New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-04

Rut IN notifies Mr. Powell, as must have Deeh
made evident by the foregoing description OF MS
farm and its character, and his OUTSIDE WORK III
the matter of addresses before agricultural So
cie;ies, is a busy man. and Just at present ne mas
much additional wordsworth that he ordlnarHS
does not have. He is the president oil the faIh
ers' League, a national farmers Polltlcal orgah-
cation, which was organized last year III MasNa-
cbuse,ts and has since spread from that State over
the States Of Vermont New-IlampshiTe, Maine.
Phode Island Connecticut, New-1ork, Pennsy4-
vapa and Ohio. In these States II holds the
nosition held in the South and west oS the
Farmers, Alliance, which is creating such po-
ltical connection The aim of the league is po-
ltical, like that of the Alliance, but while the
Alliance IS a secret Organization the League Is
not secret body: it strives TO accomplish us
oi,,e hv onon work The object of the two
bodies. however, is smilar-they are striving 10
improve the pecuniary condition of the farmer
bv using political methods So far the Alliance
is organized in only one county in this State
Allerany. The League is much more widespread,
having town organizations in every county OF
the State and having county organizations III
twenty of the sixty counties Of the State.
WHAT THE LEAGUE WANTS.
Mr.. Powell. in conversation with your
correspondence stated frankly to-day It's OBJ
jects and It's plan OF organization. The League,
he said originated III MASSACHUSETTS IL was
created because the Legislature would not heed
the demand Of the farmers that an effective law
against the sale Of oeomarganne should be passed
We had such law in this State, but Massachusetts
had neglected TO pass such a statute. Although
only organized last fall, IL has 40 900 or 80
900 members, and it was so effective in its work
L. 81. /, olo s.
Massachusetts Senate upon the Oleomargarine bill.
1t will take but year more Of such united work
by the farmers to pass the Oeomargarine law, not
only in Massachusetts but in other States where
such a law is needed. / hope, however, that the
League will not have growth rapid and mush-
room-li<e that it will not have sufficient stability
and solidity 10 accomplish its aims. Those aims,
in my opinion, are conservative and reasonable
In Massachusetts and Connecticut we desire a
thorough law passed against The sale OF oleOmar-
garine as butter, i'll the States OF Ncw-York, Ohio
Pennsylvania and New-Jersey, we wish, farm
crs, 10 have the taxation laws amended.
Amended in what respect"
BY making the taxation more equal We
believe that real estate bears an undue proper
ton of the taAes. and that too much personal
property escapes taxation. The New-York Leg
lslature is well acquainted with the grievance,
and the poverty of farmers, owing 10 the i'll
equitable taxation laws. but it will not pass re-
formatory taxation laws. Why? Simply be-
cause the farmers nave no representation in the
Legislature. Ostensibly we have representation,
Dut through our own folly it is sham one
we nave permitted professional politicians 10 inter
Vene between ourselves and the Legislature II
Is high time that they should he brushed aside
ana actual representatives of the farmers
be selected. l do not believe in elias,
legislation, but surely every class at least
Should be represented The labor unions
Dy union have obtained from the Legislature
The legislation they desire. Why should not tho
farmers adopt the same policy?a
One of the reasons M Powell. why the Leqis-
!ature dld not pass the bills approved of by the
League was because they were Of too extreme a
nature" suggested the correspondent
i am aware Of that: and permit me to say that
Inc League did not approve Of every feature of
these DIS. For instance. we did not approve Of
the TAXATION OF church property. ] believe that
section was put into of the bills for the DUR
pose Of anaying church influence against us.
III was great task we had set ourselves-that
OF bringing personal property within the circuit
OF the States taxes. OF course, that arrayed all
Inc men who held personal property against US
and when church influence was added. we were
overcome"
Did you approve of Senator Fassetts bill cx-
lending the Collateral Inheritance Tax bill over
all hers?"
We did, and we were much disappointed that
IL did NOT pass ] hope Senator Fassctt will
press 1t again next winter. That is conservative
moderate measure. and shall frame
JUST such measure in the line of tax
ing other property for presentation to the
Legislature next winter. do not favor extreme