The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-30

THEIR CONVENTION TO BE IN
EVERY SENSE a NATIONAL ONE.

What the Alliance Has Done Toward
Bringing tho Various Sections of tn ,
Country Together-Its Growth from
Small Beginnings-The Political As
poets of the New Agricultural Move
ment
Copyright, 1901
NEW YoRK. Nov. %. - Agriculturists
generally look upon the approaching an
nual convention of the National Farmers
Alliance and Indu'trial Union, to be held
in oc ia. Fla. on Dec. ,, as far more i'm
portant TO their interests than any similar
gathering in this country has yet been.
Farmers have been gradually growing up
to the belief that there was Il way to per-
manently right the many grievous wrongs
they have so long complained OF and suf-
ferei under.
The Granger movement brought tempo
rary relief in some sections of the country,
as also did other more or less local or sec
tional movements, but each in its turn soon
faded away, and reform had 70 be looked
for. but never quite obtained, in still other
directions. These various NOV IN nts
however, were failures, though they paved
the way to improved methods OF
organization and combined effort. The
results have already been apparent
in the returns from the recent cleo
tion7 Whole states have been swept by
the farmers here and there, n d their
representatives will sit in governors c airs,
| viii form working maj critics in state
! legislatures, will no longer seek vainly for
plenty Of congeuial companiOnship in the
| lower house of congress, and will even
associate together in the United States
Senate itself. Small wonder that some
of the more optimistlcal Of their number
| see the farmers in the near future
carrying the whole country by Storm In
presidential election. Small wonder for
| their positive belief that tbis years c1nven-
ton OF the alliance-the first truly national
convention of farmers--is TO be big with
eat results. Delegates from all recog-
nizad farmer3 orders or associations will be
welcomed 70 the convention and invited to
take an active part in the proceedings. The
object, as declared. is "the formation of
one grand, compact national organization,
which shall unite all these fraternities in
mutual cooperation and political action"
mot that we want 20 run this govern
ment ourselves said one sturdy wheat
| grower from the west. who has been in
town this week, but we don't intend to
submit longer to injustice from any man o.
from any combination of men, and we be-
lieve that we are strong enough now 20 be
heard in legislatures aud in congress. We
know no party politics in this matter.
Democrats, ropubhcansland prohibitionists
are working together, and the wheat raisers
of the west nave Joined hands with the cot
ton growers of tho SOUTH Now we are
moving eastward Pennsylvania, New
Jersey ana New York are In line with US.
Next we shall organize the tobacco growers
of Connecticut. who have been shamefully
abused aud cheated out OF their profits
For some time we have had a headdnarters
in Washington. We've got still another
Headquarters now-rlght here in New York
Citv,n
They have. At No. 1876 Broadway, in n
couple of Office rooms on the third floor, is
the metropolitan abiding place of the
Farmers Alliance Exc nange Its secretary
and manager, u pleasant-faced young
southerner. who saw the alliance at its
birth and shared in its early struggles IL
also the president of Florida Alliance State
Exchange. The busine ~ of the exchange Is
to keep farmers with good security but In
need of ready cash. out of the hands OF
usuriouq and corscienceles3 sharks: to buy
farming implements, seed. etc, at lowest
rates and deliver them at cost price: to
obtain the highest rates for farm produce.
and TO look after the general interests Of
members of the alliance. The farm
housewife, too, is not forgotten,
for through the alliance exchange
she can obtain sewing and wash
ing machines and other household
articles ut manufacturers prices; aud state
or local agents can have sugar and other
indestrucIible provisions shipped to any
section of the country for distribution at
refinery prices. This means that the farm
ers nfter having been the prey OF extor.
tionate ayonts nd commission merchants
for years can now purchase almost any
thing thew Dlease at from 25 to 90 pe- cent.
less fnen The same articles would cost us at
retail mere In the CITY. That fact they pre-
sept as one of the results Of cooperation.
or c,urse ms shareholders they nav a small
annusl fee to cover the expenses of the
hureau which il purely aid sinuly an
alliance bureau. and not in any way under
nrivste control
Ike ali great movements. the farmers
alliance had small beginnings and is not the
growth Of a day. Itgearly history Is even a
iirtle obscure for the title originated in an
informal sort OF way I'm Lampasas county
Texes about the year 1876. That is a little
niece of history to be read for the frs time,
nrohably bv most OF the officers and mem
IF the now powerful order. Cattle thieves
ahouuded in I.ampasas county in those DAYS
and conducted their onerations on q most
oxfanejve scale The authorities of the re-
non could do nothing and the cattlemeu
docjdad that the onIv way TO save their stock
va 10 Iook in their own way for their
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