlihood as tenants from one
generation to another,
If these tilings make no impression
on the public mind it will be because
the people who gain wealth by oilier
pursuits are indifferent to the fate of
the American farmer and stock raiser.
and because they are content to live,
exist, grow rich and die, surrounded by
a mass of humanity from across the
ocean who have but one idea in life, n
bare living and yet when the Ameri
can ceases to farm, and lands are tilled
by tenants, the effect of this will effect
all other trade and business. To drive
the option dealer from option, forces
the capital engaged in it beyond the
real visible supply to engage in honest
pursuits and results in benefit to the
country at large.
It is conceded that we must find
some means to check this growing evil.
of So-called commerce, and that the
noAver of the state does
poAver or the state does not reach out
beyond its territorial limits.
If there is no law which protects, de
fends and guards the agriculture of this
country there should be one. If no rem
edy is furnished, there is one of two re
sults as sure to follow as fate, viz: eith
we must submit and see agriculture
ruined, or unite and forcibly nut tb
knife to the root of this cancerous
groAvth. There is no wrong without a
remedy. Wichita Eagle, Oct 31.
