The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-08-22
ANOTHER SPECIMEN.

GVANON aug. IL. w.
EDITOR GREAT WEST:
l have received a few numbers of
your paper, and / like it.
The language used cannot very well
be misunderstood. 1t is pleasure
to see man now days who is fear
less enough to stand up for what he
believes to he right regardless of con-
sequences, and who does not ask,
"Will this article suit the rings? will
it hurt the feelings of the wheat
ring?" But it will take you some
time beforeyo can make the farmers
see that you are fighting their bat
ties. presume you receive a great
many letters containing something
like the following: "Dr. Fish, what
are you thinking about? You are
too rash, altogether. You must be
a little more moderate" We have
the non-partisan alliance man. He is
afraid OF politics, and where ever such
a man is to be found by any OF the
old party folks they will invariably
pat him on the back and say, eyes,
you are right. Just stay out of pol
itics, go about your business, and
leave the political part to us, and it
will be we'll taken care Of. We are in
sympathy with the alliance move
ment and we will have plank in our
platform next fall covering your
case'' The alliance man might be
a little incredulous, and say, "Well,
you have had planks in your plat
forms for the 10 or Is years, cover
ing our case, but it has done us no
good; you have neglected to fulfill
your promises" The old party poll
tician expects this, and is ready with
his answer: cit may be as you say
to some extent. But it will be differ
ent from now on. You farmers have
not until lately made any demands
on u.s." Your demand will now be
attended to, in due time But by all
means stay out OF politics. That is
to say as an organization. OF course
you may vote our party ticket, and
be a good fellow as you have been
heretofore" But no sooner did the
farmers, disregarding those fine prom
Uses of the old parties, launch their
own political craft, before the party
bell gets another sound than we
hear: We are in sympathy with your
movement. But we cannot go such
men as Dr. Fish and Others" These
willy politicians know that if they can
get the farmers and prohibitionists
to believe that their leaders are dis
honest, and consequently turn from
them and act Independently, they
have the battle won. They know by
experience what a solid organization
is worth. And when they find that
the farmers have their own ticket in
the field we find what their sympathies
really amount to. AS will be seen by
reading of the following, cut from the
Minneapolis Daily journal, of July
18th, ult., speaking of Mr.. Owens, it
says: "He is not politician, and
yet he will probably hold the men,
bers OF the alliance together better
than any other man who could have
been nominated. His nomination
makes it doubly important to the re-
publicans that they choose a man
who can certainly be elected" What
a lot OF sympathy, and so beautiful
ly expressed?
l am sorry to find that the farmers
Alliance has changed so materially
on the question of Prohibition in SO
short a time as from March to july.
may be in error. But l do not be-
lieve l am, when 1 say that prohibi-
ton OF the liquor traffic is the great
est question now before the American
people. Our farmers do not get a
cent OF the revenue derived from sa-
looms. But we have the pay 9-1Oths
OF all expenses for conducting murder
suits, etc.
Farmers will surely come to the
conclusion that the saloon is one of !
the greatest obstacles in their way,
and as such have to be removed. |
But let us not condemn our brethren
OF the Farmers Alliance. They are
young yet, as political party, and
has many of the old party tricksters
to contend with. But as soon as
they are well rid of this undesirable
element and get into working order,
and have found out who they can de-
pend on. as working for principle,
and not for aggrandizement and
'sPoils of office, this will change.
Brother reformers, let us not In
our race for Office for a minute lose
sight of our principles!
There are thousands of prohibi-
tionists belonging also to the farm
.ers' alliance. Why not place some of
these in nomination, and let the pro-