The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-11-13

in Texas in 1875 Just after it had become
evident that the cattle kings of
Texas had shown disposition TO take
everything in sight, whether it belonged
to them or not. The order, seeking the
advancement of Southern farm interests,
spread throughout the South and became
a gigantic industrial and political factor,
and held its first national convention at
Shreveport, La, in October, 1887, with
delegates from ten Southern States in
attendance. Since then it has so spread
and absorbed kindred organizations that
in the present Congress it induced SEN
ator Vance TO present to the Senate and
Congressman Picker of South Dakota
to the House bill now known as the
sub-treasury bill, which provides that
the government shall go into the bust
ness of advancing money to the farmers,
taking as security for the loans of mort
cages upon lands or upon growing or
gathered crops. Senator Vance in intro
ducing it, declared that he could not
vote for such measure because he be-
lieved it to be not only unconstitutional,
but wildly chimerical.
The national grange of the patrons Of
husbandry is, in point of age at least the
chief farmers association of the West.
1t was organized in Washington % years
ago. Very little progress was made
until 1868, when about 200 oranges had
been organized in various parts of the
country. BY 1872 it had developed into
formidable power, and two years later
it proclaimed that it had nearly 10000
sub-granges. These figures were soon
nearly doubled, with an average men,
bership of 40 each. Smaller in member
ship now than it was some years ago, il
is far more effeticve in every way and
wields a greater influence on current
politics and State and national legisla-
ton, and its position on the tariff is that
If anybody is to be protected the farmer
shall be.
The national farmers league is com
paratively new organization, which was
born in Massachusetts, less than year
ago. The farmers of that State had been
vainly petitiOning the Legislate of that
State to pass an anti-OleOmargarin bill.
They speedily organized for that sole
purpose-more than 10000 strOng-and
all members of the Legislature at once
agreed in uniting to push their bill.
The bill was matertalized, and because
similar one was subsequently vetoed
by GOvernrr Bulkeley, in Connecticut as
being unconstitutional, that functionary
was defeated in the late election. The
league is strong in New Hampshire, Yer
mont and score of other Eastern, middle
and Western commonwealth. Its OBJ
jects are the farmers political welfare.
The work of the league is directed
toward securing just represention aud
treatment of the agricultural interests
in Congress, and in the Legislature, and
due recognition of farmers in all public
affairs without conflicting with the best
interest of the entire people. The pay
ment of 50cents constitutes life member
ship in the farmers league-State and
national.
twill be seen that the farmers through
out this country are organized as they
have never before been and the result in
many sections on election day indicate
that they are also united as they never
could be before.
L. A. Polk, president of the national
farmers alliance, says: ''Up to the
present time 1t is certainty that Con-
gress will contain thirty-eight straight
out alliance men, aud there are twelve or
fifteen more who are pledged to US. The
alliance is here to stay"