Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-05-13
aRovER Ann rnE aaANeERs.
Ex-President Cleveland Endorses the
Farmers Alliance aud Its Purposes.

GhONEh Anu ] Tx AsAN1EF1Os
Cleveland Endorses the
FARMERS Alliance and Its Purposes.
STEUBENvILLE, O., May IA few
weeks ago J. A Hill, corresponding
secretary Of Oak Grove Lodge No. %,
Farmers Alliance, near this city, wrote
to ex-President Cleveland, inclosing a
copy of the declaration of purposes of the
alliance, and asking for Mr.. Cleveland's
views thereon. The following is a copy
of the declaration of purposes:
Profoundly impressed that we, the
Farmers Alliance, united by the strong
and faithful ties of financial and home in
terests, should set forth our declarations
of intentions, we therefore, resolve;
To strive to secure the establishment of
right and justice to ourselves and our pos
terity
To labor for the education of the agri-
cultural classes in the science of econom-
ical government in a strictly nOn-partisan
spirit.
To indorse the motto "In things essen
tial unity, in all things charity"
To secure purity of the elective fran
chise and to induce all voters to intelli-
gently exercise it for the enactment and
execution of laws which will express the
most advanced public sentiment upon all
questions involving the interests of labor
ers and farmers.
To develop better state, mentally, NOR
ally, socially and financially.
To constantly strive to secure entire
harmony and good will among all man
kind and brotherly love among ourselves.
To suppress personal, local, sectional
and National prejudices, all unhealthful
rivalry and all selfish ambition.
To assuage the sufferings of brother
and sister, bury the dead, care for the
widows and educate the orphans; to exer-
else charity toward offenders; to construe
words and purposes in their most favor
able light, granting honesty of purpose
and good intentions to Others, and to pro-
tect the principles of the alliance unto
death.
MIR. Cleveland's Letter.
Mr.. Cleveland's reply was;
NEW YORK, March "a, 1890.
J. A. HILL corresponding secretary, etc.
DEAR SRI have received your letter,
accompanied by copy of the declaration
of principles of the Farmers Alliance.
see nothing in this declaration that can
not be fully Endorsed by any man who
loves his country, who believes that the
object of our government should be the
freedom, prosperity and happiness of all
our people, and who believes that justice
and fairness to all are necessary conditions
to its useful administration.
1t has always seemed to me that the
70 If tha aGDapiullV in
terested in an equitable adjustment of our
tariff system. The indifference they have
shown to that question, and the ease with
which they have A}en led away from
sober consideration of their needs and
their rights as related to this subject, have
excited my surprise.
Struggle as they may, our farmers must
continue to be purchasers and consumers
of numbcrloss things enhanced in cost by
tariff regulations. Surely they have the
right to insist that this cost shall not be
increased for the purpose of collecting UNI
necessary revenue, or to give undue adj
vantage to domestic manufacturers. The
plea that our infant industries need the
protection which thus impoverishes the
farmer and the consumer, is, in view OF
our natural advantages and the skill and
energy of our people, a hollow preteXt.
Struggle as they may, our farmers can
not escape the conditions which fix the
price of wheat they produce and sell &C
cording to the rates which prevail in for
eign markets, flooded with the competi-
ton of countries enjoying freer exchange
of trade than we. The plausible pre-
sentation of the blessings of home mar
ket should not deceive our depressed and
impoverished aGriculturalists, There is
no home market for them which does
not take its instructions from the sea-
board, and the seaboard transmits the
word of the foreign markets.
Because my conviction that there should
be a modification of our tariff laws arose
principally from an appreciation of the
wants of the vast army of consumers, com
prising our farmers, our artisans and our
workingmen, and because their condition
has led me to protest against present i'm
positions, am especially glad TO see these
sections of my fellow-countrymen arous-
ing themselves to the importance of tariff
reform. Very truly yours,
GROVER Or EVEIAND