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About The farmers' alliance. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1889-1892 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1892)
JLL r TIIE FAKMEKS ALLIANCE, LINCOLN. NEB., THURSDAY, JAN. 7, 1892. Glje lamer' ailiancf, Published XYcry fiaturaay ov Thb Aixiaxcb Ptbusheto Ca Oar. UU and M Bt., LlDOoln, Jieb. ftrTB RflM ..... H. lWOr0.. , Editor .Buatneae Manaser "In the beauty of the lilHes Christ vm born across the sea, With m glory in his bosom , That transfigures you and me. As he strove to make men holy Let iu strire to make them free. Since God is inarching on." --Julia Ward Eotce. "Lanrel crowns cleave to deserts, And power to him who power exerU." 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 dure not reason la a slave." N. 1L P. A. mil MtnfKtAmvlLTTO Addrro all business communications to nil h Hlthfnfl f V, AiMrres waiter for publication to Editor Tarawa' Alliance. . , Articles written on both sides of tie paper eaaoot ba uned. Very ions communication, saralu oannot oa uaea. ITBUSHID WXSBXT AT CORNER tlTH AND M STREETS, LINCOLN, NEBRASKA. JT. BURROWS, Editor. T. M. THOMPSON, Business Ma'gr. Tke Brett Alliance Weekly ass Uie Leading Issepsfldenl Paper ol the Stale. SEVEN COLUMN QUARTO. It wtU always be fauna on the side of the people and wholly derated ta theadvoeao of refana principles in state and nation. IT IS YOUR PAPER. CCXPLETE IN EVERY DEPARTMENT. labsorlptioa, 11.00 per annum, Invariably ta advance. Fir annual subscriptions 14.00. OUR BOOK LIST. Ae bast reform literature obtainable can be had by ordertaf any of these books. The Railway Problem (new) 8tlokney....S 80 Leeklng Baokward, Bellamy 69 Or flugeet, (new) Donnelly SO Oaesars Oolumn, n (0 A Kentucky Colonel, Beed M . Ariven from Sea to lea, Post,, A Tramp la Society, Cowdrey. Blehard's Crown, Weaver...... U) to ..... u Sreat Bed Dragon, Woolfolk , 60 rice's Financial Catechism. Brloe 60 Honey Monopoly, Baker US Labor and Capital, Kellogg H Plaarro and John Sherman, Mrs, Todd. .. 16 even Financial Conspiracies. ...lOoU.1 The Hsxxard Circular, Heath.. ..10" r X Babies aad Bread, Houser 10 14 J Our Republican Monarchy, Toldo K The Coming Climax la Ue Destinies of America by Lester 0. Hubbard to AlUaooa and Labor Bon ster 10c, per dos 1 10 Hew M usio edi'n, paper ooror Mo. " 00 " .. board Ho, " 160 Tb b aajnas' ALiiiAaos one year and any Mot. book on our list for $1 .86, Same aad any SBot. book on our lilt for 11.18. Address all orders and make all romltt aaeas payable to CHI ALLIANCE PCIILISniXQ CO. Llnonln. Nebraska. Meeting of the National Farm ers' Alliance. The annual convention of the Nation al Farmers' Alliance will be hold in the City of Chicago , Illinois, Wednesday, January 27th, 1893, at 0 o'clock a. ni., for the pnrposeof electing officers for the ensuing year, and the transaction of such business as may come before the convention. By order of the executive committee. J. II. Powers, Tree. Aceust Post, Secy. WHO BREEDS ASSASSINS? Under the above suggestive caption our friend Dr. Fish, of the Great rest, lias the following to say of the Russell Sage bomb business: . The plutocratio press howled with rsge and gnashed its teeth when Russell Sage was assaulted with a dynamite romb. Columns were filled with dentin ciaioos of the "tondeticy of the age" developed by the "calamity shr'.ekers" of this levolution. People were warned to beware Of this fuvur beat of reform aad the drneers of enarcby pointed out withblcKHf red exclamation points!'! This paper was the target for the liltlo dogs whose collars are on the lower end of a G O. P. string. But behold we discover now that the assassin who attempted the life of Rus sell Sage was not a laborer, not a toiler, not an Alliance shrieker, not a commu nist not even an anarchist! Who was it? It was Norcross, the loan agent and bond manipulator! Think of it one of the very men who reap what they have not sown, and re;tp with the sickle of chance! And behold a Sabbath calm comes o'er the troubled water of the earth. The daily press the dispatches the bogus bond creators all quiet down, and no more is said or thought of the great "dangcrto society 1" Oh yes, there is one more important Item: One of Sage's clerks, a plain etu pJoyee, has sued Sage fur $100,000. What for, do you askf Simply because the coward bond-robber, suspecting the errand of Norcross, grasped tho clerk and thrust him, the employee, between the bomb thrower and his own precious corporosity! And the poor clerk was torn in strips though ordained of God to live through it and pursue the scoun drel coward wno used bis body lor a barrier. If ensure the awful littleness of that (yiward brute, as he strove to vank another man, an innocent man, to death to save his own life. THE BEPLT TO THE CENTURY. The reply to the Century Magazine, br J. Burrows, which is concluded in the present number of Thk Alliance Is published in pamphlet form, and will be sent to any address post paid, at 11.73 per hundred; 11.00 for fifty copies 3 cents for ten copies Single copies Scents. This pamphlet embraces the Centura article complote, and Mr. Bur rows' reply, and is a full resume of the (ier capita argument on both sides. Erkata In the reply to the Century in Thk Alliascb of Deo. Slat, the second varacraph, fourth line, it should read 129,000,000 Instead of 13,000,000. A REPLY TO THE CESTCEY MAGA ZUTE. BT J. BCBBOWS. Cenrlmttd. The statement, in paragraph five, that Impending: free silver coinage unset tled credit, is utterly false, and illus t rates the recklessness with which great msgwine may put Itself on a level with a partisan country paper. It is a well known fact that when the senate last winter pawed the bill for Tree and unlimited coinage of silver prices stif fened and business improved. And it was only when that legislation was de feated in the bouse, and the threat of a continuance of business on the basis ot attenuated bank credits was about to be fulfilled that the improvement collapsed Over three thousand five hundred n tional banks, with less thn 1300 000.000 of actual mouer in their nanus, nave loaned $2,000,000,009, while the loans of other banks are even more extended until for every dollar of actual money there is nearly nine dollars of credit money loaned to the people at high rates of Interest "conuunnce" money. bavins; no basis whatever except credits on bank books. I come now to paragraph sixth of the magazine article, which 1 hope my rentier wil.l pt.rcf!!y consider. The writer first estimates the amount the free coinage would place in circulation ui $12,000,IO. lie does not say in what time, nor whose estimate this is. lint it is ridiculons on the face of it. If the secretary of the treasury has complied with the new silver law ba has bought since July 1. 18U1. 27,000,000 ounces of silver which is now in the treasury vaults, and would presumably bo coined under a free coinage law. This alone is more than double the "estimate" of the Century, Under the present law all gold bul lion is potentially money, because any person owning it can send it to the mint and have it coined into money Place silver under the same law, and this would be true ot silver. The effect of the free coinage of silver would be to ciminish the value of gold the world over, and it would double the volume of actual money. With the single gold standard in force gold is continually appreciating, or in other words prices tnd values are falling; snd this process-will go on in the interest of the creditor diss, until the apprecia tion of sold is stopped. . The freo coin age of silver wou;:: arrest it I will suppose that the free and un limited coinRge of silver would add to the prlco of our products only 25 per cent. This would add (77.500,000 to the value of our cotton crop for 1800; tll.503,380 to tho value of our pig iron. It would sad to tho value of our manu factures ."or the year 1880, 91,842,000.920. It would add to the value of our farms for the samo year. $2 C4!.271.14. Examples of this kind can be indefi nitely extended. The lucrease would apply to nil values and all produced wealth. Instead of measuring the val ue bv the thimble of the Century editor, it will be seen that tho increased value is indefinitely largo, and that it would go into " the pockets" of all the people. But when the Century speaks of the government under free coinage buying silver "at a price greater than it would be worth as money after being coined," it caps the ullmax of impudent or igno rant misrepresentation. The govern ment is now buying silver bullion and storing it away. Under free coinage It would not buy a dollar's worth. It would simply coin what was presented for that purpose, an return the coin to the owners of tb bullion, as it now does with gold. II the Century editor did not know this he is too ignorant to edit the stories of Mother Goose. But his next sentence is worse yet. lie says "these men (the bullion owners) would not put it (the money) into the pockets of the people, but would add it to their own wealth." Let us see. If they did not put it into the channols of trade, or "the pockets of the people," they would of course store it, as "wealth." Will the Century editor please tell his renders how much more wealth the) would have, after having their bullion changed Into dollars, and pitying the mint cost ot coinage? We leave him to ponder this question. Paragraph seven is false iu toto. The confession of such gross ignoranco by the editor of a great magazine is simply disgraceful. We can tell the per capita circulation of France, Germany and England, and the elements which com pose it. In the essential principle which causes unjust distribution, viz: interest out of proportion to the natural inoreaso of wealth, tho systems of those c mntries do not materally differ from our own. France has always wisely main tatnea a mucn larger per capita circu lation than other countries, for which reason private debt is almost unknown in t hat country.and her peoplo are tLe most thrifty and prosperous of any in the world. Franco with a population of only 33,500,000 has a com circulation of $1,6130,000,000, while tho Uni'od States with a population of 64,000,000 has a coin circulation of only $1 ,050,- 000,000 The population of Grout lir.t aiu is 88.250.000 and her coin money is only $050,000 000. Tho actual money in the hauds of tho people of tho United Kingdom is only 812 per capita; of tho United States only 415 per capita: while iu France it is over $10 per capitv lu paragraph eight tho Century al ludes to the disaster in the Argmitino Republic as a conclusive argument Mgainst increased per capita circulation. A correct and impartial history ef Ar gentine finances has aot been written. Until it is written no infalible deduc tions can be drawn from it. I have never claimed that inconvertible paper can be issued in unlimited quantities without depreciation. When aoauntry ot limited production pledges all ot Its gold revenues to bonds held in foreign countries it will find it difficult to float unlimited quantities ot bonds at home. Of one fact we are reasonably sure, viz: that foreign speculators obtained control of the nnances ot the Argentine con federation, to the ruin of that country. But. if sizo per capita of circulation does not determine prosperity why should we trouble ourselves about hav ing any money at all? If amount is entirely unimportant, any amount, or no amount will do. On tee contrary. all history and all authorities agree that per capita circulation must be kept abreast with increasing population and prod action, or financial disaster will In evitably ensue. " Money is the great instrument of association, the very fiber of social organism, the vitalizing , . i i . i . i . i iorce oi lnuusiry, iuo mirror ui civili zation, and as essential to its existence as oxygen to animal life. Without money civilization could not have had a beginning: with a diminishing supply it must languish, and, unless relieved, finally perish." Paragraph nine adds nothing to the strength of the Century article. It is false that the money reformers have any such vague idea as the writer says as to some "mysterious way" of getting money lor notning. xneir views on this subject are very clear and well de fined, and there is nothing mysterious about them. They believe that increased volume wui increase values and prices, and hence equalize distribution. As for paying debts with cheap money, there is this to say: contraction has increased the value of debts and decreased the value of products, and tho people only ask that the wealth of which they have been robbed by contraction should be restored to tbrm. My illustrations of the p.ymnt of the national debt with products in 1916 and now makes this point sufficiently clear. The Century denies that the govern ment can create money. Very well. Money exists How did it come into existence? By the will of God? If so, of what is it composed? It is certain that silver and gold have bea the ma terial of money from time immemoritl, and are now used as money by far the largest portion of the world's popula tion. If money is a natural product or dained by God, and consists of silver and gold, by whxt au'bority did the congress of the United States destroy ty law the money quality of silver? And if money is not created by law by did tne creditor or money lend ing class appeal to congress to make gold the only money. Money Is created by law, and by law alone. No money eer existed that was not created by law And I will now answer the Century's question to which it allirrus ii hits never seen or heard an answer," viz: "if the government can create money why should it levy taxes " in tms reply 1 am willing to eliminate any material for money except gold and silver, though ns all know, the govern ment did, during the war. create a money from paper, wi hout a dollar of gold or silver back of it. and made it legal tender, and it remains a legal tender to-day. Now, if thegovernmenl owned the gold and silver mines, as it should, it could mine the met a! and create money from it, and it would not need to levy taxes up to the point when there was a ju amount cf money in circulation lr.at amount has never been precisely fixed; but it is historical ly true that It has never been exceeded by metallic money that is, there has never yet existed in the world an inju rious amount of metallic money. The government having allowed private in dividuals to obtain possession of its mines, it becomes necessary for It to coin the product of those mines for its private owners, therefore it derives no ncome from tho money it creates, hence is impelled to levy taxes. The govern ment has now in its vaults a large amount of silver, laid by. That silver is called bullion. Under our present law no one pretends that it is money. Can the government or can it not, trans form that sliver into money, providing the law making power sanctioned the act? If it was transformed into money would it, or would it not, bo used in lieu of an equal amount of money de rived from taxes. The Century says that " 1890 and 1891 will be known in history as years of almost, unequalled financial and indus trial depression." But it offers no ex planation of this fact, and proposes no remedy for it. Will the writer kindly supply this omission? with a million ldlo raon, and with myriads of wo ncn and children suffering for tho neces saries of life in the United States; with millions in Europe starving for food, on the one hand and with bursting granaries, and fsctorios tilled with all wares and fabrics that men desire, on tho other, the old cry of over produc tion will hardly satisfy the better in formed men of the present time. With the conditions named above exist an other condition peculiar to this ago, viz: the absorption of produced wealth by the few, and the growing indigence of of the ninny. And the few who are ab sorbing the wealth are the ones who have used and aro using the potent power of money capital and interest in various forms, lbese are stupen dous facts, and when they are once understood and appreciated tho illogi cal sophistry of such writers as the , s,ii,. r.nl.li Infn Mn .1 vuivvs, i iiiiiii. imu nu, like the baseless fabric of a vision." is national prosperity providential? If money is a natural product, yes? If is a creation of law. no! National prosperity is the result of wise legisla tion. National adversity is the result unwise legislation. Values are cre ated or destroyed by law at every ses sion of congress. If this Is not so where comes the great interest ot importers and dealers iu imported goods in every proposal for tariu legislation? Con gress for twenty years has been engaged iKlor tne guidance and direction of tho money power, in the most ruth less destruction of American values. he refunding of tho people's money n to interest bearing securities destroyed i.ioo.uw.voo oi vama. me creuu strengthening act, at a tlmo when our credit was better than any nations' on on earth, destroved thousands of mil lions of valuo. The demonetization of silver has cost this country, in the de preciation of its products, one thousand millions annually since that vile crime was perpetrated. I am now done with the Century arti cle. I have endeavored in this reply to confine myself to the points mado by tbo writer. The Century artiele is weak, illogical, and ou nisiuy points ab surd; but would have much forco with the casual reader, or with persons who have not studied the subject. It is. however, a f.iir sample of tho arguments on their side of the question. In this ago money is tho great do-all of our lives. With it all paths open be fore us. Without it vr suffer and per ish. Coeval with the disappearance of money the dark-ages spread their pall over the world. VVith the dis-covery of new mines and its reappearance and iucrease, light and civilization again dawned. It represents all wealth! It controls the distribution of all wealth. The unjust distribution of wealth un dei lies all other injustice. Is it not ap parent then, that tho money question transcends in importance all other questions, and that upon its Moper so lution d ponds, more than upon all others, the prosperity and welfaro of our country. THE BOYD FAKE. The Omaha papers of Saturday morn ing last published a Washington dis patch which claimed to give the su preme court decision ia the Boyd con test case in its minute details, even to the number of judges on each Bide, and the principles on which the decision was given. As the opinion in the case was not to be handed down until Mon day of this week, this dispatch caused great excitement. However, Monday last was awaited with much interest and curiosity. Monday came and passed with no confirmation of the truth of the dispatch. It will probably be some days before the public will know the final decision in this case. One interesting feature of the case has not excited any attontion in all the discussion of lost week, viz: the fact that Boyd was elected by fraudulent votes, and that Hon. John II. Powers would to-day be the governor of this state if justice prevailed. This is the sincere belief of two-thirds of the voters of Nebraska to-day. Mr. Powers was defrauded of his seat by the vilest brib ery and corruption, and James E. Boyd was a party to the fraud. The question of punishing the person who exposed the opinion of the court in advance is of interest at least to that party. The undefined and arbitrary power to punish for contempt is hang- ling over him. THE STATE MEETES0 NEXT WEES. As this will be our last Issue before the State Alliance meeting next week, we desire to say a few words about the work of that meeting. It is to be a' very importtnt meeting, but perhips not more important than others. New offi cers are to be elected, and the changes that will be made render it necessary that great care should be exercised in the selection of new men. It is not likely that Mr. Powers will desire a re electien as president. If that is so it is of vital moment that a man of character and standing a man suc cessful in his own affairs, and having influence in his community should be chosen to succeed him Mr. Burrows will positively decline to be a candidate for anv position wht aver, lie presidtd at the meeting whi.-h organized tie State Alliance in 1881. an l has continuously hM an Imnnrfint ; office since tnat time, with the exception oi one year, i nis is too long. He asked to be relieved last year, but the meeting thought different. This year circum stauces are different, and there is no reason why he should not be relieved Mr Burrows' dt-cUion to decline nomi nation for any office does not foreshadow any intuutiou on his part to abandon alliance worn, tie will remain an eai ue worncr in iue reiorm cause as long as he n-is strength to work at anv thing, and he can do the cause as good obi jlo uui ui uiuce as in Now about another matter. When a society reaches a point where ils offices are sougnt lor their emoluments, or as stepping stones to political ambition, it is on thin ice, and needs to go carefully auusiuw. inn Alliance oi tturaska D un reached that point. There are several individuals who are financially hard up, or who are ambitious for office, and who lhink an office in the State Alliance would be a snug thing for them. The feelers of those men have been aDD&r- ent for some weeks. As a rule the men who seek such positions are not the ones who ought to have tbern. The Al liance needs absolutely pure and disin terested men men who will serve it from love of and devotion to the cause. with no selfish motives. The service of sellisVness is not good service This hint may be suniclent. Another thing, l here are several or gans which are not paying institutions, ano wnicn their owners would like to unload on the Alliance. While nearlv all societies have their acknowledged official organs, the attempt to own and publish papers always provesdisastrous. Able editors seldom accept such subor dinate positions; an i the best success in newspuper work demands that he pa per should be absolutely identified with the persanality and reputation of its editor. It may happen that the endorsement of a paper, as official organ, will cool other papers towards society, though this doe not seem to be the case in this state. We would have no objection to tho endorsement of this paper being withdrawn, were it not tnat it would be taken as a vote of disapproval of tho course of the paper, and thus be a blow at its prosperity. Paprs, like men; take their standing from character and ability, instead of from prospec tuses and wind. Power should be lodged with the state tecrotary to order an investigation into violations of the eligibility clause by subordinate Alliances; and when it is touna that that clause is clearly vio lated the president should be empow ered to revoke charters. If the prece dents of some Alliances were followed, every banker, politician or landlord in the state might appear at the annual meeting with credentials iu his pocket; and the officers of the State Alliance cannot interfere without seeming' to make war on individuals. The meeting, promises to be large, and will bo interesting. We expect tho utmost harmony will prevail, and that the State Alliance will enter upon a re newed term of progress and usefulness- WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH OMAHA? The Bee says " the only way to re store Omaha's normal business activity is to push local enterprise, add tribu tary territory and invite new indus tries." " Normal," in the senso used above, means regular or according to estab lished custom. "Kestoro" meaua to replace sonething that is lost So, Omaha's "normal business activity" needs to be " restored." We thought the wonderful crop, and the returning prosperity, and the new ware-house law, and the hoped for milling-in-transit rato, and the real estate exchange, and the home market association all com bined, were just booming Omaha mak ing it the great commercial and finan cial center of the great and woolly west. And now here cemes tho Bee and in a moment of absent-mindedness kicks all these fair visions of Omahog greatness into thin air, whure they vanish " like the baseless fabric of a visiou." Fatal, fatal and careless admission, that "Omaha's normal business activity" has gone up tho spout. Wo advise the A'ftomakeaa honest and intelligent study of the money question, and soe if Omaha isn't sufferin from tho same cause that is ruining the balanco of the country. L WHO EIXES THE PRICE OP PRO DUCE? Editor Alliance: Does the Chica go board of trade fix tho price on Amer ican farm produce lor Liverpool, or lice renal J. B. Osler. Under present conditions tke above Is a very large question. Under nor mal conditions, where the law of sup ply and demand has free play, the price of produce at any given point is the price at the nearest general market plus thecost ot getting it there. In the case of our breadstuff's and meats, which constitute the largest portion of our ex port), the nearest market ef general supply is Liverpool, Chicago being merely a way-station for these exports. Hence the Chicago price should be the price at Liverpool, plus the cost of get ting it there. This is what it should be But for some time past we believe there has been a variation from this against the producer between western points and Liverpool often as high as ten cents a bushel on wheat. We will take the quotations of January 4 on No. 2 spring at Chicago, New York and Liverpool for comparison. They were as follows, as near as we can ascertain .- Chicago, No. 8 spring, 9 88 New York. " 1 03 Liverpool, " 1 30 With these quotations it will be seen that there is a great margin for the handlers of actual wheat. The freight from Chicago to New York is abont 10 cents per hundred, or 0 cents per bushel. The difference between New York and Chicago is 23J cts., leaving 17 cts mar gin for the shipper. The dlfferenco be tween Now York and Liverpool is 28 cts. The freight between those places varies greatly, but may be averaged at 12 eta per hundred, or 7( eta. per bu. This leaves a margin of 20J cts. ia fa vor of the exporter. These ligun s prove that the condi tions are nut normal, and that there are causes at work depressing the price of products outside of the natural laws of supply and demand. Under the law of supply and demand, takiog the Liver pool price as a bai wheal should rule at least twenty cent higher throughout ail the northwest, and other markets in proportion. We will now name the causes which are making this deprer sion. First, an unprecedented contraction of the currency compared witn in creased population and production. Second, option dealing in products on the boards tit trade. Third, the elovatcr combination of the whole northwest, which undoubtedly exists, and is one of the most comple.e and thorough organizations in i he coun try, It is illegal in this state, but is here all the asme From central points orders are sent out every day, fixing prices for the day. Fourth, a sectional and partial'.v or ganized competiti re transportation sys tem. Duriug busy times lines cf road insist on holding their carsoc tfeeir own tines, and thus create blockades of vators and roads. The above aro all potent factors in causing low prices.unjust conditions and untqual distribution. Tbo removal of ene if these will not remove the others An increase of our money volume, and iucrea-ed prices, enablinor the nrn. ducers to got out of debt, and hold their products until they are pleased to sell, would coma the nearest to a geseral remedy. But with the other forces in operation that remedy would be only partial A comoplete cure would come only from removing a'l the causps of depression we have enumerated. These remedies then, are as follows: financial reform and increased monev volume. Prohibition of option dealing. Prohibition of trusts and combina tions to control the prices of products. Government ownership of all rail roads. The independent party and tho Alli ance demand all these reforms. CAN'T FEND A SPECIE BASIS. Mission Creek, Ddo. 23, '91. Editor Farmers' Alliance: I have been trying to study out what a specie basis is. I have read the press and several books on finance. But I can not find any such thing as specie basis. except in name. Can I take a national hank note and . compel the United States, or a national bauk or any body iu Hive uie a g'i or silver aoiiar for it? Respectfully. Oscar Jenne. BEr-LY. We are supposed to have a specie ba sis, but many students ot finance have been quite as unsuccessful in finding it as has our friend Jenne. As a matter of fact it is a dolusion, and always bm been a delusion. A historical incident in connection with the bank of Holland at the Hague illustrates the character and use of the so-called specie basis. That bank had as good credit as any in Europe, and had a large Issue of paper money based on specie, which was supposed to be in the vaults of the bank. But Napoleon made a call at the bank one day, accompanied by some of his French friends, and lo and behold the specie was gone. It had been used by the Dutch government officials half a generation before, with no injury to the credit of the bank until it became Inown. We have all heard of the de positor, who didn't want bis money if the bank had it, but if it didn't have it demanded immediate payment. A specie basis means that every dollar of paper money of all kinds, and every dollar of indebtedness which may be cancelled with money, can be paid in coin if the payees so desire. Now let us see what facilities there are in this cruntry to effect such payment. In October, 1890 the comptroller of the currency shows that the 8 540 national banks had on deposit subject to ckeck 1,59.000,1K'0, and that all other banks and trust companies about 4,500 had on deposit subject to check $2 533 000 100, making a taital of $4,134,000,100 As a basis for this money the much vaunted specie basis the national banks held of actual money gold, slver, greenbacks and national bank notes 1290,500,000, and all other banks held 1185,254,010, or a total of $475,754,- 000. This makes nearly nine dollars of money in banks subject to check, for one dollar of actual money to pay it with. If wa considered gold alone ac tual money as tho goldbugs do the proportion of credit money to actual monev would be much greater. And yet every dollar of those deposits are supposed to be payable in gold, under this svstem the withdrawal ofene dollar of dope-its contracts the volume of mon ey nine dollars. It will be seen at once that it is a structure of confidence, and tbat any financial didsster which even tempora rily destroys confidence will bring it about our ears in ruins To the question, of our correspon dent we will say that there is no place where he can take a national bank note and cdmptl auy one to give him a gold or silver dollar for it, unless the bank is in liquidation, in which case the law makes, the United States redeem the note in specie. The law permits the national banks to redeem their notes in greenbacks, so if thoy prefer to pay in that money instead of gold and silver thoy can do so. STEALING A IT. S. SENATOESHLP. A man named Humphreys now acting as governor of Kansas, has appointed a person named Perkins to serve out the unexpired term of the late Senator Plumb. Such a theft of a great office would be impossible under a constitu tional monarchy. In such governments appointments to such positions must conform to the complexion of the legis lative branch. The legislature of Kan sas is independent by sixteen majority on joint ballot. Gov. H. should have appointed an independent or convened the legislature to elect. But no one ex pected such an act of justice from a gold-bug, railroad, monopoly governor. By the way, who is Perkins? tyThe Indianapolis Journal remarks with just pride that the United States has "three times as many post-offices as any other nation ia the world." There are other facts which might excite the exultation of the Journal. What other nation in the werld can show the count erpart of John Wanamaker, post master general? The possessor of a dime-oounter, the subscriber of a $200, 000 boodle fund, an all-round Sunday school superintendent, and above and mere than all, the patron and bosom friend of our Edward, we shall never see his like again. THE FUMBEB OF PENSIONERS. We hare received several inquires of late as to the number of pensions on the pension rolls, and have obtixined the following reliable Information on the subject: Oa the 30th day cf June, 1891, there were 676 160 pensioners upon the rolls. This was an increase of 138,216 above the number found tlere twelve months before, although in the interim 13,229 had died. If we are to suppose a like growth during the current year, there mnst be at this moment something like 750,000 pensioners. i But the number is probably still greater. Tho current issue of certifi cates showing that claims have been al lowed, exceeds an average of 1,000 for every working day in the year. It is about 80,000 per month; and the com missioner says that he expects his force to have adjudicated and allcwed 350,000 'claims during the year ending June 80, lS'Jj. He further tells us that special consideration is given to new claims. Even should the former but little exceed three-fifths of the whoie nam ber allowed, we mav rind BOO.lOO pensioners upon the rolls bv the tint rf luiy next. Again there were pending on July 1, 1891, no fewer than 98,473 unadjuai cated claims, of which 559.027 were those of persons not on the mils at all. 1.. 1.. . - If fewer than 60 per cent of these latter snouia De granted, there would still be 300,000 new names for the rolls. Put ting these with the number already there on July 1. it will be seen that the pension rolls within two years from the present time may contain 1,000,000 namef,. Certainly any deductions to be made for deaths or for dropping out for other causes are likely to be made up by the filing of new claims, which goes on steadily, and the addition of now names through the legislation of congress. As to the cost of all this pensioninir. even Sscrctary Noble sees $160,000,000 in near prospect in a single year, upon the basis of past legislation. But with the pending bills of increases in the rates cf whole classes of pensions, num bering thousands or scores of thousands each, and with the bills also for adding new names to the rolls, it is lmuossible to say how far above $160,000,000 the out lay wi'l go. COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON." Sick 'em, Bowser Sick 'em, Tige. In the Bee of January 1st was an article headed "The Compliments of the Season," in which E. Rosewater, after bragging of "the friendly relations that exist between the post-master general and the editor of this paper," (viz: the Bee,) intimates that Mr. Gere, editor of the Journal and post-master at Lincoln, narrowly escaped losing his official head last summer on account of irregu larities, and that if be don't dry up his attacks on the editor of the Bee the in vestigation will be proceeded with. In the issue of the Journal ef the same date, as the perverse fates would have it, appeared a letter from Omaha, scoring Mr. Rosewater in what most people consider a severe style. Now, there's nothing for these men to do but to proceed with the concert. Go for him, Mr. Rosewater. You can come to this office for some important facts. The Lincoln post-office has been per sistently used to down opponents. There has been unaccountable delay in dis tributing papers. Mail for stations not thirty miles from this city does nut reach our subscribers for two, some times four, days after being sent to the office. We should long ago have made complaints to the department if we had not believed they would have been charged to political motives. Now, Mr. R.. we entreat you to "push things " . Mr. Gere, you can't possibly afford to let up on Edward. If you don't go for him now, in every ifsue, people will say you are afraid of him, and with truth, probably. Besides, if Rosey was out of the way what would prevent you from being high cockalorum of the party, in stead of being, as now, the tool and lick spittle of Geo. W. Holdrege? If you go at it with a will you can demol ish Rosey in a week or two almost. All things conspire to induce these two fellows to fly at each other's throats, and all the world smiles seiene at the prospect of the fun. Sick 'em, Bowser sick 'cm, Tige. WHO ABE THE ANAECHI3TS? It appears from Chicago dispatches of January 4, that there has been a conspiracy of members of the Chicago po'ice to bleed wealthy citizens by in ducing them to contribute to a fund for the suppression of anarchy. Immedi ately after the Haymarket riot of 1836 the following notice was sent to abont three hundred citizens, and three dif ferent meetings were held, which re sulted in the subscription of $115,000, and the pledge of $100 000 annually, for the purpose above namd. Read the notice carefully. " Suppression of ideas" is good: ' In rtnwof the threatened crusade airalcst Interests thai have been founded by mon and bullded into splci did struntuvos. It ltibeUevd to be neeoBSHry that wo combine to aid tbo municipal (roTernment In tho suppression of idexs w hi' b are antacumtlc to those held by (rood citizens vt this country. Yea will, if It p'eae vou, go Way 7. between tbe hours of fand 10 o'clock p. m. to Ne. , Prairie avenue. Do not go In your can-tare. Fane a car or walk. It is akg lutely necessary tbat no publicity be given to lbs meeting." There seems to have been a diverg ence of opinion as to just when anarchy was stamped out, the police asking for more money and the citizens refusing to be further bled. In order to convince the latter of the existence of anarchy, the police last fall made the raid on the peacable meetings of trade associations in Greifs and Van Worth's hall, for which they wre compelled to ignonimi ously acknowledge that they had no ex cuse. It is begining to dawn upon the pub lic that anarchists are not found among the laboring classes. They are among the Shylocks, the money lards, who wreck railroads, organize trusts, bribe judges and legislators, and defy the law when they cannot corrupt it. They have got the cenntry on the edge, of financial ruin. Unless a short turn is soon made a terrible crash will soon be upon us. The Church as it Should be. Mr. Editor: In the bonk of Revela tion is the prophetic picture ot a mighty angel laying hold of "the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan." By this typical minister of Gd he is bound and cast into tbe bot tomless abyss, "that he should deceive the nations no more." Yet, "the angel of the church" today, its ordained min ister, cannot see that he is himself re ferred to in this prophecy. The ministry and the church are waiting tor an ex pectant outside heavenly help which shall east out the great deceived and so nsher in and make possible the millen nium. The supposed wisdom of self seeking and serf-serving, laying up treasures on earth according to the measure of one's ability, is the great universally deceiving sophistry. The church, notwithstanding the commands and promises of God, is still deceived by it. for it pursues wealth, and each individual member holds on to "his own." It U the work of the church by its every day obedience to the iaw of love to show the folly of business sel fishness, to undeceive the nations and remove the temptations to selfishness which the each for himself struggle for the means of support presses upon us. The church should be a fold where there is complete protection from selfish wolves. And when the sheep go out to obtain food, material susteoancs, the shepherd should go before them and defend them. The church should have "all things common," as Christ's spirit and the command to love our neigh bors as ourself requires; the strong should help bear the burdens of the weak. We would thus insure against possible future want which gives birth to present stilish ness and hardens the heart, and we would remove all ground of anxiety. "The poor" of the earth and "common people" would be drawn to such a church; its gospel would be present de'iverence from the tyranny and temptations cf selfishness; it would by abolishing privato wealth put love in free full constant action; it would be like the early church in which none were allowed to lack anything and having favor with God and man; and because of the manifest blessings and benefits of obedience to the law of love ' the word of God" as at first "would grow mighty and prevail." AN ENTEEESTINO LETTEE FROM MRS. KELLEY. v Just what all Alliances should be doing. Hart well, Dec. 23, . Editor Alliance: Wishing to hear how other Alliances are getting along. will tell you what ours Is doing and has done. In the past year wa have got four carloads cf coal and saved over $50 a car. The coal dealers also cams down about a dollar a ton in direct consequence of our shipments, so we have not only saved our members over $200 on coal, but have saved the commu nity probably as much more, and in jured no one except the coal dealer. But as he is also our local banker, he makes out to live. We are now about to put in an Alliance coal bouse. Then we made a wholesale contract for flour, and found it paid to soil our wheat and buy a good brand of Hour; and have saved our members about $100 on that. That is about all financially, I believe; but we are getting rates on lumber, and expect to order it by the carload, and perhaps put in a small yard In short, we are just learning how to do our own business. Our best work, however, has been educationally, We have distributed what literature we cnnld tret and tiirnnil tne townsnip irom oeing ine rewiHiu&3es'--" stronghold to eBtMKastically ludepen- (lent in little nr. ft wool A short time sgb we commenced hav ing an Alliance sooial evei'7 two weeks. Tbe money to be iertted to an Alliance library. We ctfuroenced getting the cheap paper eovsirted reform iiteraature to be obtained offHE Alliance Co. or The Jt'on Con, and Bare about got through' the list, and orddred some cloth oouod books. Wo expek now to subscribe for a large number of reform papers and open a free reading room. Only those wholly or partially uned ucated in the! firjkneial history of our country can oeiapg to eitner 01 the old. parties; and we propose to educate all we can reach. It, is surprising to be hold t'ie extremq ignorance ot the av erage old party tpter. Now is the time to educate. NiXt summer the busy time will commence again.. All our hope of avoiding tbe horrors portrayed in Cieser's Column is to educate, and that quickly; indj we must use our or ganizations td dd it or our efforts will be like tho building of the tower of Babel. j The history of all labor organizations which have collapsed shows that some thing must be kept doing that all are interested in or (members will not at tend. We find 'having an interesting book to exchange at each meeting a great inducomei t, and we are sending to Vincent Bros for an industrial club declaimer, and c ir young members talk of giving enterts nments with a small charge und takt lg the money to help purchase an out It for a musical band. I sincerely hefce every one of the 2009 Alliances id the state is doing as well or better, JWe have not done all wo might or' ought,' but are ju3t getting a good ready lit the campaign of '92, which will sooii be here. As our little, boy says, "it islnostChristmasand'th.eri we'must hurrah for McKeighan and San ta Glaus." I ' I Mrs. J. T. Kflue Sue. MV Alliance, No. 1772. Troni a Lajiy Alliance Member, . Fairfield, Neb. Editor AlLunce: I see by reading your paper thatjyou publish lettersfrom people of reform ideas, and am pleased to knew yoii publish some from women. I am so interested in reading some of the letters that 1 can't help responding. In the first r)lade I will say I was more than pleased thread the letter in, a late issue of your paper signed by one of the women, regarding Rev. Talmadge. and his free piss'; visit to. the west. . .. It was just what II have been wanting to hear for a iloijg time. Every paper I read, but fycirs, is filled with. Tab mr.dge's sermons, and they don't amount to nothing for the people. I think he did a good thiig for himself when he visited the bWj world, for he can preach about something he knows about; tor I think he dontj know any more about Heaven than I, do. He can tell the peo ple about tbt holy land, but when he tells of a place; he has never been to ho guesses the same as any one else. I was glad you did not have room in your paper fori the president's message, because I don't see what good it did for any one to read It, bnt am pleased you had room to publish W. Winslow's open letter from Bertrand to President Har rison.. .. t ( Perhaps, Mtf. Editor, you think I have no right to .write my likes and dislike; bnt 1 dont read your paper, nor rfs one's, for pastime, for I have too mnih to do; but t try to educate myself to two issues of the day. And I want to fell I Mr Rosewat-, and a few more, wat when the wo ale n get a voice in politics (and they will they will hear tbe Wild est lot of eslkmity howlers they aver heard. Now, Mr. Sditor. I think all thatMr. Rosey challenged yon to debate fori was to increase the circulation of bis piper. 1 am gladth;ags aro progressing af well as they arc here; but we will have them better another year. 1 our? for reform. Mrs. J. M. Sani A r