Clarksville evening tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1890, 1890-03-08
DIXIE'S FARMERS.
Their Alliance May Work RevO.
luton in the South.
Southern Congressman EaVe
Reason TO Be Alarmed,


ATLANTA, Ga, March s Here is the
biggest political sensation the South has
known in years. When few days ago
rumors reached Washington that the
Farmers Alliance threatened to run it,
own men, Georgia congressman were
greatly alarmed. Now they and al
other southern congressman have reason
to be scared.
President Livingstone Interviewed.
President Livingstone, of the Georgis
Farmers Alliance, issued the ukast
through an authorized interview Thurs
day that would be congressman in the
south and west, wherever the alliance
can reach them, and the alliance, with
its 100000 members, can reach over a
vast territory must prepare to pledge
themselves to the support of two meas
ures of vast importance. These are
first, the "sub-treasury PLAN" second
government control of railroads and tele.
graphs. The candidate who refuses tc
pledge his support to these measures is
doomed, for to secure the enmity of the
alliance means that. In the south al
least currency reform is to be most
strenuously insisted upon. To omake farm
products as current as silver bullion is
the end sought.
No Third Party.
''The Farmers Alliance" began Presi-
dent Livingstone, lis to be no third
party. Efforts have been made to arouse
the third party sentiment in their midst,
but conservative counsels have prevail
ed. We propose to fight it out within
the lines of the Democratic party, but
the farmers are thinking for themselves,
and they propose to take hand in the
electing We will ask candidates to
commit themselves first to the sub-treas-
ury plan. ! don't want to say that the
alliance people are welded to that, but
something of that kind will be demand
ed, something that will gave an effective
currency to handle the business of the
country without depressing prices or
encouraging corners and monopolies. |
am perfectly willing, if congress thinks
some other plan to increase the currency
will be better, provided the people con-
troll it, but am decidedly in favor of
the sub-treasury plan, and shall be until
something better is presented. We be-
lieve the present currency system is a
nursery for all these corners, trusts and
combines. We believe it would be inn
possible to put up corner in cotton,
wheat or anything if the sub-treasury
system, as we present it to congress,
were adopted. .
The Sub-Treasury Plan.
On being asked to explain the sub
treasury plan he said:
"The sub-treasnry plan proposes,
briefly, that the government take the
farmers staple crops into its warehouses
and issue to him negotiable certificates
to 80 per cent. of the value of his pro-
ducts, with no charges but bare expense
of storage and insurance. The crop is
kept there a year In that time the
farmer sells it month by month, simply
letting the supply keep up with the de-
mand. This will regulate the price and
prevent corners. Il will break up all
this speculation, which is encouraged by
the present system"
The Money System Explained.
Continuing his explanation of this
alliance plan to revolutionize the money
system of the country, President Living
stone explained in full: "And in winter,
when the farmer has to sell, money is
scarce and corn and wheat are low. In
the spring and summer, when he has to
buy, money is cheap, and that makes
provisions high. The present currency
of inflexible volume forces the farmer to
sell cheap and buy at high prices. By
the sub-treasury plan the currency
would be expanded as the crop comes
in, and retired as the crop is marketed.
Thus there would be in all seasons Just
such a volume of currency as business
demands, with no surplus to encourage
speculation. Another thing, the price
would be fixed month by month, in Just
accordance with supply and demand.
Cotton statistics are at best an approxi-
nation. The estimates may miss sew
eral hundred thousand bales, and 100,-
900 in the supply may make a differ
ence of cent in the price of cotton.
When the crop is marketed or stored
the actual number of bales will be known,
and the price will become steady. |
believe plan of this kind will relieve the
farmer thousand times more than a re-
formation of tariff or any other thing of
that kind. Believing that with our
whole soul our people will say to Mr..
Clements or Mr.. Stewart or Mr.. anybody
else. will you vote for any such cur
rency as we askT From advocates and
disciples of the states rights theory the
farmers of the south are joining forces
with Edward Bellamy in pushing for
ward the movement toward Nationalism.
"With US" continued Col. Livingstone,
" it is a change of masters. The present
system makes the money kings our
financial masters. This will make the
our ruler in money matters.
Jay Gould has no interest in my physical
or moral well being. He does not care
whether my children are educated or
grow up to be heathens. But the gov
ernment wants me strong of body, so |
can fight for it if necessary, and wants
me moral and intelligent so that will
be useful and a burden-bearing citizen,
able to pay my part of the tax"
Not Asking Too Much.
On being asked, with such a radical
change won't it be urged that farmers
are asking too muchY he said:
"We only ask what the government
than whisky is worth-$3 a gallon the
minute it is put in bonded warehouse,
because age gives it value by anticipa-
ton. That whisky was only worth fifty
cents a gallon before. The farmer is
Oll( doklIlR ali tAASuslOil Va tttc ldNOi a.
ready granted to National banks. They
deposit bonds in value which stand in
place of bonded warehouses. and they
get 80 per cent. of the face value at l'per
cent. per annum, meantime collecting
interest on the bonds and paying nothing
for storage tax or insurance. We only
ask the government TO advance 50 per
cent. of the value Of products, and we
"a, s..,A sya1tt y
Practical workings Of the Plan.