The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-30

ne organ z3d the first district alba os. In
" orsla, soon afterward, he organized an
otie' district ALI lnce. The movement
spread rapidly after that, especially in the
great cotton belt, where the planters had
long been tie victims Of sellers and pur-'
cndseTs, cotton brokers and money lenders
VINO, acting, II WAS charged. in concert, had
loaded down many magnificent plantations
Wlth debt aud mortgages. and not
only bought crops at their own
figures, but forecosed on chattelsl
aud lands almost at will District
Alliances there soon grew into county and
then state alliances, "a the first national
convention was held IN Shreveport, La. in
October, 1887. At the 50 ne time the Ma
tional Wheel, n similar order, whose
branches were mott llourishing In Tennas-
see, Kentucky and Other of The Central
states OF the south, held its convention my
Shreveport, aid il was decided e. CONSOLE
date the two orders. This decision wsg
ratified at convention held Ia Meridian.
Miss, in December, 1855. and tho name OF
the consolidated order became. for time,
the Farmers and LabOrers Union. IL ac-
cepted as members farmers, farm lebOrers
mechanics mostly rural, country school,
teachers, country physicians and ministers
OF the gospel The chief restrictions wers
that an applicant FOR membership must DO
white and over 10 years Of age.
Meanwhile, the northwestern alliance had
been growing, the wheat farmers fading it,
an excellent medium through which to
continue the old contest Of the producers
against the transportation companies for n
more equaiZed adjustment OF rates. Each
order felt tho need OF cooperation with
the other sections Of the country, aud in
December 1889. delegates from the two
held conference on the neutral ground OF
st. Louis. and there made arrangements.
in convention, to consolidate un Tor the title
of tho National Farmer Alliance aud In
du5trial Union, che consolidation, OF course.
10 be subject TO ratification by thu various
state, county and district organizations.
Tho ratification has tesn general, and the
coming convention at Ocaln, Fla, Is the re-
suit. More than that, the alliance, while
stretching out TO the Pacific coast, has also
been coming eastward until at last it has
touched the Middle Atlantic states, so that.
as Is claimed, the December convention
will, for the first time. be national in every
sense Of the word. New England still re-
mains out in the cold, partly because farm
ing IL not 50 much of an industry there now
as 1t was, but organizers have their eyes
already upon those eastern states, and pre-
dict that the seed OF the new order
will soon be sown there in fruitful
ground. In tho state Of New York,
with d. II. Allen Of Allentown as organizer,
membership OF 5000 Is already claimed,
and there has not yet been tims to make
any real attempt To canvass the state. In
New Jersey, where G.. z. Atkinson has bsen
appointed organizer. the membership IS now
reported at 800. This, OF course. is consid-
cred mere beginning, for, in a state SO
thinly populated as Florida, where there are
only 10000 voters, the membership in the
alliance is 10000. With the establishment
OF the New York headquarters, great gains
IN eastern membership are looked for, and
William 4. Had
oftener every week 60 eitabllBh "A district
alliance in O New York or New Jersey
township.
Alliance members say that their attitude
In matters political has bsen misrepresented-
They do not, they say, want place or power,
but they do want legislation. While they
see no reason why competent farmer
should be barred from Office because of his
occupation, they will oleerfuly support
mel OF any other occupation-even lawyers
on whom they can dspsnd-s)r the leRisla-
ton they want The first attempt at shaD-
ing national legislation In the interest OF
the alliance was made last year Ia the st.
Louis convention, when the SUBJ
treasury bill was presented and In
dorssd. It provides that tho government
shall accept deposits of produce, such as
cotton, wheat and other imperishabls
staples, and issue in exchange for 50 psr
cent. OF such staples certificates OF deposit
which shall pass as as currency, just as
silver certificates pasj. Tho bill was intro
duced in both Senate and House last session,
but died in committee 10 Is promised that
IL will be introduced again and again, and.
finally pushed to passage. That Is the
one national issue now favored by thu ALI
ance.
Every one knows what the farmers ALI.
ance men did at the polls last election day.
They swept Kansas, Tennessee and South.
Carolina; made gains in Georgia, Florida
and elsewhere 10 the south, and revolutions
lied politics Ia the northwest. In TenneSses
and South Carolina the newly elected gov
errors are farmers and alliance men.
Five OF the seven congressman
elected in Kansas were elected as
farmers alliance men. One Of them Is
b. II. Clover, the national vice presi-
dent Of the alliance. Two Of the new con-
gressmen from South Carolina ran as alli-
ance democrats IL IL claimed that sixty
members OF the next congress have pledged
themselves to support all alliance measures,
and that many others will not deem it safe
to oppose them. Alliance men claim a ma
iority on Joint ballot in the South Carolina
legislature, aud say that they will send their
representative to the United States Senate.
II is openly asserted that there are alliance
majoritles although, perhaps, within party
lines, in the Legislatures of Florida, North
Carolina. Kansas and some of the north
western states. The alliance feels that at
la st the farmers are OH the high road to
victory.
"And yet" said an alliance farmer.
"while we are beginning 70 realize what we
can do, properly organized, the talk about
capturing the presidency is confined to a
very few enthusiasts. In the first placs, the
majority Of our menbers are not going to
abandon the old parties in q presidential
election. Secondly, we don't want the
government, with its responsibilities and
powers. We want to see men elected who
will be loyal to us, and who will fight
legislation intended to grind the farmer
down. We're doing practical work now
and have no time for wildgolss excur-
sion8. IL used to cost cotton planters from
IS to 20 per cent. for loan and they have
SO little margin Of profit that they mast
work on borrowed money. The alliance
now sees 10 1t that planters get loans at
per cent Theu, too, we ell their cotton
for cash. That's practical, is it noti SO Is
our effort to elect men, of whatever party,
who will be true to US. When we 81 be-
yond that we get into moonshine and
drive away our own supporters. We are
not going TO do anything ridiculous at the
Florida convention"
l.. l.. Polk of Washington, ID. e., is now
president Of the alliance. and Congressman-
e ect b. II. Clover of Kansas is vice presi-
dent. The secretary is J. H. Turner OF
Washington, ID. c., and the treasurer w
II. Hickman of Missouri. The election Of
new officers will be one of the interesting