Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-03-16
THE FARMERS MOVEMENT.
Resolutions Passed by the National
Farmers Alliance.

Correspondence of the Ledger
BE>ToS CRY. Mo-. March l2.-Not
having seen amy mention OF the new
Farmers Movement in any of the
count, papers. l thought it worth the
time to write few lines on the sub
ject. and, if you think it worth the
room in your valuable paper, would
consider it a favor to myself and the
farmers of the State if you will pub
lish what | have TO say, though 1t
NAV be poorly said and poorly writ
ten. 4 farmer is not supposed 10. he
much of scholar, nor expected TO
use the most elegant language. but as
many of your readers are farmers
they will know how to understand me.
AT the present time farming, and the
farmers interests, are very different
from what they were twenty years
ago. The changes that have taken
place should be greatly in favor Of
the agricultural classes; but as our
improved means Of transportation are
managed they benefit the corporations
through which they are managed.
instead Of those who produce the
material upon which those corpora
tions live. and the laborer and pro-
ducer is left with barely enough Of
the profits of his toll to enable him 10
continue his efforts, only to see the
proceeds again absorbed by those
through whose hands they must pass
/ ere they reach the consumer. In
times past it has been our plan to
encourage the construction Of rail-
roads. and the money that has been
freely donated to railroad companies
has enabled them to establish lines Of
transportation wherever they could
see an object i'll so doing. The
many inventions and Improvements Of
farm machinery. instead Of benefit
ting the farmer. as they should do.
are. by means of system Of patent
laws. made the means Of Sw1ndHng
him. Now, it becomes necessary for
Us to defend ourselves against the
institution we have e>tahlished-nOt
that our railroads and other improve
ments are necessarily evil. but be-
cause We have allowed corporations
managing them to assume privileges
that do not properly belong to them.
But what can farmers do: Without
organization there can he no efficient
action. and it is not an easy matter
for farmers TO organize and cooper
ate to secure the legislation they
need: vet it can be done. and Is being
done. Jay Gould can plan and act
independent Of everyone. to a great
extent, and wreck and plumber 10 his
heart : content: hut the millions If
farmers all over this broad land must
necessarily take time to organize for
protection against the system Of rail-
road management that has been adopt
ca mainly within the last decade.
The National Farmers Alliance
was organized ly farmers represent
ING the states of Texas. Kentucky,
Missouri. Nebraska. Iowa. Wisconsin.
Illinois. Michigan. Indiana. Ohio.
New York. Rhode. Island and
Massachusetts,. The object was to
have body that could issue
charters TO subordinate alliances. and
thus make the organization uniform
all over the country. Local alliances
can 10 hut little unless they act i'll
conjunction with all alliances. In
union there Is strength. 1t costs
nothing to obtain 4 charter. or to
enjoy all the benefits that flow from
the National Alliance. and in this the
Alliance differs from all the organiza-
tionS Of a similar character.
Article IL. Sec. l. of the National
Farmers Alliance. reads as follows
The object If the organization
shall he to organize the farmers Of
the United States for their protection
against class Legislation the encroach-
ments of concentrated capital; the
tyranny of monopoly: to provide
bt'tiii4A TX al ti'OSN' ht'tiI '
swindlers and swindling advertise
ments in the public prints: TO oppose
i'll our respective political parties the
election of any candidates for Office.
State or National, who are not thor
oughly in Sympathy with the farmer :
interests; to demand that the exist
ing political parties shall nominate
farmers, or those in sympathy with
them. for all offices in the gift of the
. people. and to do anything in legit.
fit the producer.
The following resolutions wert
adopted at the National Farmers
Convention, which was held in Chi.
cago. Oct. II, 1880. the time Of the
organization Of the National Farmers
Alliance:
This convention. representing gran.
ges, farmers clubs and alliances. anC
in the industrial and shipping inter.
est>. affirmS. as introvertahle facts
, that the railroad system of this coun.
try has become virtual monopoly
which is defiant of all existing Law
: bearing upon the management of rail
) roads, oppressive alike to the pro-
ducer and consumer, a corruption t
our politics. hindrance to free an(
impartial legislation. and menace tc
therery safety of our republican insti
tutlons; that our railroad corporations
while having secured an existenc,
and their franchises through the pie.
of being necessary for the publ,
t good, and in the belief on the part O
D the peoples representatives that th,
e public good demanded it. having beer
n granted the right of way through
D public and private property. are oper
: ating their roads as an entirely pri
t vate enterprise, without regard to tn
e rights OF the people, and needless t,
e their pledges to and contract with tn,
= State; that they have been aided il
: the construction of their roads by tn
n government in public land grants
0 subsidies and loans, aggregating il
e value over $1,000, ,OOO. 900. and b,
town ana individual subscriptions /,
an amount that cannot be accuratel
aScertalned. bnt is known to acor,.a