Dakota farmers' advocate. (Canton, S.D.) 18??-1890, 1890-08-15
THE VOICE OF THE OPPRESSED,
How Merchants and Citizens Of Kansas
7oWns Join Hands With the Farm
ers' Alliance
An Interesting Letter on the Subject OF
Salery Reductions of County
Officers.

Salery Reductions of County
Officers.
FEDERATING THE REFORMERs.
From the National Economist.
In marked contrast with the effort by
several papers which appeal to- the farm
ers to remember that they are only part
of the people, and should take no steps,
political or otherwise tending to array
class interests, the people of the towns Of
Kansas who see the necessity for reform
all along the line have initiated an organ
ization, known as the Citizens Alliance,
composed Of those who are ineligible to
membership in the Farmers Alliance,
but in full sympathy with the St. Louis
demands There is in this method sug-
gestion by which confederation might be
effected; bringing into active cooperation
the political and financial strength of all
who are identified as producers, whether
in town or country, and a most satisfac-
tory cooperation made possible through
out the entire field of reform. This sub
ject is suggestive, the following from the
Topeka Advocate explaining what has
already been done on this line in the state
Of Kansas:
It may not be inappropriate in this
connection to speak of an element that
promises to become one of the most po-
tent in the state, and one which, until re-
Gently, has not been known as a factor to
be relied upon in this contest. We refer
to what is knownas the Citizens Alliance.
The first organization of this Alliance
was effected at Olathe, in johnson coun-
ty, just about the time Of the meeting of
the Topeka conference. 1t is an organi-
zation of merchants, business men, and
residents of cities who are not eligible to
membership in the Alliance under the
laws Of the order, yet who are in sympa-.
thy with its objects and purposes and with
the principles of the St. Louis demands.
1t has long been known that large
class of these people were in sympathy
with this movement. That such should
be Che case is perfectlA i. atural and -lea-
3sonable. If all classes could be made to
realize the conditions as they actually ex-
ist they would not fail to see that their in
terests are Identical. There is no con-
fiict if the situation is understood. The
policy that has brought the agricultural
classes to the verge of bankruptcy has
prostrated every industry in the land,
and ruined merchants and business in all
parts Of the country by the tens of thou
sands The restoration of prosperity to
the agricultural classes means the re-
storation of prosperity to every industry
and every trade. The people of our
towns and cities realize this, and are act
ing intellgently upon the information
they possess. The organization Of the
citizens alliance is a result of this under
standing Of the situation. Beginning, as
before stated, at Olathe but few weeks
ago, it is meeting a popular approval un-
precedented in the history of any similar
movement. The secretary, D. G. Zcrchcr,
of Olathe, writes that he has hundreds of
applications for constitutions and instruc-
tions for organization, and the movement
is extending rapidly to all the cities of our
State. 1t must be observed also that this
organization is distinctly declared to be in
faver of peoples party, with the St.
Louis demands as its platform. There is
no question as to the standing of these
men. Their platform and purposes are
distinctly declared. Every man who
unites with them does so with the fixed
purpose all sustaining the peoples party.
There is gleam of hope in this move-
ment that has not been heretofore count
ed upon-an element of strength that
insures success, it is sure to extend to
nearly every city, and town in the state,
and its influence will be incalculable for
good.