The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-02-14

dairymen's meeting last week when
he minated that the farmers would
hereafter cause the politicians to bow
to the wishes of the Industrial classes.
If the general has experienced a
change of heart we congratulate
him, and hope that his eloquent
voice may be henceforth heard in be-
half OF the masses If he is sincere,
and we have no right to question his
sincerity, the General will do great
deal of good for the masses.
Battle Lake heview:
The Farmers Movement.
One of the serious questions of the
day, and one which is being widely
agitated, is what can be done to re-
lieve the farmers? A succession of
good crops insure low prices, and a
succession of poor crops leaves the
farmer in circumstances that are not
to be envied. For thepast five years
the farmers have not prospered in
proportion to the prosperity enjoyed
by Others, for several reasons. One
is the excessive freight rates charged
by transportation Co.'s, their rule be-
ing to "charge all that the traffic
will bear,' thus fixing rates that eat
up the larger share Of the profits
that rightfully belong to the farm
er, whether the price be high or low.
Another reason is the interest of
money, which is higher as prices are
lower and money is more in demand.
Another is the profits of the middle
men, while another and by no means
small one is the excessive prices
paid by farmers for farm machinery.
All these causes have lead to the vast
majority OF farmers being worse off
at the end of the year than at the
beginning, with nothing to show for
their long days of ceaseless toll,
To better their condition is a topic
of widespread discussion at the present
time, the main idea seeming to be in
the organization of a national ALI
ance OF farmers for mutual protec-
ton. Our readers are familiar with
the Grange movement which spread
over the country, and which in 1874
reported 1000 subordinate oranges
and 100000 members. At the late
annual meeting of the National
Grange, the total membership re-
ported was only $4,000. At the
present time the membership amounts
to 100000 The great decline in the
membership, which let in everyone
interested in agricultural pursuits. :"
During the decline of the patrons
of husbandry, other associations OF
farmers were formed, the first of
which that remained and grew, being
the Farmers Alliance" organized
in Texas in 1879. 1t was chartered
in 1880, and a state alliance organ
lied in 1881. In 1886 the Farmers
Union" was organized in Louisiana,
and in 1887 the latter organization
was united with the Texas organiza-
ton under the name of the "Farmers'
Alliance and Cooperative Union of
America" This spread over eight
of the Southern states, and had a
national organization. In 1882 the
agricultural Wheel another farm
er's society. was formed, and soon
spread over Arkansas, Missouri, Ken
lucky and Tennessee; and also had
a national organization. The Gar
mers' Alliance and the "Agricul-
tural Wheel" were united under the
Farmers and Laborers' Union of
America" at Meridian, Miss, in Dec.
1888. In 1887 the National Farm
ers' Alliance" came into being in Cook
county, ILL.,, through the efforts Of
Milton George, editor of the Western
Rural. In 1888, 500 Farmers Al
lance delegates assembled in Chica-
go and organized the National Far
mers' Alliance. These delegates rep
resented the states of Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, New York, Ohio, In
diana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin,
Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky
and Texas. The object was de-
clared to be:
''To unite the farmers OF the United
States for their protection against
class legislation, the encroachments
OF concentrated capital, and the tyr
amy of monopoly to provide against
being imposed upon by swindlers
end swindling advertisements in the
public prints; to oppose in our re-
spective political parties the election
of any candidate to Office, state or
national, who is not thoroughly in
sympathy with the farmers interests !;
to demand that the existing politi-
cal parties shall nominate farmers
or those who are in sympathy with
them, for all Offices within the
gift. of the people; and to do any,
thing in a legitimate manner that
may serve to benefit the producer. :"
This organization was at first in
tended to operate openly, but after
ward adopted a ritual and secret
work. This organization at present
has a membership of 100000.