The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-05-28
FARMERS ALLIANCE.
WHOM WILL YE SERVE?
Pertinent questions Put to Those En-.
gagged In the Farmers' Movement.

WHOM WILL YE SERvE7
Pertinent Questions Put to Those En-.
gagged In the Fsrmers' Movement.
No man can serve two masters, We
have been told. In case Of differences
between the Alliance or Grange or
Union and the parties, which will we
serve as to the matter in issue? While
the Farmers Movement" is not
partisan, it is intensely political, and
as to certain great underestimate,
transportation, land, etc., there may be
party standard and an Alliance stand
ard; and in that case. what course will
Alliance men pursue? Will they aban-
don the Alliance and its platform and
remain with the party and its platform?
Or will they remain with the Alliance
and assist in establishing Alliance
doctrines among the people, leav-
ing parties to take care of them
selves? This question will have
to be answered very soon by
every member of the Farmers Alliance
and Industrial Union. The issue is
UCiuS AoiSOu iuSUCI Uuuh llOou .
expected; indeed, great many Of them
did not expect it to be raised at all. But
it is here even now, and it must be met.
Pray, do not understand this to be a
threat of a new party, for it is nothing
Of the kind. 1t is only calling attention
of Alliance people to the fact that they
are about to be subjected to prelim-
mary examination on the question: In
case the party to which you belong
ignores or opposes the principles of the
Alliance, will you remain in the AL
/ lance and continue to work Tor its sue
cess? We expect you to answer yes; and
in that case you may inquire what
effect will that course have on
your party. We do not know;
that is the party's business, and we have
not the management of the party. Let
us not deceive ourselves. If we have
gone into the Alliance to achieve GER
tain political results and if our parties
do not 60 with us we must abandon one or
the other-the Alliance or the party
and this shows the Importance of con-
verting the parties. 1t is a serious mat
ter; we fully comprehend its gravity,
and for that reason it is treated gravely:
Here is the first plank in the Alliance
platform, and it is Endorsed by all other
farmers organizations and by the
Knights Of Labor:
We demand the abolition OF National
banks and the substitution of legal tender
Treasury notes in lieu of National bank
notes, issued in sufficient volume to do the
business OF the country on cash system,
regulating the amount needed on q per
capita basis as the business interests of the
country expand; and that al money issued
by the Government shall be legal tender in
payment Of all debts, both public and
private.
That is regarded as vital matter. II
is put in plain language and briefly that
there need be no mistake about it.
What action will the parties-the two
great parties, we mean-take on that
demand? Will they indorse it? and il
so, when? And will present party
leaders take hold earnestly and work il
into law? If so, when will the work
begin? 1t is now nearly twenty.seveI
years since the National Banking ACT
was passed, and up to this time no mem
Der of Congress in either branch has
ever introduced bill, and urged it, tt
repeal the law, and when the question
was put on re-enacting the law for an
other period of twenty years, there was
no serious opposition in either party
And now, of the two dozen or more bills
relating to finance pending before Con
gress, introduced in good faith by the
member or Senator, not one proposes tC
abolish the National banking system
On the other hand it is held up as the
best banking system ever devised and
that it ought to remain substantially as
it now exists
The second plank in our platform is
We demand the free and unlimited coin
age OF silver.
There are several bills relating to sill
YER coinage now before Congress, and
part of them provide for free and un
limited coinage, but none of these have
, beer or are likely to be reported. Only
two out Of the whole number introduced
have been reported -one in the House
one in the Senate-but neither Of then
provide for free coinage or any thing
near it. They both treat silver as bullion
, only; and while there are friends o.
: free coinage in the House, and enough
|, of them to impede the progress Of OBJ
iectionable measures, still the gOlC
|. mono-metalists are strong enough to de
: feat any free-coinage proposition. Ant
this is not limited to party lines. Boil
. parties are divided on the subject
! with the single gold standard doctrine
controlling.
, What ground have we to build hop'
upon in such q case? And this silve
question is vital with us. As long a
, our finances are conducted as they hav,
been, the gold men will control not onl,
,, the money but the business and there
| fore the prices Of the country. VIVA
will the parties do about this?
, Here is another plank in our plat
! form: ...l ..-,..ti. o.,
a Believing in the doctrine of "eQual right
. | 70 all ana special privileges W none, "
demand that taxation, National or STATE
shall not be used to build up one interest .
class at the expense of another, We belieg
A that the money of the country should D
. kept as much as possible in the hands of tn
people, and hence we demand that all rev
) enues, National, State or county, shall b,
8 limited to the necessary expenses OF tn
Z Government economically and honestly al
, ministered.
, What will the parties do in relatio
, to that? What have they done an,
what are they now doing? The Mill.