Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1889-12-28
THE FARM.
What Is tho Farmers Alliancee

THE FARM
What Is tho Farmers' Alliance?
In an address to the farmers OF the
Northwest, Hon. 1gnatius Donnelly'
State Lecturer of the Minnesota Farm
ers Alliance, says:
The Alliance is an association Oh
farmers. 1t is national in its character
having branches in many States. 1t
is not a secret society. It has neither
grip, password nor oath; therefore there
need be no religious scruple on the part
OF anyone, about joining It. Its meet
1ngs are open.
The Alliance is not political organi-
cation. It does not interfere with the
political affiliations of its members. 1t
raises no question as to whether . man
is Republican, Democrat or Prohi-
bitionist. 1t knows that there are good
men in all these parties, and some mean
men among the leaders of each. The
rogues do not all think alike on ques-
tions of craftsmanship, any more than
they do on matters of religion; but they
have happy faculty, nevertheless, of
combining against the honest man in
way which is instantaneous and start
ling.
The Alliance, therefore, while it does
not propose to start o new party, or lex
cept in a somewhat desperate extremity
of public affairs, which is not likely to
arise) to put State ticket in the field;
and while it thinks that its members
can do more good by remaining in their
respective party organizations, and try
ing to purify and control them, in the
interest of the people, nevertheless it
does not shrink back from the ballot
box or try to politically emasculate its
members. It believes that it is the duty
of the farmers, who constitute q large
majority of the population, and OF the
taxpayers of the State, to work together
to secure good laws for themselves, and
the rest of the people. And it knows it
can only do this by electing honest and
capable men to the Legislature; and to
do this there must be concerted action;
and to secure this there must be organl-
cation; and there is no organization that
proposes or attempts to do this work,
but the Farmers Alliance.
swindled Farmers.
Notwithstanding most farmers are now
SO we'll posted on the lightning-rod and
Bohemian oats swindles that but few
can be caught by them, there are still
schemes used to beat the farmer out OF
his hard earned money. Among the
articles that are used for purposes of
fraud are pumps and hay forks. A
Canadian paper speaking on this subject
says:
The pump swindle is thus managed:
A travelling agent asks the farmer to be-
come an agent for the sale of iron
pumps, promising him one free if he
will. The farmer agrees to take eleven
pumps, which he is to sell at $11 apiece,
reserving SIS on each g3 his commission.
Then he signs and order for these
pumps on these terms, but which turns
out later on to be promissory note for
$165, the retail value of the pumps.
Sometimes there is a verbal under
standing" that if the goods are not sold
they will be taken back, but that under
standing never materializes, while the
note does.
The hay fork swindle is somewhat
similar. The agent offers to put up one
for nothing if the farmer will take an
agency. He accepts, and later on an
other man calls to get him to sign o
statement of the condition of his affairs,
lust to show that he is responsible
person" In some mysterious way this
is converted into an order for large
number of hay forks. The man who
thinks he is merely singing recommen-
dation of the working of tanning mill
which is on exhibition finds that he or
dered one.
Shoddy peddlers, pretending to rep
resent great English or Scotch houses
sell goods which are so fimsy they will
not stand sewing together. Imitation
gold watches are sold sometimes as high
as $50, which turn out to be worth moth
ing. In lightning-rods there is now but
little cheating done; the farmers have
learned that device of the enemy.
A most ingenious trick was perpetrated
by clerical-looking couple, who, with
q timid- looking young man and woman,
drove up to farmhouse and stated that
the couple had taken whimsical notion
that they should like to be married
among such handsome surroundings,
and were willing to pay we'll for the
privilege. The farmer consented, served
them fine dinner, and was paid $40 for
his trouble. The receipt which he gave
the groom returned to plague him in the
form of $500 promissory note in the
hands of an innocent holder. The in
ventors of this bright game have about
worked out the province and will be
likely to try the States. The western
farmer must beware. A good rule to,
adopt is never sign any paper presented
by strangers, and when once adopted
live up to it.
THE STOCK RANCH.