Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-11
THE BALLOT URGED
Upon the State Changers as the Best
Weapon for Them, if They
Would Show Their Strength,
AND MAKE THEMSELVES FELT.
Vigorous Political Address to the Farm
ers at Harrisburg by State
Lecturer Brown.
SOME HOT SHOT THROWN OUT,
And Strongly Aggressive Policy Advised in the
Future
AND MAKE THEMSELVES FELT.
SOME hot SHOT THROWN OUT,
And Strongly Aggressive Policy Advised in the
Future.
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Grange got down to systematic work to-
day. All the committees were appointed
and the female Patrons OF Husbandrv are
literally represented in them. The Chair
man of the Committee on Resolutions is A
/. Tilden, who was beaten for Congress in
the Erie-Crawford district by Griswold
Republican. S. j. Logan, who defeated
Chairman Andrews, of the Republican
State Committee, heads the Committee on
Legislation. Among the Chairmen of the
other committees are the following: Griev-
ances, Joseph Flowers, Bucks; Cooperation,
J. A. Herr, Clinton; Transportation and
Commercial Rates, j. T. Altman, Juniata;
Agriculture, P. S. Bowman, York; Educa-
tion, w. r. Ramaley. Armstrong.
Gerard c. Brown, of York, State Lecturer
of the Grange, submitted his annual report,
in which he discusses political questions
with great freedom. After referring to the
fact that of 6, 900 farmers in the country,
only 1,00O 900 are identified with the
Grangers, he says:
At present this great hitherto inert mass is
seething and boiling over, so TO speak, with en-
thusiasm, the Grange and its younger kindred
associations are rapidly assimilating the multi
tudes and the influence of the farmers has at
last been so manifested as to strike with con-
sternation the elements which have for years
been binding US with chains heavier than mon
archy itself would have dared TO do.
Peaceful Revolution Progressing.
It is a revolution, peaceful, indeed, but no less
significant than if accompanied by the clash Of
resoundng arms the tears, the blood, the
slaughter. which are the usual concomitants of
similar upheavals From whatever standpoint
1t may be viewed, through whatsoever glasses
it may be sCTutinized, it must he allowed that
whoever else went down i'll the conflict last
month, the farmer came out on top.
1t is not that this man was elected Governor
or that man defeated for Congressman or Sena-
tor. but it is the fact that now for once, at
least, the farmers have shown that they can
pull together; not merely resolve hlghy'' in
their oranges but. standing shoulder to
shoulder. back up these resolutions in the fate
1ul conflict. Not since ''at Lexington the EN-
battled farmers stood and fred the shot heard
around the world" have the farmers of Amer
lea practically demonstrated that they will
call no man master;' and that the ballot is not
the mere periunctory piaythlng In their hands
these cunning political schemers have fondly
imagined it to be.
The One Important Question.
But the one question now more important to
them than any other is how to use how to i'm
prove. what is confessedly their victory. Those
interests. whose profit is our loss; those ele-
ments which are always arrayed against us, are
watching as II were, with the hope of despair;
watching and waiting for our movement to
play out: expecting that without political train
ing or experience it will not be able to avoid the
shoals and quicKsands or surmo1nt the diff
culties which plainly beset US.
The wish is father to the thought; vet it must
be apparent to us all that the moment of tri-
umph is the instant of danger As far as our
own State is concerned, we have made the first
actual advancement toward equalization of
taxes that we have ever scored. But we have
not yet, by any means. made certain Its attain
menL Our enemies are rebuked and checked,
but not crushed. More astounded than
alarmed, and more desperate than ever
that they realize the ad-
vantage we have gained to expect that
they-the owners of the corporate capital and
concentrated wealth of the State-will yield to
an equalization of taxation without fight,
until they are compelled to. would be simply
ridiculous And yet we hear from certain
quarters that now it is time to withdraw from
the field, that the battle is won and that
the great boon is now certain to drop OF itself
into our mouths like ripe cherry
Not Ready TO Drop.
The idea that s., 500 OOO. .OO0 constituting, as it
does the most tremendous lever. moral bus
iness and political. that exists, the force that
for more than generation has been the undis-
puted autocrat of legislation, executive and
judicial action, would now, at the first rebuff,
without further effort, without a murmur as
It were. abandon the imperial position it has
established and fortified is preposterous. He
who would urge it to disbanG in the presence
Of such a foe is not wise or sincere adviser of
the farmer.
Railroad discrimination has damaged
farmers more than any Other class but it has
also severely crippled great business interests
and communities and, hence. we expect allies
and are not alone as IN the fight Tor eQualza-
tion of taxation. But the great mower which is
more formidable In all our contests for Justice
and equal rights, Is the power of organized and
associated capital 1t is the modern Apollyon.
Plut0cracy controls over every avenue of
authority and debases courts and Legislatures
alike.
Felt at Every Election.
Its most sinister influence is felt in elections.
Through bribery and intimidation, the unscru-
pulous use Of its direct and indirect influences,
it pCisons and contaminates the | dot itself.
The most unscrupulous use of its power, over
the labOring classes particularly. has aroused
in their ranks a dread and hatred which is
not all unnatural under the circumstances.
Capital, the "handmaid of labor has come to
be regarded as its greatest oppressor and by its
outrageous domination over the workiEgmen
has in many instances excited their hostility.
They bitterly COMPLAIN that it has come to
pass thac they can own nothing. not even their
ONn vote. They look to the great phalanx
OF independent laborers, the dllers of the soil,
the owners of their own land and labor to
reason them in their extremity. They ask US
70 help them to snatch from the hand of
plutocracy the means of offense. They regard
the Australian ballot as the guarantee of
personal freedom while they seek and while
Fhey ask us to help them TO secure a secret
ballot. with The numbering provision re-
moved. will exactly carry out the fundamental
idea OF the right of suffrage.
A Bulwark Against Bribery.
It will wipe out all intimidation and render
absurd any attempt to bribe or buy the voter.
Tor no man will SO much as think of purchasing
what he can have no possibility of knowing
what he will receive. The calling of Consti-
tutional convention to secure a secret ballot is
Suggested by Sentor Brown. Secretary Thomas
report shows the receipts last year reached
$1,000 an increase of $500 over the previous
year. The expenditures were about S. 600,
leaving balance of 1000 for the permanent
fund, which is now $4,000.
Officers of the State Grange will be elected
tomorrow. Worthy Master Rhone in his an
nual address announced his retirement from
tile position, but his friends talk of re-electing
him. believing he will again accept.
Gerard {. Brown, who will retire as State
lecturer of the Grange, will likely be Mr.,
Rhones competitor for the position of worthy
master.
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