Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-26
TEE FARMERS ALLIANCE AND ITS
AIMS

AIMS,
The Farmers Alliance, an organization
that made itself felt so materially in the
West in the recent election, has planted a
branch of the association in this State,
ana the preamble and platform of its dec
larations We yesterday printed.
This new factor in political life is to be
recognized. Only bald stupidity will ig-
more it. What 1t announces as the pur-
poses of the organization becomes matter
for public debate, and it cannot be put
aside as a passing within or the temporary
sweeping of new broom. In the plat.
form adopted at San Jose last week by the
Alliance there is much to commend, some
things Of doubtful character and some
that cannot be considered wise. But it il
to be expected of new organizations that
they will run in their demands to some
extremes. Time and experience can be
trusted to tone them, however.
Generally it is to be said that the coun-
try cannot have any reasonable fear from
the aggregated demands and the declara-
tons of the iaborers and investors in sgri-
culture They may in some directions
run off after error and exploded theory,
but as whole the farmer class, by reason
of habit of life, environment and the
strongest of human motives, is representa-
tive of sound timber in the national
structure. 1t does not stand out as repre-
sentative of criminaity, chicane, the sell
fshness of the liquor interest, of vicious
influences or scheming and constituencies
ambition. To the thoughtful, therefore
it must be apparent that while there will
representatives of the chief productive in
dustry of the United States-just as there
was in the mistaken policy Of the Granger
element in the West few years ago rela-
tive TO transportation regulation-yet that
on the whole the organizations of rural
elements are more likely to be conserva-
tive of genuine progress and reform than
are metropolitan political agencies.
The Alliance declares with much en-
phasis that it is seeking only the truth !;
that no other conclusions are desired or
sought, except such as rest upon reason
and perfect justice and recognition of
human rights. We are to accept such
declaration as sincere, and believe, until
action by the Alliance contradicts it, that
it will be bound by that announcement Of
purpose in all it undertakes to do, and
that it is prepared to debate public ques-
tons with calmness and upon lines of rea-
son and to confess error as readily as it
will claim credit.
The subjects taken up by the platform
of the Alliance are many, and considera-
ton of them covers much Of the range of
political economy and financial policy. 1t
must, therefore, be extended and deiber-
ate consideration that is to be given to
the platform, that genuine merit in the
articles of faith may be commended, and
error pointed out. Upon the question Of
the restriction of the liquor traffic, the
declaration of the Alliance is clear-cut and
unmistakable The body ran off after 10
fads, no patent remedies for conservation
of sobriety; it committed itself neither to
the extreme of total abstinence, the mid
playground of local option, the questions of
high or los license, or the radicalism Of
prohibition. Bus it did point its finger
with unerring certainty and directness at
a patent evil. This, We take it, means that
the Alliance is for strict control and severe
regulation, whatever other views its men,
bership may entertain concerning the liquor
traffic as a factor influencing the social and
political organization of the day.
The Alliance emphaticaliy and wisely
pronounces for the reform ballot system,
and thus adds new strength to a pro-
gressive movement that must take form
and result in enactment in the coming
legislative session. Ii pronounces warm
" in favor of the system by which
the State furnishes school books to the
children of the people at cost sehe me
that the RECORD UNION was among the
earliest of the press TO advocate, and the
integrity of which it views with jealous
solicitude
The demand for an intellectual or edu-
cational qualification for the voter is not
new. It has the support Of some of the
best minds of the age and the arguments
for it have to US long appeared to outweigh
all that can be advanced in the negative
There is something hazy about the latter
bali Of the plank upon this elective fran
chise question. Precisely what the ALI
auce means concerning non-discrimination
on account of sex, and remaining forever
non-sectarian," is not clear. Ii it is in
tended, as is probable, to indorse woman
suffrage and total separation Of church aud
State. in one and the same breath, the
Alliance has not been happy in its form Of
expression, and comment must be reserved
for division Of the question. And so
too. there must be a reservation of ex-
preston upon other topics of the platform
demanding more extended consideration
than can be now accorded.
COMPULSORY VOTING.
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