i
: U
the
PARLEEES' ALLIANCE
PUBLISHED EVERY SATUDAY '
BT THB
Alliance PuMshing Co. ,
COR. 11th AND M STS.,
NCOLn; -:r:F. - NEBRASKA.
ByRRQWS. - - - - Editor.
J. U. THOMPSON, PuiBM Mg r.
33C-
- In the beauty of the UUIm "
. , CJjrift "M oorn acrofs the sea,
Witt a glory in hi boiOffl
' That transfigures you and me.
Aa He strove to make men holy
Let us strive to make men free,
Since Oed is marching on."
"-'Li, Jjjh? VVard Howe.
Laurel crowns cleave to deserts
And power to him who power exerU."
14 A ruddy drop of manly blood
The surging Sea outweighs."
Emerson.
He who cannot reason is a fool,
f He who will not reason is a coward,
He who dare not reason is a slave."
EDITORIAL.
THE STATE ALLIANCE MEETING
, AND THE PRESS.
In a long life we have never known
a more disgraceful exhibition of jour
nalism than that shown by the Bee;,
World-Herald and State Journal in the
treatment of the State Alliance meet
ing of last week. Every person who
was in the convention knows how ut
terly vile were the statements of these
papers. Having no reliable informa
tion, their reporters listened in hotel
corriders and drew upon their imagina
tion for the balance. But through all this
vile lying there runs one ever .present
and strenuous purpose to destroy Bur
rows. Every misrepresentation seems
to have this object iu view. The pres
ent object of this is obvious. These
papers have all the time given it out
cold that Mr, Burrows was the instiga
tor of the election contest. Of .course
all the parties directly interested in the
contest know this to be false, and that
Mr. Burrows probably had less to do
with it than any other prominent inde
pendent. But it is likely that the general
public believe them; and they now
hope to prejudice this general public
against the contest by throwing discred
it upon Mr. Burrows. -It is for this
reason, and to protect the Alliance
from the effect of these slanderous
tongues, that we allude to this matter.
s First, in the Bee of the 18th is an arti
cle headed " Burrows' Prohibition
Plot." in which the editor alludes to
the reception of the two ladies of the
, W. C. T. TJ., and says that he had dis
covered a " cunningly devised plan to
secure statutory prohibition," and that
the business of the ladies was " to urge
the Alliance to commh ' itself to an at
tempt to saddle prohibition on this
state after the people have rejected it by
a majority of 50,000 votes." "The arti-
,cle goes on in half a column of the same
kind of stuff, saying that "Burrows is a
better prohibitionist than Alliance man,"
and accusing him of " bringing the la
dies into the meeting."
Now. see how plaua a tale will put
this lying villain down. 1st. Mr. Bur
rows knew nothing of the intention of
the ladies to visit the meeting until he
met them in the" ante-room. 2d. The
whole time they spent in the conven
tion did not exceed live minutes, and
they said no word about prohibition or
any other subject, but simply bore
greetings from their society and con
gratulated the Alliance upon the good
work it was doing. 3d. In this pa
per of last week, issued on W ednesday,
the day before the Bee came out with
the above named article, there was an
editorial written by Mr. Burrows in op
position to statutory prohibition, and
giving good reasons why the 22d legis-
. lature should not attempt it. ' r;t
In all other matters about the meet
in e the papers named run the whole
gamut of vile lying. One paper says
Burrows has been " vindicated." Hard
ly! No charge has been brought against
him. The Bee of the 20th says Burrows
proposed tfyree per cent as a legal rate
of interest. Burrows' proposition was
six per cent. , The Bee speaks of , Kern's
conservative influence. Mr. Kem was
not a delegate, but was on the floor by
courtesy.
Another paper speaks of "King
Burrows." The Journal speaks of "Bur
rows and his gang," and of course
classes them all as hogs.
Now the fact remains that all this
has little or no influence on the Alii-,
ance. Its members know what they
1 want and intend to have it, though all
the Rosewaters outside of hades oppose
and deride them. They know an hon
est man from a traitor, when treachery
is so plainly shown as it was lately.
They know when a man is among them
for' a "good purpose,' and when he is
there to divide and destroy them.
The Alliance is and always has been
a conservative body. It has not
chaw ged in that respect. But its con
servatism is of that kind that will .pre
serve and build up free institutions, and
not the kind that clings to a rotten in
stitution because it is ancient.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
BY GOV.
POWERS.
Bro: Powers has requested us to ' re
turn his thanks to Alliance No. 705 for
a beautiful shield, with devices repre
senting the various industries ingenious
ly displayed upon it. Mr. Powers did
not receive this shield until after the
state meeting had adionmpfl nthprwioo
it. would havebeen displayed in the
hall. It will adorn the executive office
after the inauguration. - ; -
BT" J ay Gould is a microbe on the
body politic of this land; kill the mi
crobe ! ' The Alliance lymph is the
thing to do it with.
THE
THE MORTGAGE PROBLEM.
A correspondent sends us a plan by
which the farmers of this state, or such
part of them as will adopt it, may find
relief from the incubus rof their mort
gages. ; fit is a good plan, and a practi
cable plan if ifif they will only
join together' and adopt it. We give
the plan in our correspondent's own
words:-' -' -.--
"Suppose the male members of the
Alliance form a joint stock , company
and each member takes fourshares at
$25 per share, paying the full amount in
at organization. Now if there are sixty
thousand stockholders in the state that
W9Wld give a fund of si million dollars
aS a permanent fund. Then loan this
money to stockholders, say one thousand
dollars to one person, at 4 per cent.; to
pay off present mortgage, giving amort
gage to the company. This would fur
nish six thousand stockholders with
ttionev to nav mortgages ' t ft'' reduced
X" ml -r v.
rate of interest, and the six million
loaned at 4 per cent would give an an
nual income of two hundred and forty
thousand to loan the second year to
stockholders whose mortgages are com
ing due. The duration of the company
to be 25 years, thus giving five different
sets of mortgages."
Our correspondent asks us what we
think of the scheme. We think it is a
grand scheme. It is not only a grand
scheme, but with honest and unselfish
officers to manage it, , it is a practicable
and safe scheme. And it would not be
necessary to wait for 60,000 subscribers.
Twenty thousand would furnish $2,000,
000. Ten thousand w6uld furnish $1,
000,000. Some of the most successful
loan companies of "this country began
business on less than one-tenth of that
sum. We not only consider the scheme
practicable, but it is the only direction
in which we see any hope of immediate
relief,
A year ago last June the writer of this
. :
article visited the eastern money cen
ters as the . accredited agent of several
State Alliances authorized to make ar
rangements for money to renew the
mortgages of our members. We made
at that time a thorough study of this
whole mortgage loin business, the
methods of conducting it and the
sources of money supply. Our mission
as" far as obtaining relief was concerned
was a failure; and its result was the full
conviction that any immediate succor
from the mortgage incubus must come
through co-operative effort and with
our own money.
But a very large "if intervenes.
Would it be possible to raise even $100,-
000 in the way our correspondent
names, to say nothing of $6,000,000?
We fear not, at the present time.
The next great struggle of mankind,
already in its first stages, will be to de
throne money as a power to oppress. It
will be the most memorable struggle of
history, and - its success will mark the
brightest era of the world's progress.
If that success can be achieved without
the misery,, devastation and bloodshed
that are ,the milestones 01 the world's
advance, we may be sure we have
reached the age of reason. ' ' ' ,. .
The future doe not look bright. The
usury and mortgage problem, a verita
ble riddle of the Sphinx which to solve
not is to die, confronts ,us, tiring our
brain and deadening our hope. The
earth shudders at its unwonted burden,
in sympathy with the weary worker
who leans over it, and together they
bring forth a harvest of sorrow and
tears. The roots of the mortgage, like
the tentacles of the devil-fish, clutch and
penetrate every fair hill- top and fertile
valley, absorbing the best fruits of the
soil, and the dew from its spreading
branches distils blood on the lintels of
thousands of home's. These things are
making cowards of half the men of Ne
braska to-day. Knowing into their vitals,
bringing their families to the verge of
starvation, still they dare not move to
destroy it for fear the little life left in
them will eo out in the strife. Who will
solvethe riddle?
There is only one solution to it
Money, which is created by law, must
be issued in sufficient " quantity to make
debt, the basis of the mortgage, unnec
essary. -
RELIEF
FOR OUR
WESTERN
BROTHERS
There is much aid going forward for
the relief of the victims in the drouth
stricken country. The organization
effected by Gov. Thayer is very effec
tive, and the roads are acting liberally
in' the matter of transpertation. Free
transportation is being furnished for all
genuine donations, . providing the pre
scribed conditions as to receipts and
consignments are complied with. While
the conditions" way seem onerous to
some, they are not unreasonable. It
could not be expected that the roads
would furnish free transportation to all
comers without any safeguards against
me auuse 01 me privilege.
Ihe same state ot facts may be true
as to distribution. The commissioners
thought best to put this distribution in
the hands of county clerks, commission
ers and justices of the peace. Consid
erable red tape will intervene in this
bufiness, and in consequence of it per
haps many ; cases of actual suffering
which demand speedy relief may occur.
We desire now to ask that where cases
of suffering or unrelieved destitution of
our brothers in the Alliance are known
to exist information of them may be
sent at once to the chairman of the
State - Alliance Executive Committee.
This information should be full and ex
plicit, with names and address of par
tics plainly written. This is done with
the view of giving prompt relief in such
cases without the delay incident to bf-
ficial machinery.
tST The farmers in the
legislature
will no, doubt watch that warehouse
and grain and provision exchanger busi
ness as provided for by the good peo
ple of Omaha, and vte against it on
general principles.
FABMERS' ALLIANCE, LINCOLN, NEB.,
ROStfWATER AND THE COUNTRY
'EDITORS ESPECIALLY THE
' COUNTRY EDITORS.
Mr. Rosewater has returned home
from Washington. He has testified be
fore the contest committee. As an as
sistant to Father Time in bringing
around his revenges Mr. Rose water is
a decided success. As an evener in the
matter of inequalities between, himself
and other individuals Mr. Rosewater
is not by any means to be sneezed at.
The country editors and some of the
city ones have been hounding. Mr.
Rosewater. He grasps them all in a
lump, and with one single resounding
blow mashes the whole lousy outfit. As
we said before, Mr. Rosewater has testi
fied Her! is Bor&e of his testimony:
After stating that there was a finance
committee of the State Banker? aad
Merchant's Association, he goes on;
O. What waathn Autv of that committee?
A.lt was to raise funds and distribute them;
O. Did the executive committee require
any report from the finance committee from
time to time? A. No, only this:- We some
times had plans that would involve us in a
great deal of expense, and we would inquire
wnetner we couici afford to go into tnem. we
at one time bad an application for the sum of
$20,000 by thirty editors. They had entered
into a little combine and wanted (20,000, but
we didn't give them twenty cents.
(J via you know the political complexion
of those editors? A. That particular group
wa&democratic, but there was another group
of republicans that were equally desirous to
help us and they also marie trifling demands
of from one thousand to two or three thous
and dollars. ..
Q. How many republican editors made ap
plication? A. I could not tell you. I was in
vited to a republican convention at uncom
and tney were deugeted to Bee me down tnere.
mere v as a large numDer or editors tnere.
from the country, and they took me into
their confidence sufficiently to know if there
was anytningm it. (June a number seemed
to be anxious to assist us; the trouble was
we had no money, but they would not believe
me, and tn y insisted that I bad f 100,000 or
$ 200,000 at uxy disposal. -
u. mow many republican editors were
present? A. I think some thirty or forty,
but only ten or twelve were especiallay
anxious.
Q What did they want this money for?
A To assist in def eating prohibition.
u. xney were ail editors or country pa
pers? A. Yes. . ' .
u.-At wnat time did that occurl A. At
must have occurred in September. .
Q. At what time did the democratic edi
tors mane tnis ram upon you? a. mat was
berore tney nad tnelr state convention ; they
had tied up in the sprinv and decided they
wtUld say nothing on prohibition: I was told
by Mr. Mcanane that we would encounter
difficulties; that there was a meeting of north
Nebraska editors, and tbev decided to keep
absolutely mum on prohibition until some
thing was done; well, they came down here
in a large flock, aud they waited upon Mr
Uoggen and myself and Dr. Miller, and told
us that we were a bad lot. and that we were
working for Richards and would not help
Boyd, and that they would work for prohibi
tion, because this business association was a
scheme only to elect Mr. Richards, and we
had lots of calls from democrats then pro
testing airainst the scheme
Q. is it not true that those thirty demo
cratic editors, or some of them, stated that
they were oppesed to the editors of two citiy
papers getting all the boodle? -A. Yes they
understood that there was $30,000 er 40.000
to be divided. -1 have a list or slip that said
1 was paid $100,01 0. but he has since admitted
that he didu't believe it was quite that much.
Q. But they did state that they ought to
haveadivy? A. They thought so, and In
sisted upon it
o. wnat was the attitude of those papers
after they failed to get a divy of this boodle?
A. They were going for Rosewater as a bad
man; he must get out. and they insisted up
on me retireing from the committee.
. JJo you mean to be understood as say
ing that these thirty democratic and the
tnirty or rorty republican editors were
actuated entirely by.a desire 'for gain? a.
xe. i. mean to say tnat every one or tnosti
fellows who came clamoring for boodle were
boodiers. and they wanted to get pay for ad
vocating principles which were , their own
convictions, as the democratic party had pro
claimed itself against prohibition-from time
ataTd thly werealaf
immemorial m ibis city, and these
oe paid ror saying so
That's enough isn't it? 'Mr. Rose-
water has a great reputation for abus-
iner peop.e. etc.. etc.. but he isn't notea
for Ivine when under bath. . In fact,
he tells too much truth on "such oc
casions. lnat's what's the matter, it
is really difficult to treat this subject
with levitv. What a contemptible, dis
graceful, humiliating spectacle it. is
Sixty of the men who set themselves up
as exemplars for the community turn
ed boodiers in a fight where a great
principle is involved, and where . if
ever the instincts of manhood would be
appealed to. Bah! Our gorge rises at it
Mr. Bosewater would earn the grati
tudeof the community .by publishing
the whole list. The Alliance will
copy it with due credit as soon as re
ceived. Meanwhile, rive la Rosewater
flgAnything legitimate to discover
or frustrate the misdoings of a corpora
tion ought to be hailed with joy by pub
lic omciais. cut this is not the case
with Attorney General Miller, the chie
law officer of the land. He has just is
sued an order preventing Mr. Lambert
son of this city to act any further as at
torney for the inter-state railroad com
mission in the rebate matters as against
the C. B. & Q. R. R. Co., and why
Because he asserts that to serve the
inter state railroad commission any
longer in that capacity would enable
said attorney to win a certain suit
against that same corporation. Too
bad indeed! And this very same Miller
is spoken of as a possible "judge of the
supreme court, on which bench 00
many such corporation cappers as he
have already found their way.
. If there is a court in Christendom
that needs a thorough shaking up it is
the snpreme court of the United States
It is to be hoped that the inter-state
railroad commission will take issue
with Attorney General Miller on this
point, and thus enable it to punish the
C. B. & Q.i as it so very justly deserves.
If a private citizen of poor means was
guilty of the one thousandth part of
crimes of this corporation, there would
be no interference with Mr. Lambert-
son. "
THE ALLIANCE RELIEF FUND.
The following amounts have been con
tributed for the relief of the drouth
stricken region of the state:
Amount previously reported . . . .$433 05
E.. S. Davison, Emerald, from
farmers of Emerald 3 50
Frank Rath, Tekamah, Golden
Springs Alliance, No. 1301 14 00
II. A Lockwood, Waterloo, Neb.
AllianceNo. 1420. ...,.lv..... 54 40
Martin Schnetzer, Fremont,Neb. '
" .Estema AllianceNo. 1041.... 10 00
Ole Nelson. Nysted, Nb., Nys-
' . ted Alliance No, 548. ........ . 9 25
John Laird,- Fullerton, Neb..
Council Creek Alliance No .413 10 00
P. C Boasen, Kearney, Neb.,
Alliagce No. 1708. ....' 9 60
Geo. Fiak, Olive. Neb., Olive.
Alliance No. 181. 10 00
State Alliance Ming.
A GRAND GATHERING OF
RASKA FARMERS.
NEB-
Proceedings of the Annual Meeting, Held
.at Lincoln, Dec. 16, 17, and 18, i89o.
A List of the Nwly Elected Officers.
First day. Morning Session. Meeting
was called to order by President Powers.
Prayer by Chaplain. fl
; .There were about nine hundred dele
gates present, representing that number
of Alliances, the .representation beiag
one delegate for each Alliance.
The president's address occupied the
time until the noon recess, and is as
follows:
(We republish, this address this week,
as our edition containing it was ex
hausted before the demand was "sup
plied, and as our new subscribers of
last week did not receive any of that
edition.)
ANNUAL APDRESS OF PRESIDENT
POWERS TO THE STATE
' ALLIANCE.
Brothers and Sisters of the State
Alliance, I rejoice to greet you
TO-PAT JN QUR ANNUA MEETING;
When we last met. the citv of Grand
sland was astonished to see 600 deter
mined men appear in their midst as del
egates from the Alliance in Nebraska.
Since that time politicians throughout
the state have been astonished still more
to see the determination, manifested by
our members in sustaining our prin
ciples by political action. "
To-day, with about one-third the rep
resentation we were entitled to then,
in spite of the famine which prevails
over nearly one-half of our state, which
renders many of our brother delegates
unable to attend our meeting; we arc
here to show to the world that the far
mers ot the state of Nebraska are awake
to their interests, their rights, and their
duties.
During the past year there have been
dded to our number of Alliances 1236,
while in most cases the membership of
those then existing has largely increas
ed; so that in the aggregate we number
probably six times as many as we did at
that time.. ' ' V
Notwithstanding the fact that we are
so great a multitude, .that, we are scat
tered over so large a state, that there
were local prejudices to overcome, that
there is to some extent, a diversity of
business interests, that we are composed
of persons Of all shades of religious be-
ief.and all kiuds of political afliliatio us,
and in spite of the opposition arising
from the jealousies of other industries
aud occupations, we have proved that
industrial o-operatiou in ihis stateis a
success. . , -
And although the tremendous influ
ence 01 the money power nas oeeu
brought to bear to crush our financial
ability, and to make us entirely depen
dent on it for our very existence, the
tiitherto irresistible power of the cor
porations, trusts and. monopolies, has
beeu exerted . in a combiued effort to
overwhelm us; and the experienced
shrewdness and cuuuing of politicians
have been exerted to their utmost to di
vide us and array us against each other;
we have demonstrated that the farmers
of this state can "hang together." That
they can successfully co-operate in
business, lhat they can unite, success-
ully, with all those who believe in equal
rights for all before the law, in indepen
dent political action, and that it is yet
possible4 that the people shall rule.
Many Alliance business associations
have been established, and have in most
cases proved a success. At the. same
time merchants and manufacturers have
been disabused of the idea that the Alli
ance was established to injure their true
interests, or to break. up their business
if honestly conducted. ,
The educational feature of the Alli
ance in the jine of political information
has crouffht forth -fruit in one 01 the
hardest contested campaigns that was
ever witnessed in the state,: and in
achieving a victory decided and gratify
ing in its results, and with good pros
pect of being complete and permanent
In the preceding year several of the
counties which were best organized
nominated, and in most instances elect
ed independent or peoples' tickets.
These countit-s early in the spring of
this year, began to express their deter
mination to repeat the action on a lar
ger scale. lhey united with some
others in usging a combined- effort
throughout the state, to exert their po
litical power and influence in some man
ner Outside of all existing political par
ties. But here a difficulty rose, which
for a time created grave apprehension
in the minds of many, and put the loy
alty and sine-, nty our members to a se
vere test. Grave differences of opinion
arose as to how political action could
most safely and successfully be taken.
borne were in favor 01 forming a new
political party, having the same charac
teristics of the old parties, as to perpet
uating itself and controlling the politi
cal action of its members, and in which
the Alliances should elect the delegates
to the first conventions. Others were in
favor of selecting from among those that
shou d be nominated by the existing po
litical parties, but of no longer affiliat
ing with them, while others advocated
capturing the primaries wherever pos
sible, and thus gradually chauging them
in principle and reiorming tnem in
practice. These differences of opinion
were mannestea ana comparea at a
conference of the presidents . of county
alliances and the county organizers, to
gether with the officers of the State Al
liance, held at Lincoln on the 22d of
April. The result was that a circular
was sent to the Alliances in the state
advising them to make preparation for
political action, but that action should
be determined by the strength of the
Alliances in the different counties
Using the old party primaries, the bal
ance of power, or separate nominations
as mignt seem best
But during all this time the organiza
tion 01 Alliances was going lorward so
rapidly that county after county felt
that they had arrived to a strength of.
memoersuip tnat would warrant inde
pendent political action. In reponse to
earnest requests from different parts of
the state blank: petitions headed by the
St. Louis Declaration of Principles and
a request for a call for a state conven
tion; were sent out to every Alliance and
Assembly of the Knights of Labor in the
state. These petitions were signed by
many thousands of members and were
sent back to Alliance headquarters arid
in compliance with them a convention
was called to meet in Lincoln, July 29th.
The apportionment of the delegates to
the dmerent counties being . based on
the best judgment of the secretaries of
the State Alliance and the State Assem
bly of the Knights of Labor, or such
persons as they chose. The primaries
were to be composed of those legal vo-
ters who pledged themselves to sustain
by their influence and votes the princi
pies contained in the petition in response
to which the convention was called; A
part of the counties, impatient of delav
had called their county and district con-
ventions through the action of the Alii
ances and Knights of Labor, and dele- speak in detail of the editors in diner
crates were sent from them, but on the ent oarts of the state, who. in their dif
issue of the call it was received with
general approbation and promising the
most permanent success, xne conven
. ;
SATUKPAY DEO. 27,
ti'ons were held, the nominations made,
and the result so far has astonished the
politicians, and electrified the workers
of the country with the hope that in
connection with the victories obtained
for the same principles in other states;
it presages a peaceful but complete rev
olution, to be accomplished in the year
1892 by which the government shall pro
tect the laborer as well as the capitalist,
an t the poor as well as the rich. That
true nobility, measured by intelligent
and honest industry, rather than arro
gant wealth, shall - be honored with t he
confidence, and trusted with the affairs
of the nation; and that truth and moral
ity shall supplant error and corruption
throughout our whole land. "
I trust that you will during .your
present session, formulate and "adopt
some definite plan by which indepen
dent political action may be taken each
year, on living principles and not , in
obedience to the dictation 0i9.permfl.nent
political party. 1 .
Experience has taught us that our
state constitution needs amending in
several particulars. I think that the
article defining qualifications for mem
bership should be so amended -as to in
clude county school teachers, and that
some definite rule ought to, be laid down
by which the eligibility of those persons
engaged in several kinds of business
might be determined, .
A tarns -that some definite statement
ought to be made of what offences
should justify expulsion from the Alii-,
ance. Under the present indefinite
wording of the constitution, while en;
gaging m some laudable branch of busi J
ness which renders the eligibility of the !
member doubtful is promptly followed
by dismissal, the most flagrant violation
of the obligations of the order are some
times passed unnoticed. . A clear de
claration on the subject would secure
uniformity of action in such cases, and
conduce to the permanence and strength
of our organization.
A discrepancy in the length of term
of the delegates to the ' county alliance
and the officers of the same shonld be
corrected, as it has led to no little per
plexity and inconvenience.
Ihe duties of the lecturers of the
County Alliances and the State Alliance
ought '.o be extended, and clearly denned.
I think the county Jecturers ought to be
directed to visit and instruct all the Al
liances in their respective counties at
least once in each year; and that the
lecturer of the state . Alliance 6hou!d
visit each county Alliance in the state at
least once each year, delivering lectures
to the same, and assisting and instruct
ing them in their duties, and should re-.
port to the state Alliance at each regu
lar meeting. ,
Fernnt me to call your attention
again to the fact that a different baisis of
representation to the state Alliance
must of necessity be adopted. No body
of men consisting of more than 500 can
properly, deliberate' upon and discuss
such questions as must be considered by
our state Alliance, and had it not been
for the famine and hard' times which
exist at the present at least 1,700 dele
gates would have . been present at this
meeting.
1 trust that such change will be made
that, while all parts of the state shall be
represented, the Alliance will not be so
unwieldy as to cripple its efficiency or
embarrass its deliberations. "
And now let me remind you of the ne
cessity of continuing the work of organ
ization. JNo county is as completely or-
gauized as it should be, and in some the
work is just begun, lhere are few
neighborhoods but what contain some
persons who ought to. be brought into
the Alliance. The young are coming of
aere. Ladies perhaps are not encour
aged Jo join or do not attend your meet
ings, ferhaps your meetings are losing
their interest in some places, or are be
ing turned into places of trifling diver
sion or amusement. 1
Let there be a waking up all along
the line. v
Do not be deceived. We have proba
bly passed through the last triangular
political fight which this state will ever
witness. Already the corrupt leaders
of the two old political parties are com
bined against us, while the rank and hie
of those parties, those who are in favor
of morality and justice, are only wait
mg 10 ue invueu 10 join us.
W e must hold out to them the hand of
welcome. , We will need them all
Money is an "engine of 'tremendoi
power .in our state, and every, misfor
tune or calamity which visits our peo
pie but increases its strength.
While the penevolent and charitable
in the eastern part of the state and in
adjoining states are coutributing to re
lieve, the necessities of the famine
stricken inhabitants of the west, the
railroad corporations are offering lim
ited concessions in freight charges for
delivering those contributions, on the
condition that the new legislature shall
promise them immunity, by Jaw, from
future interference with their extortion
ate charges, and the bankers are warn
ing them that if they interfere by law
with the present ruinous rates of inter
est that they will leave them entirely
without money for the transaction of
business.
Trusts, corporations and syndicates
are growing more and more grasping,
and showing less and less consideration
for the rights of labor.
lhey obtain control of every enter
prise that is calculated to benefit our
people and change them into a boon for
themselves and a burden for us, and
turn a deaf ear to every demand for jus
tice and every cry for mercy until the
laborer is reduced to a pauper or driven
to crime, and then that money is doled
out in grudging charity or unwilling
taxation which should have been paid
as fair wages for honest industry.
Uur enemies say that the Alliances
will now go to sleep and will soon melt
away.
Let us show them that we are just
awaking as a strong man out of sleep,
and that we feel that our day's work is
just begun. Let us use every honest
means and every fair appliance and
plan for building up our organization
and-increasing its influence for good
and its strength for action.
Let. me earnestly call jour attention
to the necessity of putting the newspa
per organ of the state Alliance into
every family of the members of the Alli-
ance throughout the state; and also 01
.a 1
establishing and supporting, too, in
every county at .least one good
newspaper - which can be relied
on to espouse our interests
and plead our cause; and then banish
from our homes and firesides the venal
partisan papers which have done so
much during the past year to mislead
our people, and to strengthen the
hauds of our oppressors.
I take pleasure in commending to
you The Alliance newspaper, pub
lished in this city by Brothers Burrows
and Thompson, for the able and fear
less manner in which it has battled for
the right during the year, and especi
ally in the late political conflict. I be
speak for them your hearty support and
earnest efforts to extend the circulation
of their paper, so that its efficiency and
- 1 size may be . increased, and that they
mav be saved from the pecuniary em
harassment which so large an outlay
must entail, and from the failure which
so often overtakes such enterprises.
- I would like, if time would permit, to
ferent localities have ably battled for
the right 1 trust that you will reward
- tnem py your earnest suppuii.
1890.
lt seems to me that a systematic line
of subjects for discussion, carefully con
sidered and arranged by some com
petent committee jof designated officers,
and distributed by cirpular each quar
ter of the year, as a help ' and 'guide to
the AllUnces in making the programs
for their meetings would be productive
of much good. t r V '
Our relations to the National Alli
ance are" not satisfactory to me, and I
think many others will agree with me
in that respect. While I would not
recommend or favor such arbitrary
power as is assumed by the National
Alliance and Industrial Union of the
south, I think a closer relation between
the State Alliance and the National Al
liance should be provided for. I would
suggest that our delegates to the Na
tional Alliance be instructed to recom
mend and urge the adoption of a uni
form secret work and ritual for the Na
tional Alliance, and also the adoption
of a system of reports by State secre
taries to the National secretaries, and
also a report to be made by him at the
annual meeting giving concise and defi
nite information of the condition and
progress of the Alliance throughout the
country.
I am also in favor of urging the hold
ing a conference of all the Industrial
organizations in the United States some
time next vear for the purpose of form
ulating a platform of principles for the
basis of National Independent political
action throughout the country during
the year 1891 and 1893.
The question of organic union witn
the other Industrial organizations in
the country , is agitating the minds of
some of our members. But I think a
careful examination of the difficulties
in the way will convince every one that
me scneme is not omy linpiacuuauie,
but that if consumated it would be pro
ductive of actual injury to our cause.
The terrible disaster which has vis
ited the western counties in. our state
calls for our deepest sympathy and
moit strenuous efforts to relieve the
destitution of our brothers and sisters
in the famine stricken districts.
"Earnest efforts have been made by
the governor of the state through a
committee to afford temporary relief,
which is well timed and commendable.
A small sum was appropriated by our
executive committee early in the fall
for the immediate relief of the most des
titute, and if more can be spared for
the purpose I think it should be
promptly given. !
But there is one featm-e of the case
which should not be lost sight of. For
every dollar that is being contributed
by the benevolent and charitable in the
east for the relief of the west, the peo
ple there are , robbed of five dollars by
the foreclosure of chattel mortgages, by
which the property of the sutterers is
sacrificed and their permanent finan
cial aud business ruin is rendered inevi
table. On the account of the accumulation
of funds in the State Alliance treasury
an order was made by the executive
committee in the spring that the state
dues for the third quarter of the year be
... 1 l 1 7 M. I. 1
remiiieu, or snouia not oe. requireu 01
the Alliances, which was afterwards for
the same reason made to apply to the
fourth quarter. .
The State Alliance Business Agency
which was established early in the year
has been a success in furnishing in
creased facilities for purchases by our
members at reasonable prices, aud by
acting as a check on the unwarranted
extortions which the law and a seared
concience sometimes tolerated on the
Salt of the merchants and dealers. Bro.
lartley and his assistants deserve our
warm praise for the efficient manner in
which the business has been conducted,
I would recommend that Bro. Hartley
be continued iu the position, and that
he receive the confidence and remunera
tion that his faithfulness and efficiency
deserves.
I cannot forbear to express to you
my appreciation of the ability and fideli
ty with which our worthy Secretary and
Treasurer, Bro. Thompson, has dis
charged his arduous and responsible
duties, and als of the Executive com
mittee, and especially Bro. Burrow's its
worthy chairman, for the patience with
which he ha, endured the vials of wrath
which have been so .liberally broken
over his devoted head..
The subject of fire insurance has en-
gaged the attention of the Alliance
eretofore. but the obstacles thrown in
the way by ouT statutes have prevented
any feasible plan for mutual insurance
in connection with tne Alliance irom
being adopted. I think a memorial
should be adopted and laid before the
legislature by a competent committee,
urging the amendment of the insurance
law, and also tne passage or a more tr
active and stringent usury law, and
some effective enactment by which the
railroads will be compelled to reduce
their freight rates m a reasonable de
gree, so that those wnose industry rur
nishes their business may realize some
return for their labor.
And now brothers, let us not weary
in our work or remit our efforts. Our
success has just begun. Every v ictory
on our part will arouse our wily and
determined foes to some new and un
expected attack. Let us be watchful
Let us work always, ihe night is fad
incr awav. the day is breaking. Let our
watch-words be, " Liberty for the op-
nressed " "In Union there is Strength."
" Justice to the Toilers." Equality of
all before the Law."
Let me tender to you all, and through
you to the Alliances you represent, my
crrateful thanks for the unitorm cour
tesy and kind consideration with which
you have treated me as your president
during the past two years. Aitnougn
my life has been one of toil and almost
unceasing labor, my work in this cause,
during this period has been as ardent as
anv in mv life. But the conciousness
of the necessity for continuous and en
ergetic action, if we would achieve sue
cess, the rapid encroachment; of our op
pressors on our liberties, the claims of
the rising generation for some better lot
than that which our carelessness and
neglect had permitted to be laid up in
store for them, aud the conciousness
hat an ever increasing host of friends
and brothers were rallying to the sup
port of the cause, and ever ready to fol
low the standard wherever duty called
me to bear it has borne me up and has
led me to rejoice when weary, and
when discouraged to look up.
' May the blessings of Almighty God
rest upon you. May His spirit guide
you ever to the light, to truth and to
liberty. May the Lord of Hosts, the
Captain of our salvation lead you on to
victory over every ioe in mis wonu,
and to iov and happiness in the world
to come.
Afternoon session, Tuesday, Dec. 16,
called to order at 2 p. m.
President announced the following
committee on resolutions:
Stevens of Lincoln Co. '
Burrows of Lancaster.
Beaver of Richardson.
McReynolds of Clay.
Stewart of Sioux.
On amendment to the constitution:
Pres. Powers of Hitchcock, Chm.
Lee of Hall. ,
Root of Douglas.
Bradley of Phelps.
. pimiT of Fillmore.
On conference with secretary of the
state board of agriculture in relation to
bill providing for farmers' institutes:
Ferguson of Nemaha.
Chambers of Lancaster.
Jenkins of Madison.
Committee on credentials made a par
tial report which was accepted and the
committee continued.
Report of Sepretary-Trcasurer: Nunv
ber of Alliances organized since Jan. 2,
1145. There are now over 2.000 sub
ordinate Alliances in the state with a
total membership of over 65,000. The
month denoting greatest activity in
work was February, when 200 charters
were issued. All Alliances report an
active Interest being taken by the mem
bers in every department of the work
before us, and prospects for the future
growth of the order are flattering in the
extreme.
VinnfMl renorti Thft rpimrt nf re
ceipts and expenditures was made in
j-Am 1 .m k . 1 1 1 1
UCiau nuu. win uu uiiuitu uuu scia iu
all Subordinate alliances. Money received
from all sources, including amount on
hand Jan. 2, $15,087.44. Amount ex
pended for all purposes, $8,325.61. Bal-
ance cash on hand, including interest
on time deposits, $0941.82. Supplies on
hand and unpaid accounts, $247.65; to
tal $7. 189.47. ; Report accepted and or
dered printed for distribution to the
Alliances throughout the state.
; Report of executive commit tee bv Mr.
Burrows, its chairmatt:
REPORT OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
Mr, Chairman and Oentlemen of tha Conven
tion! v ' '
In accordance with the instructions of
the last annual me'etng, your executive
committee employed Mr. Hartley as a
state agent at a salary of forty dollar
per month, At the first meeting of the
executive committee thereafter, which
was May 30th, this salary was advanced
to $50 per month. The experiment of
this state agency has proved very suc
cessful, aud has been of great benefit to
the membership in all parts of the state.
t was established solely as an agency
business, no capital whatever being in
vested, and has up to this date been con
ducted upon that principle. Twine for
the last season was furnished to mem
bers of the Alliance in Nebraska at low
er prices than in any of the neighlmr-
mg states, and we have to thank Air.
iartley's business ability lor the result.
At the late meeting of the executive
committee arrangements were mad
with Mr. Hartleyno continue in charge
of the business for another year and his
salary was advanced to $10t per month.
pruviuing mo commissions 01 tne agency
leave a surplus over all debts and liabil
ities of that amount.
The commissions of the agency are
reduced as the volume of business in-
reases, there being no effort whatever
made to accumulate a surplus fund from
the profits, it b ing the object of the"
committee and the agent to merely add
commissions to sales sufiicient to pay
the working expenses of the agency and
the salary of the agent. I give here
with the present condition of the agency: "
The total volume of business to date
was $39,480.08. The disbursement for
expenses to date, exclusive of agent's
salary, was $852. 10. The total liabilities
at date of this report are $3,156,33 Cash
in bank and stock on, hand at. date of
this report $3,475.42. '
I ho live stock agent of the State Alli
ance, Hon. Allen Root, has his office at
Omaha. His operations luring the
present year have beeu very successful.
and have netted to the persons making
sales through his agency a larger per
centage than ever before. Mr. Root
will make to you a separate report of
the business of his department.
Iu accordance with the instructions of
the Graud Island meeting the question
of insurance was considi-red at the
meeting of the committee on May 30th.
Your committee had been instructed to
organize a mutual insurance company
for the state of Nebraska. At the meet
ing of May 30th a very thorough inves
tigation of this wholes bject was made.
The Grand Island Insurance Co. pro
posed to your committee to turn over
that company to the State Alliance on
any terms that would be satisfactory to
your committee. After a full investi
gation of this subject it was deemed
wise to reject this proposition, arid your
committee determined that it was not
practicable under the present law of
this state, to organize a state mutual in
the manner contemplated by the state
meeting. t his matter was therefore
postponed until the law couid be amend
ed, so as to permit the organization of
such a company on a satisfactory basis.
After a more thorough investigation of
the fcubject your chairman has come to
the conclusion that if the vexatious legal
hindrances which now exist In this s ate
can be removed, good policy dictates
that county mutuals should be organ
ized, and-that perhaps some one de
partment of insurance which might be
impolitic for counties, such as cyclone
or tornado, could be made a state de
partment. There are some sixty county
mutual societies in the state of Iowa,
aud your chairman is convinced that
they furnish to their members the cheap
est and most reliable insurance furn
ished in that state.
In view of the almost total failure of
crops in the western part of the state,
and short crops in the other portions,
and also from a desire that no exces
sive fund should accumulate in the
treasury of the State Alliance, your
committee deemed it wise to remit the
dues for the quarter ending Sept. 30th;
and the chairiwan was authorized in his
discretion to remit the dues for the
succeeding quarter if it should be
deemed desirable to do so. Accord
ingly the due were remitted for both
quarters. Your chairman would recom
mend that this remission of dues in all
the drouth stricken portion of the state
be continued until another crop is
raised. This remission of dues, it must
be understood, does not apply to initia
tion fees, and it is tho.-ght that the ini
tiation fees, and the dues from the part
of the state which raised a crop during
the last year, will be sufiicient to de
fray the current expenses of the Alli
ance until another year.
Appeals for relief from the western
counties were being received by your
cbairmau. These appeals were re-published
in the organ of the State Alliance,
but, probrbl3f through the excitemont of
the pendiDg political oampaigu, re
ceived no attention. After these ap
peals had been repeatedly made with
this result, your chairman appealed in a
private letter directly to Gov. Thayer,
asking that he should make an appeal '
for aid for the sufferers in the drouth
stricken counties. This appeal was
promptly responded to by Gov. Thayer
in person. The Governor stated to your
chairman that he did not feel disposed
to make a public appeal for aid unless
an official report of the condition of the
western counties was made to him up
on which he could bane such an appeal.
This conclusion of the Governor was
based upon experience; be having for
merly made upon ids own responsibility
such an appeal, and afterwards had
contradictions made by the newspapers
in the very locality, stating that no
such state of affairs existed. Your
chairman then proposed that a commit
tee be appointed by the Governor who
should immediately proceed to the
western counties and make a report as
to the facts they found to exist. This
proposition resulted in the appoint
ment by Gov. Thayer, of Rev.' Mr. Mar
tin and J. W. Hartley as f such a com
mittee. These gentlemen went west
and made an investigation of the facts
and reported in accordance to the Gov-
jm
f
-v
V
J
