Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1890-02-21
The County Farmers Alliance Cor
vention.

vention.
The Phillips county Alliance held a
convention at the court house last
Friday It was largely attended and
a great deal of interest was manifest
ed. The meeting was abdI essed by
State Secretary McLain of Peabody.
Having been informed that the meet
ing was a secret one which only mem
bers of the order were allowed to at
tend, the HERALD editor was not there
and did not hear Mr. McLain's speech.
We understand, however, that he is a
we'll informed gentleman who seems
to be very earnest in his efforts to not
only advance the interests of the or
ganiZatlOn Of Farmers Alliances but
of the industrial interests in general.
The central idea Of Mr. McLains' ad-
dress was, we learn, that members of
nearly all professions and avOcatiOns
had their organizations except farm
ers. and it is time the tillers of the
soil were associated together that their
interests may be looked after. He
spoke of the reforms which the Ali
ance demands, which are as follows:
ALLIANCE PLATFORM.
]. 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 q
cash system, regulating the amount needed on a
per capita basis as the business interests OF the
country expand and that all money issued by the
government shall be legal tender in payment of
all debts. both public and private.
,. We demand the free and unlimited coinage
3. We demand that Congress shall pass such
laws as shall ettectually prevent the dealing in
futures in all agricultural and mechanical prOdCC-
tions; preserving such stringent system of trial
procedures as shall secure prompt conviction,
and imposing such penalties as shall secure the
most perfect compliance with the law.
i. We demand the passage of laws prohibiting
the alien ownership of land, and that Congress
take early steps to devise some plan to obtain all
land now owRed by aliens and foreign syndiCates
and that all land now held by railroads and other
corporations IN excess OF such as are aCJuaiIy
used and needed by them, be reclaimed by the
government and held for actual settlers only:
D. Relieving in the doctrine OF equal rights TO
all and special privileges to nOne,' we demand
that taxation, National or state shall not be used
to build up one interest or class at the expense OF
another.
We believe that the money of the country
should be kept as much as possible in the hands
of the people, and hence we demand that all rev
euues, National, State and County, shall be limit
| ed to the necessary expenses of the government
economically and honestly administered
6. We demand that Congress provide fOI the is
of Il sufficient amount of fractional paper cur
Tency to facilitate exchange through the medium
! of the United States mail
E. demand shat the means of cOmmuuica
! ton and transportation shall be owned by, and
operated in the interest of the people, as III the
/ United States postal system.
8. " e demand such legislation shall effect
/ Unly prevent the eXtOrtiOn of usUrOus interest
| by amy form of evasion OF statutory provisions
q. We demand such legislation VIII provide
for reasonable stay of execution in all cases oil
( foreclosure of mortgages on cal estate, and
reasonable extension of time before the cOnfrma
/ ton of sheritfs' sales
! 10. We demand such legislation will effect
ualiy prevent the organization maintenance 81
/ trusts and combines for purposes of speculation
! i'm any Of the products of labor or necessities o.
/ life, or the transportation of the same.
IL. We demand the adjustment of the salaries
! of public officials to correspond with existing Fl
nancIal conditions, the wages paid for other forms
/ of labor, and the prevailing prices of the products
/ of labor.
ID. We demand the adoption Of the Australian
/ system Of voting and the Crawford system o
/ Primaries.