The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-05-22
On shortnotice. at reasonable rates.

the one under consideration. 1t would
perhaps be better for the country If our
editors would caution each other little
on misleading the people by party mis-
representations and personal SANDERS
as out and out lies, and let the farmer
vote as he pleases.
The Farmers Alliance does intend to
dictate politics. Before the next cleo
tion many promises of true faithfulncsS
to the farmers cause will go on file.
There will be many mistakes made, no
doubt, but they can not be much worse
than the blunderings made at our past
legislative sessions. We do not believe
that either the Dakota or Minnesota
farmers will go back orrthe Republican
party. They think too much of it for
that. But the party will most undppbt-
edly be dropped unless it sides with TIE
farmer and rights his wrongs. There
are many ways in which little iogis-
ating would help the farmers OF Da-
kota. The natural laws that govern
prices are supply and demand. These
legislation cannot alter. But when one
class of men contrive plans whereby to
infringe upon the rights of another
class and by distortion to rob them of
the products Of their labor, it can be
reached by human law. and ought to
be. Dakota is an agricultural Terri
tory. Tho farmer owns the greater
part of the capital. pays most OF the
taxes. casts the majority of votes. and
does not do his duty as citizen unless
he helps TO dictate the laws which gov
ern him. 5. j. HOFFMA.
BY request Of Cooperative i. A. No. SO.
1t would appear by the above article
that the writer desires to place the
LEADER in a position as opposed to
farmers and farmers alliances, the un-
business Of which no one is better aware
of than he. The article referred to.
copied from the Pierre Free Press, has
not word to say about taking from
the farmer the right to enter politics
and have his say with every other class
Of citizens in the management OF the
government and the enactment OF laws.
It q oes not even mention the farmer.
The article refers to the farmers
alliance as an organization. 1t takes
the ground that the alliance is not a
political organization. not organized
for that purpose, and as an organization
should keep out of politics. The right
of the individual farmer to enter the
political arena OH level with men OF
other callings, is not denied, or even
mentioned. If the alliance is a political
organization, and proposes to enter the
| field as such, we have nothing to say.
In that case the article is subject to
criticism. But according to our present
understanding of the objects OF the
organization we consider the criticism
entirely out of place. The LEADER is,
and always has been, a staunch sup
porter of the best interests OF the
farmer and the farmers alliance, and,
as the writer of the above well knows,
has taken great pains to publish matter
of interest and benefit to them. The
article was copied, not with the object
Of discouraging the work OF the alli-
ance, but with the same object for
which we believe it was originally
written, to caution i'll a kindly way the
organization from following in TIE
footsteps Of similar organizations in the
East, which over-reacbed themselves,
and in consequence went under.