The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-12-03

WHAT THE ALLIANCE HOPE TO
ACCOMPLISH

Fla. - Talk of Putting "a Presidential
Ticket In the Field I'm 1s92-PossIbiiity
of an Alliance with tho WorkiDgms
Organizations
Washington dispstchl
The annual meeting of the National
Farmers Alliance will be held at Ocala,
Fla, beginning Tuesday, Dec. 2. In
many respects IL will be the most i'm
portant industrial meeting held In this
country In many years, and the action
taken there will either clear the political
atmosphere wonderfully or complicate
matters so that the wisest political guess
ers will be put to their wits ends TO
divine the course OF affairs In the next
Presidential election. There is strong
possibility that tho Farmers Alliance
will bloom out as a fgll-fedged third
party with a full ticket in the field in
1892 This matter will De settled prac-
tically at the Ocala convention.
Just what the action Of the convention
will be in this regard it is impossible TO
forecast IL Is safe TO say, however,
that the sub-treasury bill, with such
notifications as have been suggested by
the criticism that the publication of the
measure evoked, will be pushed for all it
is worth. What other principles OF the
organization will be pushed to the front
IL Is too early TO surmise. The conven-
tion will be thoroughly preventative.
AT It's recent meeting at Denver, Col,
the General Assembly of the knights Of
Labor appointed General Master Work
man Powderly, A. w. Wright of Can.
ada, and Ralph Beaumont of New York
TO attend the Alliance Convention as fra
ternal delegates. These three are clear,
forcible speakers and earnest men, and
IL is altogether likely that the partial
combination effected between these two
great industrial organizations will be
made closer in the matter Of political
action at all events. The Knights
OF Labor bear proposition to the
Alliance 10 join with that order In
calling, at as early date as possible, a
convention of all labor and reform
organizations TO decide the question
of independent political action. They
are strongly OF the opinion that the
Alliance will take this ac ton. Such a
convention would take in the Patrons Of
Husbandry, the Grange, the Farmers
Mutual Benefit Association, and the
New England Farmers Organization,
all of which are thoroughly in sympathy
with the Alliance, but have not as yet
Joined it. Then the Knights OF Labor,
the Federation of Railroad Employees,
the American Federation OF Labor, and
the big trades unions would be invited
10 attend the convention. The actual
voting strength of these organizations
will reach well up toward three millions,
and IL can readily be seen II such a con-
vention is called and should decide 10
take independent action, IL would cause
some queer overturnings in 1892, and il
is among the probabilities.
In speaking of the Ocala convention
c. W. Vaccine, Chairman of the Execu-
tive Committee and editor of the Nd
ttO1ldl Economist, the organ Of the ALI
ance, said: "1he meeting Is most i'm
poftant one from the Farmers Alliance
standpoint, political standpoint, and
an economic standpoint. Being the ma
tional meeting Of the order, ii will
probably take the next step in the devel-
opment of this great new force, and
since there is every indication that sec
tionalism, so far as 1t depends upon
prejudice between the farmers OF the
South and Northwest, will be forever
buried, the political significance cannot
be overestimated. 1t is impossible for
us TO obtain exact data as TO the victories
in the recent elections; many men have
been elected as partisans on whom we
can depend on almost all questions to
represent the farmers II is probably now
a conservative estimate TO say we will have
forty men in the Fifty-second Congress
who can be depended on TO represent the
farmers interest on all occasions.
"With thorough understanding from
all sections, enlightened and educating,
and sectionalism replaced by co-opera-
tion and unity. the economic possibilities
for the good of this great order are al
most immeasurable."
The Farmers Alliance was started in
Texas in 1876, but IL was not until
eleven years later that the order became
national and began TO develop strength.
1t absorbed the old Agricultural Wheel,
in 1889, at st. Louis. At that conven-
ton the Knights Of Labor were repre-
sented and after a long discussion and
many conferences the "St. Louis plat
form" was adopted. Among other things
IL includes practically the Knights of
Labor planks on land, currency, and
transportation, which read as follows:
The land, including the natural sources
OF wealth. is the heritage OF all the people.
and should not be subject TO speculative
to the possession OF land. The taxes upon
land should be levied upon its full value
for use, exclusive OF improvements. and
should be sufficient 20 take for the COM
munty all uuearned increments.
The establishment of national none
tary system In which "A circulating medium
in necessary quantity shall issue direct TO
the people without the Intervention of
banks; that all the national issues shall be
full legal tender I'm payment OF all debts,
public and private, and that the Govern
ment shall not guarantee or recognize any
private banks. or create any banking cor
porations; that interest bearing bonds
bills OF credit, or notes shall never be issued
by the Government; but that when need
arises the emergency shall be met by issue
or legal tender, non-intercst bearing
money.
That the Government shall obtain pos
session by purchase, under the right OF
eminent domain, OF all telegraph. tele-
phone, and railroads; and that hereafter
no charter or license be issued TO any cor
poration for construction or operation OF
any means OF transporting intelligence. pas
or freight.
The meeting at Ocala will consist OF
about $50 delegates, representing thirty
two States. The session will last from q
week to ten days. After the adjourn.
ment arrangements have been made for