THE FARMERS' ALLIANCE: LINCOLN, NEB., SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 1890.
THE ALLIANCE.
FU3LISHED EVERY SATURDAY MOBHIHS.
BY. TUB i.
AUIAnCE PUBLISHIKG CO.
Lincoln, - - - Neoraska.
J. BURROWS, : : Editor.
J. M. THOMPSON, Business Manager.
MIn the beauty ef the lillies
Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom
That transfigures you and me.
v As He strove to make men holy
Let us strive to make men free.
Since God is marching on."
Julia Ward Howe.
M Laurel crowns cleave to deserts,
And power to him who power exerts."
A ruddy drop of manly blood
The surging sea outweighs."
Emerson.
He who cannot reason is a fool,
He who will not reason is a coward,
He who dare not reason is a slave."
EDITORIAL.
TTTTT. TVEHT. A P A TTOTJ
AND THE CALL.
MVE THOUSAND NAMES
SIGNED.
"Without any special effort being made,
"without any canvassing machiney being
used, without the appointment of a sin
gle sub-committee, FIVE THOUSAND
NAMES are now filed in this office,
signed to the declaration of principles
and petition for a people's independent
convention.
Are you listening, Mr. Rosewater?
Five thousand reputable voters of Ne
braska have voluntarily declared that
they believe it is necessary for the peo
ple to meet in convention, irrespective
of past or present party affiliations, and
.nominate "pure and honorable men"
for state officers.
This move will result in a Grand Peo
ple's Convention.
Organized work with the petition will
now be begun.
Citizens of our towns and cities will
circulate it for signatures, and before
the first of August OVER FIFTY THOU
SAND NAMES WILL BE SIGNED TO
THAT PETITION.
Send to this office for the printed
forms for signatures.
We now appeal to all the friends of
.this movement to GO TO WORK. Go
to work outside. Canvass the cities.
"Thousands of business men are only
waiting for an opportunity to sign. Let
.lihem have the opportunity.
. If you neej any help address
THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE,
i Care of Alliance Office, Lincoln, Neb.
AH ON. JAMES. B. WEAVER
At Lincoln.
Hon. Jas. B. Weaver, of Iowa will
speak at Bohanan hall, in Lincoln,
Monday afternoon, June 9, at 2 p. m.,
and the evening of the same day at 8
P- HI.
Turn out everybody, and hear this
-eloquent advocate of the peoples' rights.
. Mr. Weaver is one of the ablest and
best informed speakers in the country.
By order of committee.
IMPORTANT NOTICE.
NEW CLUB OFFER.
THE ALLIANCE TILL JAN.
1st, 1891, TO CLUBS OF
TEN FOR FIF.TY
" CENTS.
It is of the utmost importance that
every member of the Alliance should take
this paper. The most important politi
cal contest ever known in Nebraska is
about to open. The Alliance is one of
the important factors in this- contest.
The most mendacious lies about it are
abroad; being printed and sent broad
cast througout the country. The actual
facts about it can only be knownby
reading its organ.
In addition to this it is the medium
through which the State Agent commu
nicates, with the members, which makes
it necessary to them in a business point
of view.
, To put it easily in the reach of all we
offer it to Alliances in clubs of ten or
more until Jan. 1st, 1891, at SOcts per
copy. .
Or, five subscriptions in one order, one
.year $1.00.
Or. we will send that remarkable
book, Caesar's Column (paper covers)
md TnE Alliance one year for SI. 25.
' We will furnish special edition of The
Alliance to localities having no local
organ, with one-half to one-page of local
matter, at extremely low special rates.
These can be sent by express or mailed
from this office to lists lurnished, as de--sired.
Twine Orders.
Send in your twine orders to State
Agent up to the 15th of June. We are
satisfied they can be taken care of in
.good shape.
Announcement.
The thunder stolen from Burrows by
4he Governor last week has been bottled
up for future use. It will "be dealt out
to Benton, Steen and Cowdery in
jRharorpa to suit from .this time until
November.
J. M. T.
'Alliance Meetings.
We want announcements of all Alli
ance meetings and picnics in the state,
whenever they can be furnished go as
to be published before the meetings.
To do this they should be in our hands
as early as Tuesday. Always send the
name of some Alliance officer who will
attend the meetings, so we can send
sample copies for distribution.
No Popular Clamor for a Special Session.
Our friend Clark, editor of the Chicago
Express, says that Gov. Thayer was
"forced by popular clamor" to call a
special session. This is a great mistake.
There was absoltely no demand for a
special session, outside of the exigen
cies of certain ambitious politicians, and
Gov. Thayer's imagination.
Lots of Thunder!
"Burrows of the Alliance will
of
course damn me for
der." Gov. Thayer.
stealing his thun-'
Well, there's been lots of thunder
since the proclamation mostly "By
thunder. r from surprised republicans
But it is not observable that any of the
peculiar kind of thunder alluded to by
the Governor is missing from this neck
o' woods.
The Beatrice Chautauqua.
we nave creceivea the programme
of the Beatrice Chautauqua Assembly,
which opens June 26th, and closes July
8th. The programme is verv attrac-
tive, and gives an aray of the names of
many of the finest orators and scholars
in the country. An Industrial day is
provided for, on which President John
H. Powers, of Nebraska, and Harry
Tracy, National Lecturer of the South
ern Alliance, will speak.
Mrs. Thayer's Illness.
We regret extremely the illness of
the wife of Gov. Thayer. A genuine
cause for regret at any time, this un
fortunate illness has occurred when
the Governor has been besieged and
worried by political business. As a
soldier we honor every true and brave
soldier. Gov. Thayer was one. What
ever his political mistakes or misfor
tunes he is entitled to the sympathy of
every citizen of Nebraska in this afflic
tion. "- '
What has Become of the Overproduction
Corn.
A short time ago, when Benton
et al were trying to secure a one cent
reduction in freight rates, there was a
tremenduous over-production of corn.
The railroad elevators and speculators
were filling up, and were hostile to any
thing that would raise the price. As
soon as they got ready to realize it was
discovered not only that there was no
over-production of corn, but that there
was an actual shortage. Corn advanced
rapidly, and is now worth 24fcts on the
track for No. 3. Eastern parties have
called at the Alliance Agency this week,
and have offered to take a thousand cars
at the above or better prices.
It makes a lot of difference to the
railroad elevator men whether corn is
going in or going out.
The Third Congressional District.
The conference at Grand Island on
the 29th resulted in, a determination to
nominate an Independent People's
candidate ' for congress in the Third
Congressional District, and a conven
tion was agreed upon for that purpose.
A congressional committee was also
raised, of which C. W. Kinch of Broken
Bow, was made chairman. We have
not yet received the call for the conven
tion, but will probably have it in time
for our next issue. There is great need
for harmony and energetic work in the
Third District. The conditions arc fa
vorable to the success of such a move
ment in the Third. But no stone should
be left unturned and no precaution
neglected to secure success. We hope
our friends there all know that we are
ready to do whatever we can to aid
them.
Not a Representative Body.
In his over-powering anxiety to serve
the people through the agency of the
special session, Gov. Thayer forgot that
the present members are not at this
time representatives of prevailing pub
lic sentiment. They were elected un
der circumstances very different from
the present. A majority of them are
railroad men. Both presiding officers
are railroad men. The Chairmen of
the leading committees are railroad
men. Besides this, since this legisla
ture was elected the issues have very
largely changed. If a legislature was
to be elected now there is no doubt that
it would be a very different body from
the present one, in its personnel and its
sentiments. This legislature does not
represent the people at this time, and
we give it as our sincere conviction that
little good will come out of it.
A Thrilling Little Book, by Venier Voldo,
We have received an invoice of a new
book which we want all our subscribers
to read. Its title is "Our Republican
Monarchy; an arraignment of the polit
ico-capitalistic machinery which has
corrupted our free institutions, and
prostituted the republic to the aristo
cratic forms and industrial slaveries
of monarchical Europe. By Venier
Voldo." This book is a scathing por
trayal of the monstrously unequal and
unjust conditions now existing in the
U. S., stated, as the author savs. "with
plainness that the people may under
stand it." Price, 23cts., sent post-paid
from this office. Or, we will send The
Alliance one year and the book for
$1.10. . ... . -
Mr. Voldo made two addresses in
Antelope Co., and several in other lo
calities, and gave great satisfaction.
He will soon return to the state, when
we expect to arrange a circuit of ap
pointments for him. ; Applications for
him may be made now at this office.
His terms are $5 and expenses.
Mr. Voldo is an electric speaker, and
thoroughly well posted.
The Special Session, the KepTimcaCTT'artyl
and the People.
The special session is a dead topic.
But there isn't a right-minded man in
the state who doesn't feel humiliated by
the events of the past few weeks. There
isn't an intelligent man in the state who
does not know that the alleged pretexts
for the action of-the Governor were
pretence, and that the real motives
were concealed motives, and were pro
bably inspired by political ambition. If
there was an emergency when the Gov
ernor issued hi3 proclamation, there is
an emergency now. Governor Thayer
should have known whether there was
an emergency or not; and his action
should not have been hasty and without
consultation. He convinced himself
that a special session would be popular,
and wanted all the glory of it. Woe
fully and ruthlessly undeceived, he now
must bear all the disgrace of his mis
take. But whoever may have been the
instigator of the first proclamation,
there is no doubt whatever as to who
were the promoters of the recall. Mr.
Holdredge was in Lincoln Saturday
last, looking after political matters, and
consulting with politicians. He desired
that the special session enterprise
should be abandoned, and abandoned
it was. He then expressed his desire
that the Lancaster delegation be given
to Mr. Benton, and it will be so given,
if the railroads have their way, and
they always have."
The partisan aspect of this business
and the railroad, aspect seem to be one
and the same. The people of Nebraska
are intensely interested in its partisan
aspect. If "the essence of ownership
is control," as Leland Stanford said,
the essence of a party is embodied in
the men who are at its head, who work
its machinery, who for the time being
control its official actions. These seem
to be at this time a junta of railroad
men, headed by Mr. Holdredge. If
this is the correct view, what, a pitable
spectacle has been presented to the
people of Nebraska in the last four
months. A lot of officials striving to
out-do each other in attaining some po
sition of advantage before the people,
and at the same time not injure their
masters the railroaas. Of course this
remark does not apply to men like
Leese, who has been a thorn in Hol
dredge's side. Never before has the
domination of railroad influence been
so plainly manifested as in the circus
of the past few months, coupled with
the recall of the Governor's proclama
tion. Honest men must be disgusted.
Devotion to a machine dominated by
such influences must be played out.
What is the remedy? What is the
only resource of the people? To rise
above party to renounce partizanship,
at least for a time; to rise to
the dignity of acting independently.
That is a strange expression, isn't it?
The people dependent? How absurd!
Well, under party rule are , they not
and have they not been dependent? De
pendent upon the bargains of a few
tricksters who make politics a trade!
dependent upon some railroad bosses
who issue free passes to conventions!
dependent upon a few oil-room John
nies and corporation vice-presidents
like Church Howe, who make a com
merce in proxies! ' Yes, disgraceful and
melancholy as it is, the people are depen
dent, under party rule, upon these villains
who name their legislators, and congress
men, and iudaes, and governors. There is
only one way to end this state of affairs,
and that is to smash these machines.
That can be done only through the
agency of independent state and county
conventions. No party has ever been
reformed in this country through the
agency of its own conventions. ' .
Prohibition and the Declaration.
We have received this week several
long communications on the subject of
prohibition, one of which we publish.
We have also been taken to task be
cause the citizens committee did not
give prohibition a place in the declara
tion of principles which is now being
circulated for signatures.
That declaration, which some people
choose to consider as a call for a conven
tion, was not intended to embrace all
tho principles which might properly be
incorporated in a party platform. . It
wa3 designed to test the question of
how large a body of the people of the
state thought it expedient to cut loose
from all party ties and hold an inde
pendent state convention; and it was
thought best to take this expression
only upon a feAV leading and fundamen
the principles. The main "point to bo
determined Avas how many had reached
the point where party no longer deter
mined their action. To determine this
it was necessary that the declaration
should not be loaded with a multitude
of diverse propositions upon which
only a few men could unite, and which
would repel numbers of those who
would be all right on the main issue.
We consider prohibition out of the
jfAAv vi iuu - j uvn
determine whether it shall , be adopted
or rejected; and until they do so deter
mine it is entirely unnecessary longer
to discuss it in convention.
As to the course of this paper on that
question we have this to say: This is
the organ of the State Alliance. That
society is not destinctiyely a prohibition
cannot be distinctively a prohibition
paper. In the Alliance prohibition is
an open question. Its members can
take such action as they please in
regard to it. Therefore, if we should
open pur columns to the advocacy of it,
we would be bound to open them to the
opposition. Our limited space will not
permit us to do either. We gave a col
umn to the Woman's Christian Temper
ance Union. Under the circumstances
our urgent prohibition friends will see
that that is as far as we can go.
A RECALL SOUNDED.
When The Alliance read Governor
Thayer's proclamation convening the
legislature in extra session it was puz
zled. Puzzled to understand whether
it was a vaccination of the republican
party by administering a mild dose of
reform in advance of the heroic potion
sure to come this winter, or whether it
was a feeble effort of a once strong man
to do what he knew should have been
been done long ago. The most most
feasible plea was that it was the former,
and that the call was inspired by Church
Howe, Marquette and Thurston, with
the expectation that the extra session
would turn out a mouse-colored "maxi
mum rate bill" that would be of no ser
vice to anybody but the railroads, but
which would possibly appease and mol-
ify the people until the coming session
of the 22d legislature (January next)
had adjourned, and thus escape the
fearful raking that is in store for them
after the holidays.
Time speedily developed the fact that
the railroads had not been consulted,
and that there was "music in the air" for
the old governor. It then became a
question of fight or run and he ran,
"ran like a whitehead." Soon the cap
pers and strikers and heelers began
their croaking, and have spared no ef
fort to frighten the governor into undo
ing what he so bravely started out to
do. . Cut and dried petitions, written
out and peddled by railroad strikers,
were fired at him by the armfull; and
last, but not least, Chief Justice Gere
from his bench (in the B. $ M. Journal
office) declared that owing to a few va
cancies among members of the legisla
ture, the acts of the'extra session would
be unconstitutional! The recall was
written last week, but was held several
days to allow the B. & M. and U. P.
cappers time to "fortify" the governor
with Cheap John resolutions and peti
tions, and when a sufficient pile had
been amassed the bugle sounded a re
call, and the railroad managers are
again in the saddles, and- the republi
can procession is again on the jnove
with poor old Thayer dragging his
sword in the rear.
If the absence of a dozen or twenty
members of the legislature, by resigna
tion, vitiates all laws passed by the re
mainder, how happy the railroad man
agers would be. At any time when a
disagreeable freight rate bill was liable
to be passed they could buy up a few
resignations and presto change! the
bill would fail to make a constitutional
law. Decision by Chief Justice Gere; J us-
tice Marquette and Associate Justice
Thurston concurring.
The next governor of Nebraska will
be made of sterner stuff than he who
calls a special session and then allows
the corporations to drive him into re
calling it. '
"He who rights and runs away,
May live to right another day."
-John M. Thayer.
And Rosewater is so glad of it; he
thought an extra session of the legisla
ture might pass the Australian ballot
law, and that might materially aid in
knocking King Alcohol out in the great
contest in Nebraska.
The ; B. & M. Journal Again.
The necessity for the railraad whelps,
of which C. H. Gere is one of the chief
pups, to attack Burrows is imminent;
but the extreme paucity of any real
ground for attack is such that they are
driven to their wit's end. We publish
the following to show to what straits
the railroad gang is reduced; also to
shdAV with how little cause this Ioav out
fit Avill insult such noble men as Presi
dent Powers. We Avant the Journal to
have the full benefit of such articles
among the Alliance membership:
"Brother Burrows, secretary of the State
Alliance, is being haulea over the coals by
some of the privates in the rear rank, for his
attempts to be supreme dictator, with auto
cratic powers, of the honest farmers who be
long to the organization. His usurpation of
unconstitutional powers m appointing dele
gates to the National Alliance not long since,
instead of calling a meeting of the State Alli
ance for the purpose, is especially criticized .
Brother Burrows defended his act by alleg
ing that the members of the State Alliance
were "too busy with their farm work" to be
disturbed. The critics say that if the central
committee of the republican party should
come to the conclusion that the party was too
busy to be called upon to hold a state
convention, and should therefore conclude to
nominate a state ticket themselves instead of
holding a state convention the case would be
parallel.
Brother Burrrows, it appears, has been
playinsr the State Alliance as a personal game,
and takes all the burdens of responsibility
from the shoulders of the poor farmers. He
feels perfectly able to do all the thinking and
voting for then so that they will have more
time to cultivate their corn and plant their
potatoes. But the high privates are begin
ning to tire of him and his dummy, "Presi
dent Powers." The Alliance begins to feel
that possibly it is competent to attend to its
own business according to the constitution
and by-laws of the organization, and that
Brother Burrows might as well subside as a
great mogul.
THE SPECIAL, SESSION.
How It Was Called.
It can all be told in a very few words.
It was a railroad scheme from its in
ception. ;- Church Howe resigned his
railroad title but continued his railroad
employment. It was his satanic majes
ty that prompted Gov. Thayer.
"Satan, . "
now improved
In meditated fraud and malloe, bent
On Man'e destruction." .
before the people, and it is for them to
He it was who, after consultation
with his railroad employers and co-conspirators,
whispered to the governor
that the road to all his wishes, the dis
comfiture to all his enemies, the path to
the innermost sanctuary of the peo
ples' hearts, led to an extra session.
And the governor called it.
Listening for words of sweet approval.
he heard instead a universal howl of
condemnation.
, Willing to be guided by the popular
voice, if he could understand it, the
governor wavered a few days in painful
hesitation.
"Horror and doubt distract
His troubled thoughts.".
Now the fine Italian hand of Church
Howe is seen by the careful observer.
Railroad messengers and telegraph
wires all the nice machinery for doing
quick and effective political work which
farmer Howe had just thrown over his
shoulder so ostentatiously was brought
into requisition. Little conferences of
a few members were held here and
there, and distant members were com
municated with; and telegrams to
brace up the governor, began to pour
in. Eighty before breakfast Think of
that! Great is thy power, O railroad,
and mighty is farmer Howe, thy
prophet! But the Governor didnTt
brace up worth a cent." He was sharp
enough to distinguish between the act
ual disapproval of the people, as shown
through the press and . correspondence,
and an artificial approval by telegraph.
Then the opponents of the session were
keen enough to see the fine legal point
involved, and worked this on the Gov
ernor with good effect. The result was
the first proclamation was recalled.
The Governor has treated the people
to a genuine sensation. The newspa
pers have been in their glory. A few
days of "special wonder" have inter
vened in the dull routine of our daily
lives and then the curtain falls, and
the play is done. But the Governor!
Where, O where is he?
"So Near and yet so far."
The recall has knocked the hotel bank
accounts into smithereens. "On Jor
dan's stormy banks I stand."
Alliance Badges.
We have received a feAV samples of
the badge which is being made in Chi
cago for the Nebraska Alliances. It is
a very pretty thing, in the form of a
scarf or ,boom pin. Its color is gold
and red, white and blue. At the top are
the letters "N. F. A." in gold on the red
ground. Below this is an upright sheaf
in gold on Avhite ground, and below
this is a plow in gold on blue ground.
It is about half an inch wide and six
eighths of an inch long, and i3 a very
neat and ornamental pin.
Secretary Thompson will furnish this
badge to Alliances at the rate of $20.00
per 100. Single samples, sent by mail,
20 cts each.
There has been a great call for a
badge. One County Alliance ordered
one thousand. We think this pin will
fill the bill. -
Abstract of an Address by John H. Pow
ers, President of Nebraska State
Alliance.
Being a farmer I have not made it my
life's business to address audiences; but
a pressing need of some one doing some
thing had brought him here. The plan
and principles of our government were
the best equal rights to all. The fault
was that all were not equal. Those
who labor and produce the wealth do
not hold the Avealth. They live and so
did the slave. It had come to be almost
the popular opinion that this state of
things was right. But the Holy Writ
said: "By the sweat of thy broAV shalt
thou eat thy bread." He did not be
lieve in the Divine right of kings and
aristocrats; and yet we lived. under an
aristocracy. Government was needed
so as to prevent confusion so as to
protect the poor from the rich the
weak from the strong. There was
plenty of laAvs to protect us from physi
cal violence; but only little law to pro
tect us from moral and social violence.
We are told to let politicians attend to
politics, lawyers to law, doctors to
medicine and farmers to farming. We
have tried it, but found it ruinous to the
farmer. He told how the laborers had
rushed to the defence of the country in
the time of war, and did not dictate
what the recompence should be. Not
so with the millionaires; they dictated
their own terms. It was true the gov
ernment pensioned the disabled soldiers,
but the bond holders had a pension for
30 years. The soldier was taxed to pay
the expenses of the government; while
the bonds went free of tax.
Some of the reasons why the farmer
should organize Avere: First they were
in debt. We are told to keep still about
it as it would hurt the state. We are
told the reason the farmer is in debt
is because he is too extravagant. Not
so! He had to have money to get start
ed, and often the hail or other calamity
prevented his getting out. Again Avhen
he had to pay 8 per cent for money and
farming only paid 4 per cent on the
average how could he get out? Some
paid 2 per cent a month, which Avas 30
per cent per, annum. It was only a
question of time with them the man
who paid 30 per cent Avould get to the
bottom first.
Another reason why farmers can't
get out of debt is the cost of transporta
tion. The railroads charge all the traf
fic will bear. Last Avinter they charged
so as to leave only 12 cents for corn.
The farmers Avould not sell. The roads
lowered the price so as to leave 13 cents
and the farmer sold. The Chief Magis
trate of the state got down on his knees
before the railroads and they charged
so as to leaAe 15 cents for the farmer.
All the farmer had left free noAV Avas
hog and homminy. You raise Avheat,
the wheat is yours, but it is the miller's
Hour. All of your flour comes through
a trust. Your flour costs too much. A
binder that costs $50 you pay three
times as much for. Your coffee', sugar
and everything you buy comes through
a trust. More than that the homes are
in danger. You sympathize Avith Ire
land wnen you hear of the evictions;
there were more evicted in Nebraska
last year than Avere evicted in Ireland.
But few resisted the foreclosure of their
farms, as they were ashamed to think
tHey had lost their farms and, they just
quietly moved off to the sand hills. And
what is true to Nebraska is true back
What are we to do about it? Exercise
the rights of freemen. Going to orga
nize the people. Going to take the ru
lers from the people. The Czar of Rus
sia can't sympathize with the people as
he was never poor; hence he banishes
them to Sibera instead of giving them
their rights. You have no right to com
plain of the laws. You told the lawyers
to make them. You told the bankers
to manage the finances and they have, i
and you have no right to complain.
Not so with the slave. He belongs to
his master and did not make the laAvs
that oppress him as you haAe. Politi
cians do not allow any differences to
keep them apart. Not so Avith the farm
ers. Politicians have divided them in
to parties tor a purpose, and farmers
have let them do it. And three-fourths
of the farmers have owned allegiance
more to party than to country.
We mean to organize as non-partisans
and have our children taught in politics.
Not to seek office; but to just think of a
king teaching his son in the science of
government! Our children are sover
eigns and we will teach them politics.
We organize because it is fashionable.
Bankers, lawyers, doctors, druggists
all but farmers are organized. We are
organizing, not to oppress any business
or profession; but for the purpose of
education. Are you afraid to have us
educated? -The slave owner was afraid
of education for his slaves. And yet
there is a sense in which we have had
too much teaching from professors.
When one professor came out Ave be
lieved him, and when the other profes
sor came out we believed he lied. We
are going to- study farming. You say
that's all right. But we are going to
study mercantile business -.going to study
finance; moral questions; the Avork
ings of prohibition; or anything that
pertains to the people. We are going
to educate the people in the laws; not
in republicanism or democracy, or in
any other partyism. You say we can't
do it; that you will march us to the polls
and vote us like cattle; that you hare a
right to round us up once a year and
brand us, but we will see.
Money is needed to carry on the in
dustries of the country, and if it is to be
furnished any portion of our people free
of interest it should be furnished to the
industrious. But it is not; it is put in
to the hands of the rich so that they
can speculate off of the industrious clas
ses; and there is no law to compel the
rich to let the industrious classes have
it except on their own terms. We have
usury laAvs; but before you can get
money you have to enter into a conspi
racy to break the law. The Stanford
bill is a move in the- right direction.
Railroads must be controlled by laAv
the same as the postal system, even if
the goA'ernent has to own them.
The trusts system needs -no mention.
We must have a stay laAV, Kansas had
one for two years, but it must be per
petual. The Alliance is not going to
organize a new party. We have seven
now, anil if parties could saAe us we
ought to be saved; but Ave are going to
get along Avithout some of these parties.
We are organizing as a class as Ave are
the only class left. Why will you not
join us as Ave only w ant to build up the
right. -
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.
The Different
Factions in
Movement.
the Reform
All Should Unite in one Solid Phalanx
and Save the Republic from the Pow
er of Plutocracy and Corruption
The Time for Action Has
Arrived.
T. V. Powderly in the Journal of the Knights
of Labor.
If the leading reformers of the conn
try should assemble to-morroAV to dis
cuss the advisability of forming a new
party there and then, they would disa-
free on the start, and in all probability
eep on disagreeing until adjournment.
If they met to discuss measures, and
then united 0"in a a call to the people to
speak for themselves, they AA'ould do
much good. If they issued the call for
the people to speak out from all parts
of the country, they would be sure of a
respectful and attentive audience, and
the character ofthe assemblage Avould
inspire confidence.
If the formation of a party should be
the object, Ave would find the High-tariff
man astride of his hobby, with both
feet locked under his pet, and he Avould
not yield until "daylight did appear," if
he did then.
We would hear the Free-trader clam
oring for the adoption of his theory,
pure and simple, and the most beAvilder
mg array of facts, and alleged facts,
Avould be hurled at the head of eA'ery
other delegate during the session. On
the way to the hall, at the table, in the
smoking room and in bed aao AA-ould
hear the argument betAveen the High
tariff man and the Free-trader.
Tha Tariff-for-revenue-only adA'ocate
would mildly attempt to make converts,
and would gently insinuate that no at
tention should be paid to "the other two
fools, for they dont knoAV what thev are
talking about. They are riding hobbies
and won't get off, eA-en to let another
poor fellow have a ride." He would not
consent to yield, however, and AA-ould
remain steadfast to the end.
The Prohibitionists AA-ould insist that
all the rest of creation Aas Avrong;
that it was guilty of Rip-Van-Winkle
droAvsiness not to see that, unless the
saloon Avas abolished, there could be no
hope for the future of the race. He
would not yield a jot or tittle, and Avould
insist on ha"ing a prohibition plank, or
two, in the piatiorm.
The Personal-liberty man would be
there, too; but he Avould not trouble the
convention a great deal, for all ef his
time Avould be taken up attending to
things around the hotel while the con
Alention Avas in session.
The High-license adA Ocate Avould pre
sent his plea for the "gilded hell," and
Avould stoutly assert that prohibition
would ruin trade, bankrupt Kentucky
and drive thousands rag-pickers out
of business.
The advocate of Woman Suffrage
would be there, and Avould demand that
the voice of the people speak out in be
half of the mothers and sisters of the
race. He would find but feAV opponents,
hoAvever, in a reform convention, and
would not'get into many quarrels.
Then we Avould find a champion of
govermental operation of breweries and
distilleries. He would offer to sIioav
that his plan would relieA-e industry of
a load of debt and pay all taxes.
There Avould be quite a few Avho
Avould say that the geA ernment should
take control of all railways under the
right of eminent domain, and operate
them in the interest of the people. .
Others Avould demand that action on
the railways be deferred until Ave had
gained control of the telegraph.
Then the Land crank Ayould be there.
He Avould come in sections, as it Avere.
He would faA-or single tax and a tax on
speculative land-holding only. He would
also want to have alien land thieves
abolished; that is, he Avould haAe the
thievery abolished, but as he progressed
he would Avax Avarm and AA-ould like to
abolish the thief too.
Then the Immigration crank Avould be
on hand and Avould insist on barring up
the door so that no more foreigners
could climb over, and after he Avas
knocked down a feAV times he aaouM
yield a point or two and agree to let
just a feAV come, if they behaved them
selves. Then the remnant of the "Old Guard
of Greenbackers" would file in, thin and
shadowy after long years of waiting and
fasting, and would take the floor on
every question and argue for a people's
currency, auu mey avouiu be in order no
matter what the subject under dnbat
might be.
The Civil-service reformer avohI.1 !
there, and we would find hini in a death
grapple Avith the uncivil reformer
xne ciiauipiotr ui x.inw nours a Day,
as a panacea for all the ill a of lalwr!
Avoud talk sixteen hours trying to con-
Aince tne conA'ention tnat ne was right.
In fact, Ave would all be there; but we
Avould not make much headway, for
none of us would yield to the other A ery
much, and by the time Ave had fiimheil
the platform there Avould be nothing
left for us to stand on. '
I took a few hours off the other day
and AA'ent through my tiles as they Ave re
arranged on the shelves. I found a
number of declarations that were is
sued during the last nine years. They
were called "The New Declaration of
Independence," "The Platform of tho
Peoples' Reform Party," and a dozen
other good names. In all I have thirtv-seA-en
platforms that aim at being na
tional in their make-up, and they Avere
all issued within the past nine years, x'"'
I found myself asking the question?
"What stirred the people up on tluv
important subjects during these years?"
The answer that came to mo was: "The
Knights of Labor did it. 1881 Avitnessed
the promulgation of the principles f
the Order, and from that time tLf.'
haAe been before the Avorld for discus
sion. They are up and under the icru
tiny of all the people, and the agifttiou
they created is doing its Avork."
But thirty-seven nev parties could
not succeed very well at once in a na
tional contest, and the delegates to the
convention Avho did not get their hob
bies in the platform Avould go home
and A-ote with the old machine as le
fore. Two or three good, burning is
sues Avould be enough to take up; but.
in any event, the people should shout
Avith a million throats oefore a ticket
should be nominated. Platforms at
best are but resolutions, and Ave lire
resolutions off so recklessly they don't
cost anything that Ave pay but little
heed to them.
From the Organizer of Antelope Co.
Editor Farmers' Alliance I am a
reader of your noble paper, and believe
eA'ery farmer in this state should take
it; but we are so close run for money
we cannot see hardly how avo can snare
a dollar even though Ave get ten dollars,
yes a hundred dollars worth of reading
out of it. I see letters in your paper
from all parts of the state, but have not
seen any from this (Antelope) county.
I have been organizer in this county for
nearly three years, and our Alliance
was nearly the first one in the cou ty.
We as a county are heartily in sympa
thy Avith the move to call a people's
state, and also congressional convention.
The petitions for the first call are be
ing signed by nearly every farmer and
some of the business men, and farther
Ave say no more of Dorsey rule for us.
We do not believe he can carry this
county if nominated, because leading
republicans say they Avill vote for a
straight democrat first.
The enemies to the people's cause
here say they (the people) will nominate
majority of their officers from
the the democrat party. Now hi or
der to aA oid this hbwl would it not be
right to require men in order to !e
eligible to become candidates in this
campaign to be men who have never
received any political honor from either
party, and men that have not got a re
cord as political wire pullers in either
of the old parties. This would do up tho
Leese and "Grandma" Thayer faction,
and all other olilce seekers Avho will
llock to the people's ticket this fall.X be
cause (hey Avill see in less than two
months it Avill Avin. Then Avon t we
have lots of friends? Why, MKrJoso
Avater has already been trying to make
the farmers believe he is Avorking in
their interests;-amLI guess he is, but it
is tAvo per cent interest he is Avork
ing for.
VVe haAe about 23 Alliances in Ante
lope Co., and only 24 townships, Avith a
good membership all around. The peo
ple of this Co. are thoroughly waked up
on this subject, and they will demon
strate it this fall by sweeping tho Co.
for the people's ticket clear through,
and the amendment also; not the high
license amendment, but tho prohibition
amendment. Jas. A. Butler.
Co. organizer for Antehv.vj (J.
Resolutions ot Condolence.
Adopted at a regular meet ing of the
Central Farmers' Alliance No. iii'i, held
May 10th, 180.
Whereas it has pleased the great
Ruler of tho Universe to remove from
our midst our late brother Alexander
Kutherford, and it is but just that his
many virtues should receive fitting
recognition; therefore be it
Resolred. Bv the Central Farmers'
Alliance, No. 023, of which Mr. Kuther
ford was a member, that while we bow
in humble submission to the will of the
all wise Father, Ave do not le.s mourn
the departure of our beloved brother.
Resolved, That in tho death of A.
Rutherford this lodge laments the loss of
a brother Avho Avas always Avilling and
ready to proffer aid and A oice of sym
pathy to tho needy and distressed, an
earnest and active'membcr of the so
ciety, and a friend and companion to us
all.
Resolved, That the heartfelt sympathy
of this lodge be extended to Mr. Ruther
ford's family in their affliction, and that
these resolutions bo spread upon the
records of the lodge, a copy thereof In?
transmitted to the family of the de
ceased, and a copy to bo furnished the
Farmers' Alliance at Lincoln.
Wm. H. Palmer.
M. E. Drake,
G. L. Mav.
Committee.
Resolutions from Webster County.
Resolved, The Alliance shall put in
nomination a full ticket for count j,
state and other offices.
Resolved-, We will not vote for anv
candidate for the legislature who aviII
not pledge himself to work and vote for
a laAV making usury a penal offence.
Avith forfeiture of principal and inter
est. Whereas. A certain JNeAVspaper
knoAvn as the Webster County Alliance,
published in Red Cloud by T.P. Shields,
purports to voice the sentiments of the
Alliance without any authority from
that order.
Resolved. That Ave tho representatives
of four Alliances assembled here at
Bladen, condemn the action of said
Shields in so doing.
Resolved, A copy of these resolution
be sent to F. P. (.Shields and also be
spread on the minutes of this meeting.
On motion it 'was ordered that these
resolutions passed at tho called meeting
of four Alliances at Bladen, May 27,1 8i.
bo sent to the Farmers' Alliance at
Lincoln, Nebraska, for publication.
w . ft. xiiorne, bee.
Marbles for Balloting.
There have been many inquiries for
the above, and I am now prepared to
furnish these to Alliances Avhlch havo
not otherAvise provided them.
J. M. Thompson, Stat3 Seo'y.
