The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-04-29

conditions that will enable them as
honest, intelligent, industrious produc'
ers to cope successfully with the ex.
plotting class of middlemen.
THE PLATFORM OF THE ALLIANCE.
This organization now numbers over
1000, 600 in membership. 1t stands
with it's accredited representatives at
the doors of Congress and demands
relief and 1t is making an impression.
1t advocates:
First-The issue of all money by
the government of the United States
and the withdrawal of ~favors, too,
even at the expense of the abolition
| of the national banking system.
Second-A tariff for revenue sufh-
Gent only to meet the necessities OF
the government economically admin
istered.
Third-The establishment by the
government of a warehousing system
in the large cities of the United States,
wherein the farmer may store his
grain products and have issued upon
such storage government certificates,
a legal tender, the same as now ap-
plies to silver. This is known as the
Sub Treasury plan Of the Farmers
Alliance, and is the more especial
measure of interest advocated.
Fourth-The absolute denial to
aliens of ownership in lands within
the United States.
Fifth-Government control of the
railroad and telegraph system of the
United States.
I called today upon Colonel L. l..
Polk, the President of this fast grow,
ing and already powerful organiza.
ton. No man more busy than he.
From every section of the broad land
reports of the operations of the ALI,
ance crowd in upon him. One whom
I should say had about turned the
half century in the mile stone of life,
of courtly manner and intense worker,
a man of dark complexion, eyes and
hair, the latter mingled with the in,
roads of gray, a mar schoOled in agri.
cultural science from the standpoint
of the practical farmer.
In enlisting his interest in the sub.
ject of the aims and objects of the
Farmers Alliance, I told him that in
my inquiry at the Agricultural De.
partment it had been admitted that
the condition of the American farmer
was most deplorabLe. "Now," l said,
"Colonel, such being the concession
that there is great depression in agri
cultural circles, what in your judg
ment,
HAS BROUGHT IT ON p
Without hesitation, he answered
"There is q combination of causes.
We believe that the depression in
farm values is owing chiefly to the
want of sufficient circulating medium
of exchange in this country. AS oul
civilization advances there are new
demands and new conditions arising
which must be met, and it takes time
to conform thereto. [ do not agret
with these latter-day political econo
mists who say that this depression is
due entirely to a want of system
among the farmers l notice some Of
the leading minds in Congress assign
various causes, but the great under
lying evil from which the agriculture.
Interests of this country are to day
suffering is the financial system O.
this government.
And pray how would you remedy
it ? l asked.
"First," said be-" l would give tc
the people a sufficient volume of cur
rency to handle conveniently the
trade of the country. We, speaking
for the Farmers Alliance, have oui
ideas how that volume of currency
ought to be erected. l would moi
fix any arbitrary limit of volume fol-
the eason that we believe that 6
flexible volume of currency is the
thing that we need in this country
that is, a volume that will accommo
date itself to the demands of trade
To illustrate it from. our standpoint
as farmers: We place on the market
in the last four months of the veal
anywhere from ST. 900, 900, 600 to
$4,000, OO0, 900 worth of products
All debts, interest," and contracts are
made to mature about that time Of
the year. In tat way we are forced
to put our
PRODUCTS ON a GLUTTED MARKET,
And putting, say, So, 900, 600, OOC
worth on the market, we have ther
from So to $l2 of agricultural values
to be handled by 81 of currency
This, of course, gives money every
advantage over the farmers. i
forces us to sell our products wher
the market is lowest; and, after the
products are moved and money be
comes more plentiful, the prices o.
commodities we have to buy rise
The whole thing in a nutshell is tina,