Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1890-08-02
THE FARMERS.
A GREAT MOVEMENT ON AD-
VANCEO LINES.

Widespread Symptoms of the Coming
Political and Economic RevOlu-
tiOn-A Speech that will be Heard
throughout the Land-The Crimes
of Capital-Men of Toll, Unite
and BE Free.
The movement for Independent politi-
cal action is growing apace among the
farmers. Not only in the great West
but throughout the South the tendency
to complete divorce from the old par
ties is becoming irresi 'tible, The pluto
cratic organs of the East and of the
large cities where the money power con.
trolls the press are carefully concealing
from their readers the extent and pro-
gress of the disatfection; and when an
important event occurs, such as a farm
ers' political convention and the nomi
nation of an independent ticket, the fact
is dismissed with slight notice of it
in the telegraphic dispatches. But
anyone having access to the thousands
of country exchanges which must neces-
sarily record local happiness can realize
at a glance the gravity of the situation.
Not only is the movement widespread
but its character is far more radical than
would priori seem possible among
lD
sent system of private ownership of
land, constitute class rooted in the
fundamental monopoly. But while it
cannot be denied that these people are
for the most part actuated by the desire
to better their condition not only as
workers but as landowners, the war in
which they are engaged against the
great corporations leads them to take
position which in the end must logically
prove fatal to monopoly in all its forms.
They are naturally seeking the aid of
the organized labor of cities, and through
their orators and papers not less than by
their own exertions, they are actually
making the primary education of the
agricultural laborers far more rapidly
and effectually than it could be done by
the most active of labor agitators.
We may soon undertake to give here
comprehensive review of this remark
able movement throughout the country.
In the meantime we present to our read
ers some suggestive extracts from a
speech delivered by the great criminal
lawyer of Minnesota, w. w. Erwin, at
the state political convention of the
Farmers Alliance. held in st. Paul a
few days ago. From his utterances an
idea may be formed of the spirit of the
new force now at work in the North
west. 1t may be added that the farmers
have placed an independent state ticket
in the field and that the labor organiza-
tions are joining hands with them.
W. w. Erwin was greeted on rising to
address the delegates. His address
created profound impression. He said
in part:
"Prating ever of its rights at the
hands of freemen, capital has robbed the
citizen, controlled the state, nodded
and bought legislation seized the admi-
nistration of political parties, prostitut-
ing these sentinels of liberty to become
the body guards of wrong and injustice.
1t has erected system of laws and Gus
toms over and through all industries, by
which pernicious laws and customs it
takes from all labor the just reward of
its exertion, and with the abandoned
effrontery of an armed robber it defes
the injured from all redress 1t claims
the protection of the law which it creates
for its purposes; for the unending con-
tinuation of its fraud, it pleads as excuse
the fraud of its creation. 1t has whelped
itself into ten times its natural size, and
bloated with the profits of the ceaseless
industry of nation of 65, 900, 900 slaves
to its systems, eucroachments and
power, it holds in its deadly clutch the
liberties, the happiness, the rewards and
the peace of the people. 1t has learned
all the arts Of the tyrant. 1t is moral in
the austereness Of its responsibility. Ii
appropriates the public acts, in the eau
Gus, in the convention, in the legislature
in the executive chair. It perplexes and
defeats the purposes of courts by its
purchased legislation. Robed in mora
iity, sustained by law, respected as 6
savior by its slaves, this tyrant has it
clutch on your homes. 1t has enslaved
the miner in Pennsylvania and along al
the mountains Of the land. 1t chain
the father and his children before tn,
looms and spindles of New England. l
menaces the planter of the South. Their