Omaha daily bee., 1890-05-19
Prosperous i'm Otoc County.

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb., May IT, Special
to TIE BEE. THE alliance in Otoe county is
in a very prosperous condition, and it is esti-
mated that about 60 per cent of the farmers
are now members of the organization and in
creasing at every meeting. The principal
question being agitated at present is the mat
ter of freight rates, a reduction of which they
are determined to bring about at all events.
The agitation of an Independent political
movement has many followers in the Otoe
county alliance, but it is not gen
cral by any means, as the majority
prefers to fight for their interests in
the republican party. In this matter the al
lance of this county will be entirely con-
trolcd by the sentiments of General Van
Wyck who has the unbounded confidence Of
the farmers in this vicinity.
Aside from the political objects of the Otoe
county alliance its members are furthering
numerous schemes for their financial benefit.
AT several different places alliance grain ele-
Vators have been built, and others are pro-
iected A number of cooperative stores in
the smaller towns have also been organized.
Cattle and grain are shipped direct by the al
lance from nearly tvery shipping point in
county, thus doing away with the middle men
and saving their profits for the farmers.
A prominent member of the alliance is
authority for the statement that several at
tempts have been made in this county to form
81 coalition between the alliance and the
knights of Labor for the purpose of sending
representative men to the legislature from
Otoe county. Several important meetings to
this end have recently been held and the
prospects for q union of the two interests are
In a fair way at present. The success of such
"A scheme in Otoe county would be a death
blow TO the railroad politicians that have been
controlling politics in the years past
Cedar Bluffs Alliance Resolutions.
CEDAR BLUFFS, Neb., May 1S.-[Special to
The BEE, THE following resolutions were
passed by Alliance No. 1889, of Cedar Bluffs
Saunders county, at the last meeting:
Whereas, The net prices of agricultural
products in Nebraska have steadily declined
while at, the same time state and national
taxes and expenditures have increased; and.
whereas, The majority of the state board of
transportation, 20 wit; ,Messrs: Cowdery
steen and Benton have positively failed to en-
tertain an official resolution looking toward
the reduction of local railroad rates, which
are now nearly or twice as great in Nebraska
as they our In our sister state of Iowa; and,
OWhereas, They have proclaimed themselves
Us great benefactors To the agricultural inter-
ests of this state by the acceptance of 10 per
cent reduction, when they had the legal power
TO compel Il 10 per cent reduction, which re-
duction would not be unfair or unjust to the
railroad corporations as is evidenced by their
earnings and profits I'm the state OF Iowa for
Whereas, We feel that we have been wronged,
cheated and robbed by the great transpbr-
tation companies in charging excessive freight
rates In order To pay dividends ON watered
stocks, maintain oil rooms for the purpose OF
corruptng our legislatures and bribing state
officials, and
Whereas, We believe that farmers, consti-
tuting as they do about one-haIf of the labor
ing population of the United States and three
fpurths of the state OF Nebraska, have a right
aud are entitled to fair share of the profits
resulting from their tolls; therefore be II
Resolved, BY the members of Farmers alli-
ance, No 1883, of Cedar Bluffs, Saunders
county, Nebraska, in regular session assem-
bled, that we. will in the future support no
person either for the chief executive of the
state or for the legislature who will not fairy
and squarely pledge himself for the repeal Of
the law creating a state board of tranSpOrta-
tion or that will not advocate and vote for n
law fixing the maximum rates OF transporta-
ton charges, which maximum rates shall be
from 10 to 90 per cent less than the present ex-
istins local freight charges.
Resolved, That in view of their official acts
we will not In the future support or vote for
either Mcssrs. Cowdery Steen and Benton for
amy state office or for any position of public
trust, and that in our Judgment they have for
fcitcd all claims upon our suffrage.
Resolved, That the great interest now mani
tested for the agriculturists by certain state
officials who heretofore have been silent or
wilfully neglectful OF our material welfare,
deserves our scorn and will receive only our
contempt and that we hereby pledge our
dates whom we believe to be honest and true
TO the agricultural interests of the state and
not sycophant tools of great railroad corpora
tiuns.
Resolved, That the farmers, tradesmen and
laborers of Nebraska, furnishing as they do
nine-tcnths OF the voters of the state,
ought in the future to be able to have some
representation in state and national councils;
and reform in the present order of affairs is
necessary where all of these officials are
either lawyers, national bankers OF confirmed
otice-Seekers.
Resolved, That n copy of the above pream-
bile and resolutions be forwarded to the Farm
ers' alliance at Lincoln and The OMAHA DAILY
bee and World Herald for publication.