Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-12
FARMERS AROUSED.
EY-PRESIDENT CLEVELAND'S RESPONSE tt
AN ALLIANCE LETTER.
jefferson County Ohio, Farmers Receive Ringing
Expression from the Democratic Leader.
The Kentucky COntest-PrUtracted
Fight Probable.

SrEUBENvILLE, o., May ll.-A few
weeks agoJ. A. Hill, Corresponding Sec
retary of Oak Grove Lodge No. -, Far
mers' Alliance. near this city. wrote to
ex-President Cleveland enclosing copy
of the declaration Of purposes of the Al
lance and asking for Mr.. Cleveland 5
views thereon. The declarations are :
/ To strive TO secure establishment OF
right and justice to ourselves and our
postcrity: to labor for education
! of the agricultural classes in
the science of economical govern
ment in strictly non-partisan spirit; So
cure purity of the elective franchise:
enactment and execution OF laws which
will express the most advanced public
sentiment upon all questions involving
| interests of labOrerS and farmers: TO de-
velop a better state mentally, morally,
socially and financially; TO suppress per-
sonal. local. sectional and national pre-
| iudiceS: to aSsuagc the SufferingS OF a
brother and sister. bury the dead, care
/ for the widows and educate the orphans,
and to protect the principles OF the ALI
ance unto death.
I MIX. GLEN ElsANn : MI
DEAR SIR:-G have received your let
ter. accompanied by the declaration Of
principles Of the Farmers Alliance. |
see nothing in this declaration that can
not be fully indorSed by any man who
loves his country, who believes that the
object of our Government should be the
freedom. prosperity and happiness of all
our people. and who believes that
| Justice and fairness to all are necessary
conditions 10 its useful administration.
Ii has always seemed to me that the
| farmers of the country were especially
interested in an equitable adjustment
OF our tariff system. The indifference
they have shown to that question and
the ease with which they have been
lead away from sober consideration OF
| their needs and their rights aS related
to this subject have excited my surprise.
Struggle rs the may, our farmers must
continue to be- purchasers and con-
SumerS of numberless things en-
hanccd in cost by tariff regu-
lations. Surely they have the
right to insist that this cost shall not
be increased for the purpose OF collect
| ing unnecessary revenue. or TO give un-
due advantage to domestic manufacture
crs. The plea that our infant industries
need the protection which thus i'm
poverisheS the farmer is, in view of our
natural advantages and the skill and
ingenuity of our people. a hollow pre-
text.
STRUGGLE As THEY MAY,
our farmers cannot escape the condi-
tionS which fix the price of what
they produce and sell, according to
the rates which prevail in foreign
markets. flooded with the competition
of countries ENJOYING frcer exchange 80
/ trade than we. Inc pauslDlc prcScnta-
ton of the blessings Of Il home market
sbould not deceive our depressed and
imno;crished agriculturists. Thriv l.
mo- i,uIiir market FOR them which does
not take it's instructions from the sea-
board. and the seaboard transmits the
word of the foreign markets.
Because my conviction that there
should be a modification of our tariff
laws arose principally from an appreci-
alton of the wants OF the vast army Of
consumers, comprising our farmers. our
artisans and our workingmcn, and be-
cause their condition has led me to pro-
test against present imposition, am
especially glad To see these sections OF
my fellow countrymen arOuSing them
selves to the Importance of tariff re-
forms. Yours very truly
GROVER CLEVELAND.