Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-03-06
ALLIANCEAND GRANGE.
SHALL FARMERS ORGANIZER


Lecturer n. ID. AshDy of the Farmers Al
lance.
Go stand upon the seashore and behold
the busy steamers coming and going
bringing their cargoes and bearing afar
their commerce; go to the wharves and
see the toiling men laden and unlading
the mighty ships; go into the streets OF
our large cities and see the multitudes
and hear the mighty uproar and confu-
sion; observe the busy marts, theunend-
ing scream and screech and hurrying
roar of traffic; go deep down into the
mines, where the soiled, grimy miner
bends increasingly to his pick while be-
hind him flows out the black diamond
or iron ore; 60 where the smoke OF fur
naces darkens all the heavens; go where
the lofty chimneys of factories tower,
and behold the multitudes who spin and
weave and work; go to the bedlam
board of trade; go to the depots OF the
railways and watch the engines
with mountains of traffic go thun-
dering past, long trains one
after another day and night without
ceasing; 60 into busy towns and villages
that dot our State and see the merchant
at his counter, the banker at his desk,
the smith at his forge, the teamster at
us toll. Whence all this toll? Who
supports these diversified industries OF
commerce, merchandise, mines and
manufacture? Do you ask? Then go out
into the country away from the noise
and hustle of the street and behold the
lone toiler on the farms here and there,
dotting all the prairies of the West.
These lone toilers support all. The
products of the farm alone make possi-
BILE the diversified industries of
our land. Lay a whitening hand upon
the agriculture of our land, and at once
will stop the clamor of the shop. the
rushing roar of the train, and the click,
click of the flying shuttle; and all COM
merce and manufacture will be as
The leaves of the forest when autumn has
blown.
Since the farmer occupies such a
basal relation to all, whatever will i'm
prove and make him skilled workman
is of the utmost Importance to all.
But the farmer is isolated. The very
nature of his work brings solitary en-
vironment. Organization is the sole
remedy that can meet his need. II
makes the occasion for calling the farm
er into social intercourse. 1t makes a
practical school of self help where each
becomes in turn teacher and pupil.
But again, organization of farmers is no
longer a debatable question. Farmers
must be organized whether they will or
not Pressure, dire necessity, drives
them into organization. In time of wal
when nation arrays itself in deadly
strife against nation, or section arrays
| itself against section, there men organ
| ize in companies and regiments and di-
| visions, and drill and train, knowing
well the power and absolute need of or
ganization.
This as the day of industrial warfare
and the forces arrayed against the farm
or are all organized. Organization on
every hand comes in and determines how
much shall remain to the farmer for his
outlay of capital and labor, and how
much they shall take. At the very door
of the retail shop and at the hands o.
those from whom he buys and to whom
he sells, the farmer meets organization
The railways are organized to fix arbi
trary rates because competition is kill
ing;" the elevators that store the farm
ers grain, the stock yards that receive
his stock, the beef men and pork pack
ers are all organized. On the other hanC
almost every article consumed on thu
farm has its value enhanced by a com
bine. Upon his lumber, his flour, hi
salt, his sugar and his matche
the farmer sees the dirty finge
prints of an unholy combination, ant
for every dirty finger print ht
must pay a good sum. Under the cry o
supply and demand spectators manip
ulate the market, and we, amazed, b.
hold paradoxical supply which reduce
the price to the producer to the loves
possible margin of profit while there i
no corresponding reduction to the con
sumer Scarcely an article the farme
consumes but what is doubled in pric
from the time of leaving the manufact
urer. Fight fire with fire." The onl
remedy, the only salvation for tn
farmer is organization. Meeting organ
lied power with organized power. Th
conditions which vex the Western farm
ers are the outgrowth Of well-define
causes-excessive charges for transpol
tation and the manipulation OF tn
market by spectators. But what be
comes of the millions added each year
They vanish as if smote by magic wand
They have gone East to pay interest OF
mortgages, to pay transportation and Il
pay the speculator.
If the farmer would know what ha
become of his hard toll represented b
the golden grain and sleek OK, let hir
take the eight thousand miles Of raj
ways in Iowa and multiply by $1,000
low estimate of watered stock per mile
and amounting to S16O, 600, 900; put thi
1T six per cent to pay in interest an
dividends on fictitious valuations, an
he will find nearly SIC, 200, 900 eaten u
by false valuations.
Organization of farmers for the pul
pose of enjoying the fairest fruits to b
gathered by that principle wrung OF
from our laws by the Grange
lures have power to control frelghts an
fares-alone can reach this case. Th
Grange demonstrated the power OF o.
ganized farmers to deal with the quei
ton. The Farmers Alliance ha
demonstrated its power in securin
right laws, and to-day we are on tn
broad highway to lower freight charge
home manufactures for our home-grow
} products, and home markets, cutting o
} of determinations, and coming to b
sis of charges based on actual cost as
indicated by the decline of railroa
: !