The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-29
THE FARMERS MOVEMENT
AN INTERESTING PAPER ON THE
WORK OF THE ALLIANCE.
Farmers Realizing the Importance OF
Union and Cooperation In Their
Great workr-The Spreading OF Knowl-
edge.
To tho Editor Of The Appeal.

To tho Editor Of The Appeal
Believing The APPEAL IN DO paper foI
the masses and against the classes, and
while not always indorsing the views Of its
correspondents, is still willing to vcntilate
all questions Of public interest, concluded
to write short article giving the cause,
some Of the purposes, aims, etc, Of the
farmen' movement, as we conceive them
10 be. Much has been written about the
new south, the progress made in rail.
road building, the development Of her
great mineral wealth, the growth Of her
manufacturing interests, ETC., but little has
been written about her great industry
agriculture. A large majority OF her peo-
pie arc engaged In this industry, and we
think Il can be easily shown they are not
NJ prosperous ~ other classes: and we be-
lievc this to be true In regard To this class
over the whole country. To this fact, we
think, Ii due the inception and wonderful
growth Of the farmers movement. In
different and distant sections OF the coun-
hy this class have banded together, each
community ignorant Of the movement in
other sections, thus showing by this com
mon action tho operation Of common
cause. A few years since the farmers OF
Texas began to organize into an order
which they called tho Alliance.
About the same time those Of
Louisiana formed an organization and
called il the Farmers Union. In another
section similar order was formed and
called the Relief In still another part OF
the country the farmers organized into an
order and called Il the Wheel, etc. From
the inception Of the movement II has con-
tnued 10 extend with astonishing rapidity.
Some OF the orders have united, and II IN
proposed 10 unite all the existing orders In
one grand organization, convention hay
ing been decided upon 10 he holden AT Me.
ndian, Miss, next fall, for this purpose.
Now II must be admitted that, everything
being equal, agriculture should be M prof.
table as any other business. That this IL
not the ease we have but 10 compare this
industry with Others. Assuming, then,
that the agricultural class, ms a class, IL not
prosperous we naturally seek fint the
cause. Why isn't the farmer prosper.
Gus? Some seem 10 think II full and
satisfactory answer M regards the farmer oi
the southeast 10 say, because he buys those
things he can raise moro cheaply, and M
he cannot command the money TO pay at
the time Of purchase he Is charged
a large per cent. over the cash price, and
by this bad policy, for which lac il respon.
siblc, u brought about the credit system.
That there IN much truth In this there Is
no question, and 10 this IL largely due his
embarrassed financial condition. But we
think this state Of afInirs Is duo In n great
measure TO q lack OF proper labor system,
which the farmer, m an individual, has
not been able 10 establish. Al the close Of
the war the int problem that confronted
him WIS the dcinomlizcd condition OF Ia
Dor. from which both agricultural capital
and labor have suffered. Now, the farm
ing class being organized, n better under
standing can be brought about. There be-
ing an identity Of interest between the
land owners and him who works II, and
this community oi Interest being rccog.
nized and appreciated, will tend TO bring
about more friendly relations between the
races, aud better system Of labor cstab.
lished. Az in this particular, 10 in every
thing that pertains 10 his interest IN an in
diyidual, and M citizen much can bo ne
complished by organization, and not only
will this class be benefited, but II Wisdom
prevails In his oounsels the general vel.
iAre win be promoted. In non.parti.
san shirt he can enter the field Of
politics and exert healthy innu-
ence In shaping the legislation
Of the country. The iniquitous class,lcgs-
lation in the form Of the present high
tariff, which bears more heavily ON the
farming Glars than any other, and
which Is, We believe, one oi the principal
causes Of this financial distrcss; this high
schedule created by the necessities Of war,
would have long since been reduced 10 n
basis Of q tariff for revenue only hal the
farmers known their interests, and de.
mandcd that they be respected by their
representatives, The farmer being organ
ired can by cooperation In buying obtair
goods n, lc~ cost by purchasing iron
Wholesale dealers. By corporation III
can ship his produce In bulk and Obtain
better ntca by organization fuller AM
better system Of crop reports can he estah
hshod. and the yield Of crops more accu
rsicly estimated. Ky cooperation he cal
do much 10 prevent the formation q
trusts, and crush out that curse Of TN
agc. Some one In an article ON the nj
liancc, writes Of the declaration Of liz pur
poses and principles "Whilo dcsigne,
especially for tho benefit OF the iarmin
class are broad enough 90 receive IN
hearty Godfpccd Of every patriotic citilc
in the land" To show the growth an,
progress Of this order we will quot
briefly from letter by Edward II. Wa
rcn, secretary National Farmers alliance
under date July 10, 1857: eve will hav
in a few weeks eight State alliances VI
have In Texas State business agent, sal
airy y, 800 and cxpcnscs n county bushes
agent Ia lis countless aEub-agcnt In 400
alliances Dallas and Waco have cacl
offered M 100000 bonus Ia locate on
Cotton and Produce exchange with them
n irco use for one season al the Merchant,
exchange, with use for one season irv
ielcgrams from every trade center In IA
wofli This shows there " no conili,
between the alliance and any other lcgit
mate business" The present membcn.hi
oi this order Va In round numbers 5Ol Og
tho membership In Texas alone being $50
900. An ALiIaNcEsAN.
Arlington, Tenn, Feb. "a. 1883