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About The farmers' alliance. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1889-1892 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 14, 1889)
. THE ALLIANCE. PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY HORNING. BY TflE ALLIANCE PUBLISHING CO. BOHANNAN BLOCK, Lincoln, - - - Nebraska. J. BURROWS, : J, M. THOMPSON, : ; Editor. Associate Editor. All communications for the paper should bo addressed to THE ALLIANCE PUBLISH ING CO., aud all matters pertaining: to the Farmers' Alliance, includitgr subscriptions to the pape, to the Secretary. EDITORIAL- Has There Been a Contraction of the Currency? The report of the secretary of the treasury is in some respects a remarka ble document. Mr. Windom under takes to show, not only that there has been no contraction, but rather an ab solute expansion of the currency be tween 1878 and 1889. This raises some very interesting questions. Has there really been any shrinkage of values in the period named? Have prices really gone down? Is there any such thing as ii financial depression, any way? Are there any farm mortgages in the conn try? Is the country as a whole in debt or not? and isn't a chronic condition of debt the very best condition, after all? Air. V lmlom s iicrures showing an uctuaj decrease of circulation will not bear inspection. Vor instance, he gives the total gold coin in circulation March 1, 1878 at $82,530,163. The official treas ury report gives the amount of gold r-oin on June 30, same year, as follows In treasury $128,400,202; in national !anks$8,l!l,952; in circulation, in other banks, and in individual hands $76,547,- S21. The two last items make $84,739, 7(3, or considerably more than two million more tlmn Mr. Windom states. For the- same date in 1878 he gives no standard silver dollars. lhe treasury reports $1,500,000 at that time. He gives the subsidiary silver at 53J mil lion, while the treasury reports of the same year place it at nearly sixty-five million dollars. If his figures of circa Jation for 1889, of which we have no of "ficial statistics, are as much increased -a,s those for 1878 are curtailed, a large bole would be made iu the volume of money he names as in circulation now. Hut in studying this question, relative as well as absolute volume should be considered. Unless increase of circula tion has kept pace with increased popu lation -and production, there has been a contraction of the currency. Mr. Win lom admits an increase of 33 per cent of population, and claims an increase of 74 per cent in circulation, or $21.75 per .rapita now, as against $16.50 per capita In 1878. According to these figures in- - crease of circulation has a little more than kept pace with population. But has not increased production very large ly exceeded both? In 1878 wc produced -of wool 211 million pounds, against 285 million pounds in 1886. We needed 40 emillions more money to handle our wool in '86 than wc did in '78. In '78 we produced 4,773,805 bales cf cotton, against 6,505,087 bales in '87. We need ed that year, to handle our cotton, at 450 per bale, nearly 73 million dollars more than in '78. In '78 we produced 2,577,361 tons of pig iron, against 6,305, 328 tons in 1886. We needed nearly 37 million dollars more to handle our pig Iron in 1886 than we did In 1878. In he same period our production of rail road bars increased nearly 33 million lollars; our petroleum 10 millions; our fermented liquors 50 millions; our con sumption of sugar 70 millions; our pro duction of tobacco 50 millions. The -value of our horses increased from '78 to '88 nearly 350 millions; our mules 70 millions; our oxen nearly 300 millions; our swine 60 millions; our coal produc tion 80 million tons, or 240 million dol lars. Our increased tonnage entered and cleared from '78 to '87 Avas six- mil lion tons. On the few natural products we have named we needed to exchange them on the same basis of value as in 1878 at least 953 millions of dollars more than we had at that date. The best that Mr. "Windom can figure out with his one sided statistics is nearly 600 millions, making a contraction on this short line alone of 353 millions. Now add to this the long line of agricultural produc tions we have not named, and then pile upon the top our enormously increased manufactures, and the enormous con traction we have suffered, and the illu sive and deceitful character of Mr. Win- dom's figures, w u 1-e appreciated. The increase in fifty of our leading branches of manufactures between 1870 and 1880, -was 800 millions of dollars. At the same ratio of increase aud the same valuation, the increase between '80 and "J would be 100 millions. This, added to the short line of natural products named, would amount to 1,953 millions, which should have been added to our currency to enable us to carry the .same load we did in 1878. But Mr, Windom. raided by his Wall Street colleagues, nnd by the use. of false ligures, can cipher -out only about 600 millions, leaving a relative contraction since 1878 of over 1,300 millions. t j. i a i l . y i is ii any woinier mat juices uuc ue dincd, that business stagnates, that la bor is idle,, that enterprise lags, and farms are mortgaged, under such cir vcumstauces? The President's Position on Silver. To the president's statement of the the facta in regard to silver no excep tion can be taken, and the showing made by these facts is unquestionably uite in favor of silver. We have of silver in circulation to-day, including Kiertificates and coin, over 337 millions, sind only a little oyer six millions in the treasury. Considering the claim that the people do not want silver, and con sidering the magnitude of our silver in terests, this is a very good showing in deed. The president discusses the question of the bullion value of the silver dollar, preceding that discussion with the re mark that "neither the present secre tary nor iiis predecessors have deemed it safe" to coin more than two millions I ner month, and folio w in cr it with the admission that "the evil anticipations which have accompanied the coinage anil nun rf tho cilvof flftlljir h.lVC not been realized." He also gives the true J explanation why ., i n l A the silver dollar doestf not have general use as a coin, viz: lliis is manifestly owing to the fact that its paper representative is more convenient." He says: "The general acceptance and use of the silver certifi cates show that silver has not been oth erwise discredited.".. Up to this point the president is fair and just. But from this point on he seems to be in the condition of a man under the necessity of espousing a cause he does not believe in; and so his opin ions become vague - and his statements neutral. Referring to the practical equality between the silver and goltlNUlhspensable condition of support uonar, ne says: - ome iavorame cir - cumstances have contributed to main tain it." What are these "favorable circumstances?" The fact exists that there has not been a day since the pass age of the Bland law when the silver dollar would not purchase the gold bullion contained in the gold dollar, anywhere within the jurisdiction of the U. S. The only "favorable circum stance' causing this facris that the sil ver dollar was by the Bland bill made legal tender for the payment of all debts public and private. If the bullion value of the silver in the dollar was only fifty cents this would still be true, as far as all exchanges for commercial purpose's were concerned. The only exception to it would be in the case of those per sons who desired to hoard metal money and hold it out of use; in other words, misers. These are so inconsiderable in number as to be not worth' counting. Outside of the jurisdiction of the U. S silver would be a commodity, and would be used in settling balances at its bullion value, as it is now, and alwa3's has been. And this is as true of srold as it is of silver. The president goes on to say: think it is clear that if we should make the coinage of silver at present ratio free, we must expect the difference in bullion values of gold and silver dollar.' will be taken account of in commercial transactions, and I fear the same result would follow any considerable increase of present rale of coinage." What does the president mean by this? Does he mean by this that prices of products would be dual? that, there would be one price in silver and another in gold? Or does he mean that contracts would be made payable in gold alone? Or does he perchance mean that prices all along the line would be advanced? As to dual prices, tney have never been made except in relation to coin money and bank paper. The supposi tion of any divergence between the gold and silver bullion in the gold and silver dollars, at the present ratio, that would justify dual price, is simply absurd. As to making contracts payable iu gold, they are pkima facie invalid, un less made payable in a foreign country. As to an advance in prices all along the line, no greater boon could be be stowed upon the people than that. But when the president penned those words he had none of the above ideas, nor any other, clearly in his mind. He had a vague idea that he must panderA to the powerful interests of Wall and Broad Streets, and that he could only do that by making a blind stab at silver. A stab at silver to-day is a stab at the heart of the people. It is not silver that they particularly want, but moke mox ev; and free and unlimited coinage of silver is merely one of the ways of get ting it. PROTECTION FOR FARMERS. In reference to the tariff President Harrison says: "The protective princi pie should be maintained, and tairly ap plied to me products ot our lieids as well as our people." This and the bal ance of the paragraph are simply mean ingless platitudes. The president should have explained how the "protective principle" can be fairly applied to tlie products of the fields of a country Avhich exports but does not import agricultural products, and the price of which pro duets are made iu the open unprotected markets of the Avorld. If the thing is to be evened up between the farmers and manufacturers, there are only two ways to do it: First, tax the farmers to pay a bonus to the manufacturers, and then take the resulting surplus ami di vide it. among the farmers. But this Avould not be a lair application, as the amount sticking in the manufactur ers pockets Avould many times exceed the surplus accumulating in the treas ury. The second plan is to tax all classes to pay a direct bounty to the farmers, as all are now taxed to pay a bounty to the manufacturers. Neither plan will le adopted; but the high tariff will remain, and the effort Avill be con tinued to fool the farmers with cheap platitudes about fairly applying the protective principle Avhere by no con ceivable strain of economic laws it can possibly be applied. How long, O Lord? They May Be Mistaken. The snobs who declare they're the cream of the land The superlative few, the select of the race Should remember the process that nature has planned Puts the cream and the scum in the very same place. "Those Avho OAvn the land own the men," say the believers in the single tax. Very true; but those who oavii the capital own the land. Journal of Uni ted Labor. THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE MEETING AT ST. LOUIS. .A. XJ2ST ionsr On a Platform by the National Alliance, the Farmers' and Laborers' Co-Op-erative Union and the Knights of Labor. A GRAND DECLARATION, United on this Platform, a imai He- tory is Certain! ,, . . A . -nf fiP(,inmtm -LUC 1UUOVV IUJT 1 l" Jum" " 6 of the Farmers and the committee of the Knights of Labor assembled in St. Louis last week. The demands of this declaration are the demands of all the societies represented, unanimous, and without reserve or qualification. The time has at last arrived when these three great societies can go before the eountrv united unon one platform, and united upon the further demand thatWould' all candidates for offices shall unquali fiedly endorse these demands, as an in- That we demand the abolition of nation- al banks, and the substitution of legal tender treasury notes in lieu of national bank notes; issued in sufficient A-oJurno to do the business of the country on a eash system; regulating the amount needed on a per capita basis as the buslnoss of the country expands; -anil that all money issued by the government shall be legal tender in payment of all debts, both public and private. 2. That we demand that congress shall pass such laws as shall effectually prevent the dealing in futures of all agricultural and me chanical productionspreserving such a strin gent system of procedure in trials as shall secure prompt conviction, and imposing such penalties as shall secure the most perfect compliance with the law. 3. That we demand the free and unlimited coinage of sih-er. 4. That we demand the passage of laws prohibiting alien ownership of land, and that congress take early steps to devise some plan to obtain all lands now owned by aliens and foreign syndicates ; and that all lands now held by railroad and other coi'porations in ex cess of such as is actually used and needed by them be reclaimed by the government and held for actual settlers only. 5. Believing in the doctrine of "equal rights to all and special privileges to none," we demand that taxation, national or state, shall not be used to build up one interest or class at the expense of another. Wc believe that the money of the country should be kept as much as possible in the hands of the people, and hence we demand that all revenues, national, state orcounty, shall be limited to the necessary expenses of the gOACrnment economically and honestly administered. 6. That congress issue a sufficient amount of fractional paper currency to facilitate ex changes through the medium of the United States mail. 7. That the means of communication and transportation shall be owned by and oper ated in the interest of the people, as is the United States postal system. And it is further agreed that in order to carry out these objects, we will support for office only such men as can be depended vipon to enact these principles into statute law un influenced by party caucus. S. II. Erwin, Chairman of Committee of Farmers' and La borers' Union. H. L. Loucks, President of National Farmers' Alliance. John H. Poweks, Vice-President of National Farmers' Alliance, August Post, Secretary of National Farmers' Alliance. T. V. Poavikkl,v, A. AV. Wright, It. IlKAUMOST, Representing Knights of Labor. The above declaration Avill be en dorsed and supported by three milMon farmers and Knights of .Labor; and it should form a nucleus around Avhich all the reforms of the country can rally and march to the polls and victory. While a cpmplete organic union was not made between the Northern and Southern Alliances, the ground Avas cleared, and all or nearly all points of difference remoA ed, so that union may be considered practically accomplished. Tavo Northern States, Iowa and Minne sota, being entirely Avithout instruc tions, refused to complete an organic union witnout an opportunity to refer the matter back to their State Alliances. The southern men Avere strenuous that a final union should be accomplished Avithout any delay. This placed our people in a very embarrassing position, 1 as they Avere very loth to take action "Twhieh would force a secession of two states. The time to Avhich the session could be prolonged had about arrived, on account of limitation of railroad tickets. At this juncture President Loucks, of Dakota, proposed as a'linal compromise, that the two bodies should join together and, the constitution Avhich had been proposed having been accepted by both bodies, they should proceed to the election of officers for the new organization, and that upon such election the. action should be re ferred back to the states for ratification, and Avhen t o-thirds of the states had: ratitied, the union should be announced ; by proclamation. This proposition : Avas rejected by th Southern Alliance, Avherenpon the Northern Alliance ad- ' journed sine die. It is probable that! there might have been some nusunder- I standing as to the nature of this propo- j sition. Previous to its submission both , bodies had elected their officers for the ensuing yeai In the southern body we '; are informed the elect ion Avas prolonged ! and exciting. The delegates Avere tired 1 out Avith the long uninterrupted Avork of the session, and perhaps felt indis posed to enter into another election. IIoAvever all this may be, all impor tant points of difference between the two bodies being removed, a final union will undoubtedly take place at the next meeting. And it may be better, and may conduce to our final strength, that this temporary delay has taken place. We Avill know each other better at the next meeting than Ave did at this. It is well to say, hoAvever, that no differences of a sectional nature could be seen at St. Louis. The color line was nearly oblit erated, and our people from all sections met as one indivisible people, with identical interests and a common cause. The only real embarrassmennt arose from the refusal of tAvo states to ratify withont referring to their states. And inthe case of these-states their dele gates were in favor of union. The officers for, the ensuing year are as follows: President, Hon. H. L. Loucks, of Da kota. Vice-President, John H. Powers, of Nebraska. Secretary, August Post, ot lowa. Treasurer, J. J. Furlong,, of Minne sota. Our work for the ensuing year will be to go forward exactly on the line of our former work. .Rush our organiza tion everywhere spread the light unify the farmers and laboring classes on the basis of our united declaration concentrate our influence upon the law making power, so that we may enact laws as well as adopt resolutions, and be ready to intelligently exercise the power that belongs to us as the great conservative force of this nation, stand ing as we do between the anarchists led by Herr Most, and more dangerous an archists led by Vanderbilt and Jayf GAMBLING IN PRODUCTS. The Louisiana Lottery is one of the worst frauds of this century. The sell ing of options is much worse, than the Louisiana Lottery. Because men are under no compulsion to buy lottery tickets, and if they throw aAvay their money in them they are alone to blame But selling options, or gambling in f it tures, affects all the farmers in this country by unduly depressing the price of their products before they lea e their hands. The organized boards of trade permit their members to sell untold millions of dollars' worth of products, while they do not OAvn a dollar's Avorth, and never expect to deliver a bushel or a pound. These enormous sales have exactly the same effect that Avould be caused by farmers forcing their crops upon the market in too great quanti ties. The price is forced doAvn. This is the intention of the option sellers This business has been largely. deA'el- oped m the past four years. During those years wheat has averaged only 81 cents per bushel, Avhile for the four pre ceding years it aA'eraged $1.11. There is little doubt that the farmers of the Avest have lost in depressed prices caused by this infamous- business at least one hundred million of dollars in the past four years. A Chicago broker Avill stand in the pit and unload a mill ion bushels of wheat in thirty minutes, and drop the market a cent and a half, Avhile he doesn't OAvn a bushel, and doesn't intend to. But that fictitious sale of a million bushels will cost the farmers nearly seven millions of dollars 1 his CA'il has become national, and it demands a national remedy. Would the protected industries, or the national banks, or the associated laAvyers, en dure such a wrong for a moment with' ijnt v h;iiuixiii uuun euuiress ior re- lress? Congi-ess may not have juris diction to absolutely prohibit option dealing in the different states. But it can, as a revenue measure, impose a li cense on boards of trade, and by indi rection kill this infamous business. Farmers are not the only ones inter ested in this matter. EA'ery legitimate packer and handler of grain and pro visions is interested in stability of prices, and naturally objects to being placed at the mercy of sharpers and gamblers Tj .1 . - . lec every man in me state avho has any interest in it Avrite to his member of congress demanding a remedy. JEFF DAVIS IS DEAD. History affords no parallel to the life and death of this man. Educated by the nation, he took service in its army, and made an honorable soldier's record. Entering the Avalks of civil life, he achieved political distinction and very high position in the civil goAernment. With the approach of the struggle against the dishonor of human slavery in a nominally free republic, he es poused the damning cause Avhich barred progress and blackened humanity. With a narroAv heart he let his patriotism be bounded by state instead of national lines, and became a traitor to the coun try that had nursed and honored him. Becoming chiefest among conspirators for his country's ruin, he aided in de luging the republic Avith blood and in Avasting billions of treasure for an in stitution that every honest heart knew Avas on its Avane, and at best could only be maintained for a brief moment against the hurrying adA ance of a better civili zation . Losing a cause that Avas against (Jod and humanity, he refused to accept the just verdict refused the clemency of an amnesty when he richly deserved a gibbet and stood the balance of his days a gloomy and sullen misanthrope, mourning because lie did not quite suc ceed iu turning the hopes of the repub lic into despair. This is the verdict of history. His death 'closes a chapter Avhich avc may avcII pray may never be repeated. There' is something lame and impo tent in the spectacle of a people retain ing such a man for its idol. SECRETARY WINDOW'S PLAN. In our next issue avc shall discuss Sec retary Windom's plan for issuing certifi cates on silver bullion. This plan of the secretary is termed by the gold-bugs a boon to the sih"er men. The pregnant facts that this plan Avould stop the coin age of silver dollars, Avould leave gold the unit of Aalue and money of account, and Avould effect no expansion of the actual money volume, do not escape these men. They only hope they. Avill not be noticed. It is safe to say the sil ver men Avill accept no such boon. Such admissions as the folloAving in the Lincoln Journal, which is of course a gold-bug organ, are significant. "The steady appreciation of gold is impoverishing the business class and enriching the money-lending class to an op pressive degree." Does the Journal include farmers in the "business class?" A CUKREXCT CRANK. That's Senator Farwell, of Chicago. He is elaborating his scheme for issuing more money. The scheme is to issue money on state, railroad or other bonds which may be approved by the power for that purpose provided. In other words to go back to wild-cat money and bank note detectors. If an Alli ance convention had proposed such a thing they would be denounced as fa natics and cranks. But Mr. Farwell is a millionaire merchant of Chicago, and his silly proposition will receive re spectful consideration. But it will not do. Gold and silver, and U. S. treasury notes i. e. greenbacks are good enough money. The New York Sun states that the annual income of John D. Rockefeller is $20,000,000. This requires the con stant labor of 54,794 laborers at one dol lar per day. Surely this control of la- borbvthe control of money is more brofi table than to own the laborers as -Afchattel slaves. The wealthiest slaAe holder of the south never dreamed of being able to hold fifty thousand .slaves under the system of unrestricted chattel slaverj. But under our present system of debt and A-age slavery it is not un usual. It requires the labor of one man six days at one dollar per day, to fur nish John D. Rockefeller his.income for one second. Ana itocKeieiier is due one of thousands of monopolistic mas. ters of greater or smaller dimensions. Is it strange that the slaves are not satisfied? ' A PLEDGE VICTORY. We copy the folloAving from Farm and Fireside to show what may be ac complished by farmers working co-operatively lor the election of public offi cers. The pledge of candidates pro posed by the great union of Alliance men and Rights of Labor cannot fail of niacins in comrress and in many other offices men who will stand by tlie inter ests of the people: In our NoA-ember issue Is a brief refer ence to the Farmers' League in Massa chusetts, organized for the purpose of electing members of the state legisla ture pledged in favor of a bill to pro hibit coloring oleo like butter. The re sult of the election shows that the work of the league Avas a decided success. In fact, the farmers hae gained a great A'ictory. An OA-ervvhelming majority of the members elect of each branch of the legislature are honest butter men. The result sIioavs the Avisdom of the course pursued by the league. It was non-partisan. No iicav party was formed, but the farmers simply voted for the candi dates pledged to stand by them. That's all there was of it. In districts where all the candidates were pledged alike. the Aoters did not step outside their partA' lines. But in districts Avhere the candidates differed on the oleo question, party lines Avere disregarded. The course of the league Avas sensible. It Avas sensible and practicable politics. It has demonstrated just what can be done in nearly every state in the union There is no sense in farmers standing around grumbling about adverse legis lation when it is Avithm their poAver to remedy it. They hold the balance of political .poAver, and the fault is their OAvn if thwy do not make a good use of it. A political non-partisan organiza tion like the Massachusetts Farmers League can bring the different parties to terms on any important issue affect ing agriculture. WHAT OF THE FUTURE! From Journal of United Labor. i iinKKE always nave oeen wrongs calling for remedy perhaps there al ways will be and the people bear these wrongs more or less patiently until they become aggravated beyond endurance Then they organize in some fashion for resistance, and the teachings of bis tory show that once the people rouse themselves the overthrow of the wrong is sure. The people are becoming aroused to the e'il of the capitalistic commercial system, and, unless the teachings of history mislead, its oxer throw may be said to be decreed. When will the struggle end, when will the competitive system end, and when will the new heavens and new earth of asso ciation begin? This is the question many are now asking, but as yet no answer comes. Can any light be bor rowed from the pages of history which may enable us to forecast the future? While at the Atlanta General Assem bly a friend handed the writer the fol OAving. It may not be enough to build a prophecy upon, but it is suggestive, at any rate. In 1625 the struggle between despot ism and constitutionalism began in Britain, In 1649 the question was de cided, the head of Charles, the repre sentative of despotism, rolled on the scaffold and the divine right of kings ceased to be recognized in England. Length of struggle, 24 years. In 1760 the American Colonies com menced their contest with King George and his ministers. In 17S3 the cause of freedom triumphed. Length of struggle, 23 years. In 1 70S the French people began their contest with King Louis. In 1703 the French monarchy with its attendant tyranny was ovethrown. Length of struggle, 25 years. - In 1842 President Harrison AAas dead; the slaAe power was in the sad dle resolved on empire. Their platform aimed at the permanent establishment of slavery OA'er an empire which would include all of Texas and most of Mex ico. In 1805 slavery Avas no more. Length of struggle, 23 years. The present contest between the peo ple and the money power may be said to have commenced in 1874. The pan ic of 1 873 caused an awakening of the people to a realization ol bow the mon ey kings had fastened their shackles upon the country, and in 1874 the work of organizing for resistance began. Now, if Ave add to 1S74 either 23, 24 or 25. Ave have 1807-8 or 9. That our friends the enemy are doing some 'figuring and speculating may be inferred by the expression which fell from the' lips of one of their mouth pieces, Senator Ingalls, who predicted that by the close of the present century the gieat middle class in America would be wiped out, and the class or caste lines would be sharply and clear ly drawn on the one side the moneyed class, and on the other the moneyless. All signs indicate that, though an evil-omened one. Senator Ingalls is Lot a false prophet. Every year, every day, is apparently bringing us nearer and nearer to the state he predicts, and he must be blind indeed who fails to sae that the financial legislation of the country could not possiblv work out any other result. Either our financial legislation must be changed, and that speedily, or Ingalls' dismal dream will be fulfilled, and then America will stand where Rome, Persia and all the old civilizations stood before they crashed to their fall: the few owning everything, the many disinherited, practically without interest in a coun try which has been by legal fraud filch ed from them. If the American people will heed the lessons of history and be warned by the pvnrs of the oast all mav be well: if they will not the results must be the same now as then, the same here as yonder. The people must bo organized and they must vote men into Congress and Legislature whose hearts are true and whose interests are the interests of common people. This they must do be fore the time for constitional remedy is past and violence becomes the only means of righting tue wrong, as me time approaches we must expect that all manner of devices will be resorted to to incite the people to violence in sections. This must be guarded aginst, and only by organization can it be done. For if the enemy are allowed to provoKe the people to violence, they will make the outbreaks an excuse tor estaonsning a standing army. Whether our friend is right or not in thinking that it takes just about a quar ter of a century for a people to over throw a wrong, it is sufficiently evi dent that we are nearing a crisis, and it will take wise heads and to turn it to account for good. In the meantime it is the plain duty of all to organize ana educate. Protected Market Report. Humansville (Mo.) llee. 1 pound butter. .'. 10 1 bushel corn 20 1 bushel oats 15 1 bushel apples 20 1 bushel potatoes. . . . ; 20 1 bushel turnips 10 1 bushel wheat CO Total $1.55 Buy 10 lbs. granulated sugar. .$1.00 Buy 1 lb. coffee 25 Buy 1 yard llannol 45 Total......... 1.70 Farmer in debt 15 Hurrah for Harrison and protection! Bko. James Clakk, of Wabash, Vice President of our State Alliance, has lately suffered tlie loss of two children by the fearful scourge of diphtheria. Bro. Clark has our heartfelt sympathy in his bereavement. None but those Avho have, passed through the same hour of trial knoAV Iioav futile words are to heal the wound. There is no consola tion for the sorrow of a bereaved par ent's heart except trust in Him Avho doeth all things Avell. By Laws of the Phillips Farmers Alli ance Business Association. Sec. 1. The first annual meeting- of the Phillips Business Association shall bo in one year from the date of commencement of said corKration, and the term of office for the offi cers elected unon its organization shall ex pire at this time, and a new election be held. The manner of this election shall bo as fol Ioavs: At the time and place appointed, di rectors shall be chosen by ballot, by such stockholders as are present for that purpose, either in person or lawful proxies. Each stock holder shall be entitled to one A'ote for each share owned by him, and a plurality of A-otes shall be necessary to a choice; but after the first election no person shall vote on any share on which any installment is due and unpaid. Sec. 2. The compensation of each memlior of the board of directors shall bo one dollar per day and necessary expenses for each day spent in the serA-ices of the corporation. Sec, 3. The President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders, and at all meet ings of the board, to sign certificates of stock, to haA'e general superAision of the corpora tion, to hae acoess to its books, bills and pa pers, to enquire into and watch over its finan cial condition, to require from the agents and employes statements and information con cerning the condition of the 6aid corporation, to cali special meetings of the board when ever in his judgment it may be necessary, to call special meetings of the stockholders on the written request of ten stockholders, and shall give at least ten days notice to each stockholder as shall appear upon the books of tho association, and all special meetings shall shall be held at the principal place of busi ness. Sec. 4. The duties of the A-ico-President shall bo to discharge the duties of the Presi dent in his absence. Sec. 5. The duties of tho Secretary shall be the general custody of all books and papers belong to the corporation, to answer all cor respondence, to keep correct records of all meetings. of the loard or stockholders, to countersign certificates of stock, to have charge of the seal and affix the same to cer tificates of stock issued, to receiA-e all monies due the corporation, giving his receipt there for, and shall turn oA'er all moneys so re-ceiA-ed to the treasurer and take his receipt for the same. And shall present a written re port of his transactions and the transactions of the corporation at each annual or special meeting of the stockholders . Sec. 6. The duties of the Treasurer shall be to receive all monies from the Secretary, giv ing his receipt for the same and pay out tho same on the order of the Secretary, counter signed bv the President, and present a writ ten report of all monies received and paid out by him at all meetings of the stockhold ers. Sec. 7. The Secretary and Treasurer shall giA-e bonds to the corjoration at the discre tion of tho hoard of directors, but In no case' shall the bond be less than the capital stock subscribed. Sec. S. The bonds of ajrents or employes shall not be less than double the amount of money liable to come, into their hands. See. 9. The salary or compensation of clerks or em ploj'es, Secretary and Treasurer, shall be fixed by the loard of directors. Sec. 10. All goods sold by the corporation shall be paid for upon delivery. See. 11. The stockholders at their annual meeting and at each annual meeting thereaf ter shall elect au auditing committee of three stockholders, not officers of the board, who shall, preAious to each annual meeting, audit the account of the Secretary and Treasurer and reKrt to the annual meeting. Sec. 12. Upon written complaint of any stockholder of malfeasance in office of any officer or agent of the corporation, the board shall investigate and take such action as the;' deem necessary to correct tho same. Sec. 13. The loard of directors on rccei ing written complaint from any stockholder as to price or quality of the goods sold by this corporation, or respecting any discourteous treatment by any of its agents or employes, snail in-estigate such complaint and take such action necessary to rectify the same. Sec. 14. Xo director or other officer or em ploye of this corporation shall be bondsman or surety 'to this corporation for any other officer or employe thereof. Sec. 15. These by laws may be altered or amended at any annual meeting or special meeting called for that purpose, ten days no tice of proposed alteration or amendment having been given to each stockholder. The celebrated case of the Kim wood Farmers' Alliance against the Mo. Pacific Ilailway, is before the board of transportation and a decision should have been rendered Wednesday, but was postponed. It is expected that am order will be issued by the board in favor of the Alliance Company and compelling the It. It. Co. to provide grounds suitable for an elevator site on their right of way at Fllmwood. Centennial Anniversary. "Washtnqtok, Deo. It. in pursunnoe o a resolution adopted by congress at lta last session the two houses mei In the hall of representatives today to hold centennial exercises In commemoration of tne inaug uration of tbe first president. These are la the nature of supplemental proceedings to the great centennial celebration held April 80 in the city of New York. It was literaly a gathering of nations through the foreign legation resident in Washington, all ot which were officially represented. Added to these were delegates from the Central and South American republics, accredited to the Fan-American congress and mem bers ot the maritime conference. Thdre were also present the governors of about twenty states, drawn hither for consulta tion In regard to memorializing oongre for the election of a centennial memorial building at Philadelphia. The galleries of the house were packed before 1 o'clock, when that body notificU the senate that it was In session. In a fewt minutes the senate, preceded by the prefti-1 dent and vloe-president, the diplomatic corps and justioes ot the United States sa- ?reme court entered tne nau oi ino noue. hey were escorted to seats reserved for them in front of the speaker's desk. Vice President Morton then took the speaker's chair and called the two houses to order in joint session, while tho Matlno band ren dered appropriate music. Eev. J. tl. but ler, the senate chaplain, opened the exer cises with prayer. Chief Justice FuJler of the supreme couit of the United States then delivered an ora tion. The chief Justice In the oeglnning of oration made mention ot the act declaring April SO, 1889, a national holiday as com memorative of the inauguration of George Washington as the first president of the United States. Washington, tho orator con tinued, had become the first president not so much by victories over the enemy or by success by strategy an by the triumphs of consistency, which no reverse, no hardship, no incompetency, no treachery could shako or overcome. lie had become first In the hearts of his countrymen, because the peo ple, comprehending the greatness of their leader, recognized in him an entire absence ot persona ambition aud abioiuto love of country, of themselves and of mankind.' He had become first in peace by bringing to success the practical workings of the system he had participated in creating on behalf of the people whose independence he had achieved. The same serene Judg ment, the same sagaolty, the same sense of duty, the same far-stghtcd comprehension of the end to be obtained marked his career from tho beginning. In re ferring to international relations ex isting between this and foreign nation. Justice Fuller saiil: "It is ef congratula tion that the first ylrar ef our second cen tury Avitnesees the representatives of the three Americas engaged in an elf art to In crease the facilities of commercial inter course, consulting as to the natural course of things, diffusing and diversifying by gentle means tho streams ot intercourse, the success ot Avhich must unite the entire Americas in bonds ot fraternal friendship, and bring the people of the two American continents in harmonious control of the hemisphere. " The chief justice closed with a brilliant peroration, in which he declared that the union had a still brighter future before it. Key. W. H. Milburn, the house chaplain, delivered the benediction, and while the Marine band played a national air the as-, semblage dispersed. Dctei mined to Have Him I'uniehcil. Constantinople, Dec 0. A number of' American missionaries held a meeting in this city to consider to course to be pur sued In relation to the recent acquittal of Moussa Bey, the Kurdish chief who was charged with robbery and outrage upon Christian women in Armenia. It was de cided to summon from Van tw e American missionaries who were assaulted by Mouf a Bey and to have them place their evidence before the proper authorities. It Is be lieved that lllrsch, American minister, will insist upon Moussa Bey being punished. mm Peculiar Style or Burial. Baxtimobk, Md., Dec. 11. A very peculiar will of a vexy eccentric man has been filed in the probate court. The deceased was Captain (H. Smith, son of the late lion. Lewis C. Smith, a former president ot the Chesapeake & Ohio canal. Captain Smith disd in Kansas City. After some bequest Captain Smith directs that his funeral ex penses shall not exceed 930 an i that him remains shall be conveyed to the burial plaoe in a spring wagon. Tho body in directed to be wrapped in a cloth,v packed In unslscked lime, and some one, who shall receive 5 for his services, is to pour water into his colli n until the body is ore mated. His will directs that It ha dies during the day his body shall be buried one hour before sunset, and if he dies at night his burial shall take place one hour ufter sunrise. It also direots that his name shall be placed upon the family vault In Rose Hill cemetery in llagerstown, but tat the ashes shall bo sent to Kansas City for burial. The ostate amounts to about 50,000. Federation ol Labor. Boston, Dec. 11. At today's session of the Federation of Labor President Gompers' re port was read. There are affiliated with the American federation 4,S00 local unions and a membership larger than -in any one or ganization in the world. Efforts to estab lish fraternal relations with and secure the co-operation of other labor organizations have met with success. The isolated policy pursued by the loco motive engineers has prevented the estab lishment of a federation of the railway men. lhe conference with the Knights of Libor Is s till pending. lioferrlngto tao farmers' orsranira'ioE the reporc says that all proposition re- eeivea were irom employing farmers. The eight hour question is recommended to the consideration of thecomnnttee to be digested and reported. ln tne matter of labor lrgi ilatiou the fed erations Bhould formulate the leclslatkm that labor demands. A more strict enforce ment of the alien contract labor law and the Chineso exclusion act is set forth, 'spe cial attention is called to the condition of the coal miners. Speeches were made on the state of the different trades ana labor organizations, various committees were ap pointed and the convention took a recent. Must Look Westward. Baltimobk, Md., Dec. 10. Tho scvec teenth annual session of the Maryland state grange was begun today. Dr. Tfaou:a Welsh of Annerundel county, treasurer of the grange, read his report, which raid that thoughtful men were convinced in pplto of the farmers' lengues, the efforts or farmers' clubs, farmer' alliances, etc. the American farmer of today is a lost cause. He said the shrinkage in tho value of farm lands was from 25 to ,W per cent. The greatest advantage of agriculturalists is iu the far west. We see lands In our own section valueless as a marketable com modity. The farmers of the best counties i? Maryland are not now looking for prof its, but have been struggling for years to make both ends meet and liyjng in hopes that a better day may come. Kgpf8 Cotton Yield. Alexisdbu, Dec. 6. A report issued by the cotton association of this city states that tho cotton crop is in a favorable con dition excent in Unrer Errnt of Fayoum and one province in Lower i-STPt where fogs and oald weather lava J?e,dnhepiant' Tn(! timatel at 8,250,(00 cantars, equal to 318.500,000.
