River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-03-10
FARMERs' ALLIANCE.

Early in February a hundred or more
! farmers convened at Madison for the
purpose of attending meetings of the
State Agricultural and Horticultural
Societies. This was but short time
after the election by the Wisconsin
legislature of a millionaire railway Of
fetal to the United States Senate,
which event very naturally led to a
good deal of talk Of an al monopoly
character. This talk resulted in an
agreement to secure charter from
the National Farmers Alliance and
form State organization. The
object of this Alliance is to control
the politics, conventions and elections
of the country, not by the formation
of new political party, but by con-
cert of action within existing polti-
cal organizations. This proposed con-
troll of elections, if successful, means
that all corporations which seek to
take an unjust advantage of the pub
lie are to be taught that the people
have rights which monopolists are
bound to respect. As we understand
it. the Alliance is not secret order,
and has no secret meetings. We are
not advised as to the requisite qualiE-
cations for membership, but the sub
ordinate organizations are said to be
formed after the manner of political
clubs, presumably to consist of far
mers only, and without reference to
party lines. The work of organiza-
ton, as represented, seems to us to be
entirely practicable, and If tempered
with desire for justice only cannot
fail to be productive of favorable re-
suits. 1t is as follows: Previous to
the nominating conventions of the POI
litical parties, the Alliance designates
the names of three members of each
political party, the nomination of Ell
ther of whom by the respective par
ties would be satisfactory to the AL
lance. If both parties select from
the names thus presented the Alliance
does not take sides but each member
thereof votes with his party. If one
party selects candidate IN the
names thus proposed az the other
does not, the Alliance a body
with the party which az one of
the men presented. J IN parties
refuse to recognize eth. of the Al
lance men, then that q ganization
runs candidate of its own. 1t is re-
lated that in one of the New York Con-
greSSional districts the Alliance made
its power felt under this plan. 1t pre-
scented three names to the Republicans
and three to the Democrats from
which to select candidates for Con-
gress. The district was considered
safe for 1000 Democratic majority,
and the Democrats refused to nOmin-
ate an Alliance man. The Republicans
accepted one of the names proposed
md he was elected Ivy 1000 majority.
a difference of 5000 votes in
that district alone. This illustrates
the power of rightly directed organi
zaton feE Il redress of wrongs, and if
the farmers of Wisconsin who despair
of purifying politics will take hold of
this matter in earnest. as the Alliance
proposes. they will be surprised at the
power they possess. We urge them
to 80 into this and demand of both pc
litical parties that they shat, nominate
men for the legislature who do not
wear corporation collars; and that if
such reasonable demand is not com
piled with they go in on their own
hook for the election of men who are
known to be anti-monopolists and in
favor of Just and equal taxation laws.