The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-09

/ Tor anything, and therefore not posted.
VIII the Farmers Alliance affect the
political situation in Kansas this fall?
[ think it will in some localities, bat l
don't know as to the state generally.
What viii be the future Of the Alliance
in your opinion?
1t is difficult for any one 10 predict.
But it seems clear to my mind that the
Alliance may become an instrument of
wonderful benefit TO the farming COM
| munity. / see no reason why it may
not supply what has long been needed,
and that is a thorough organization Of
the farmers for their own benefit.
There are two things which the farm
ers need. One, and the most important,
is a thorough organization. The farm
ers of the states, composing the Missis-
| sippi valley produce such a proper
| ton of the meat and bread supply
of the world that if they could be SO
! organized as to act together and stand
by each other they could absolutely fix
the price Of every pound of corn and
wheat and beef and pork they sell. If
the Armour syndicate had control of
such a supply it would dictate prices to
the world. And why can not the farmers
organize and do the same thing? There
it no reason why a bushel of wheat
should ever be sold for less than a dollar
or bushel OF corn for less than thirty
cents. They are worth these prices as
well as silver dollar is worth gold
dollar, and the only reason the farmers
do not get them is because they are I'M
able in their disorganized condition to
act as a unit and demand them. There
is no reason why during the past ten
years the price Of corn should have
varied five cents per bushel whereas it
has run from ten to twenty-five in thirty
days. And the only reason why it
happens is that the disorganized farmer
is the foot ball of the organized specu-
latOr. The farmer who stands at the
supply end Of the line has
as much right to dictate the prlce as this
gambler who stands between him and
the man at the demand end of the line,
and he has the power if he will act so as
to utilize it. Such an organization with
intelligence and integrity to direct, will
be vastly more effective than any anti
trust law or taxing of option dealers.
Do you think the farmers could make
such a movement a success?
Of course they can. All they need is
earnestness of purpose and loyalty to
each other. The Farmers alliance can
accomplish the object easily if it is car
ried forward. As a citizen of Kansas I
hope the organization will 90 on until
the farmers of the Mississippi valley be-
come a complete unit. If they do they
viii work a great revolution. Under
the present methods of business the
farmer is a bondman. He starts his
product to market without knowing
where or to whom or for what he will
sell it. He goes to the so called marts
of trade and gets on his knees before the
henchman of the combines and begs
them to take his property at their own
price.
But if the farmers through the Organi-
zation of the Alliance will demand their
rights and assert their power, they will
transfer to,the barnyards of the west the
markets of the country which are now
manipulated in the bucket shops and
board of trade gambling dens of a few
cities. Instead of the farmer hunting
Armour. Mr.. Armour would he ransack-
ing the prairies of Kansas, begging the
farmer to name his price.
What Is the other need of the farmer
YOU have in mind:
Well. the farmer needs more custom
ers and also better ones. The policy of
our government Is calculated To drive
away a very large body Of customers
who would buy Kansas products if they
were permitted to trade with us on any
thing like equal terms. But as they are
not permitted to trade with Us they go
where they can trade, and 50
we lose them and greatly limit
the number of our customers.
And thenH themechanics and laborers
of our own country We're not required to
pay a bounty for the privilege of buying
material with which TO incorporate their
labor and skill they would be able Ia buy
more Kansas products and paw better
prices for them. What the farmers and
workmen of Kansas ought To have Is
free iron and free lumber. free tools and
implements. free fuel and free victualS.
In the great work of state building and
town building these are as necessary as
the air and ought to be bounty free.
Then you would favor tariff reform:
Well. I have heard of tariff reform. but
hardly know what it Is. have an idea
that the way TO reform the present tariff
Is To smash il and let new one be con
structed by men who are not interested
in pet schemes 10 enrich themselves at
the expense OF the masses.
To protect the handiwork of labor Is
commendable.
But our Creator has deposited bodies
of iron. coal, lead and zinc in boundlass
profusion and planted llimitable forests
of timber within the confines Of our
national domain for the benefit and Use
of the whole people But all these gifts
Of nature have been gobhled up for
usage 10y. greedy syudicates of million
aires and 10 give the bounties by way Of
protection Is robbery by undisguised
bandits. aud Kansas Is the suffering
victim OF TINS robbery.