The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-09-10
THE ALLIANCE IN POLITICS.
To the Editor Of the Eagle.


respondent, Sure Enough Kansan, fol
remembering me when he sends his sup
plications to the throne of grace; but II
would show that he possessed a contrite
and humble heart if he would pray that
the Spirit of Truth would vouchsafe tc
enlighten his own understanding. His
prayer may be granted, and it would
furnish conclusive evidence that mira
cles will never cease. The promulga-
ton of erroneous doctrines, political OF
economic, has in all ages and countries
been the fruitful cause of the misery and
consequent degradation which followed
their acceptance by a hUmbugged peo-
pie. L well remember the time when a
great political organization increasingly
taught the doctrine of state sovereignty;
it was as earnestly believed by sincere.
honest men as the precepts of the deca-
| logue. And vet a fearful penalty OF
blood and treasure had TO be paid for the
acceptance of a doctrine that had
the effect of closing the hearts of good
but misguided men against the primal
principle of patriotism.
The causes assigned for agricultural
| depression by the new school of political
economists is proved to be erroneous by
| the present prices of wheat and corn;
nevertheless these new lights hope to OBJ
tain seats in the ma ional legislature for
a few of their members, through the
| dissemination of these erroneous theories
repugnant alike to reason and expert
ence.
If any degree of success attended their
| efforts, it Is 10 pay very poor compli-
ment to the sagacity and political intelli-
gence of the people. Let me here state
a general principle of wide application.
Excessive production of any product of
labor will necessarily make the raising
or manufacturing of that product the
reverse OF profitable. The present prices
of wheat and corn are due TO dimin-
ished supply. Next years crop, even
if abundant, will be dropped into
empty elevators and warehouses,
therefore, we may reasonably expect
that next years crop of wheat will fairly
remunerate the producer. With our
population increasing at the unprece-
dented rate of more than two millions
per annum, it will not take many years
until population catches up with the
wheat supply. Then the millennium for
farmers will have arrived; and any man
or set of men who will try by legislation
to retard this increasing tide of prosper
ity is, regardless of his sincerity or hon
esty of purpose, the greatest enemy of
the class whose welfare he wishes to pro-
mote. The wire and Irvine binder, the
result of American ingenuity, is answer
able in great degree for the low prices
of the last five or six years. When two
men can cut, bind and shock ten acres
of wheat a day there is practically no
limit to wheat production except the
limited area of land.
1t is a blessing for farmers that there
is no more agricultural lands for the pro-
ductiOn of cheap wheat. If generous
Uncle Sam can be prevented by sound
public opinion from expanding mil
lions of the peoples money in the
sinking of artesian wells for irrigatlng
purposes until the time comes when we
will need foreign wheat, then prosperity
with all its attendant blessings will be
within measurable distance of the
American farmer.
In a representative government like
ours, members of congress will listen TO,
and act on the deliberately expressed
will of an organization that asks no ia
vors of its members which it is not will
ling to extend to all others who are en-
gagged in supplying the multiform wants
which an advanced civilization require.
When the southern alliance brought
forth its sub treasury plan, which was
ably defended by the chairman of the
legislative committee of the southern
alliance, to the credit of our national
legislators there was not a single MEM
Der who gave it hearty approval. Mills,
of Texas, and Others declared they
would retire to private life rather than
endorse a measue that would bring ruin
and degradation not only upon farmers
but all other classes engaged in pro-
ductive enterprises.
If those who are engaged in the
manufacture of wooden cloth would
demand government warehouses TO
store their bales of cloth in
until the price would be advanced, farm
ers would be the first to raise their indig
nant voices against such a one-sided
measure. / am extremely glad that
"Sure Enough Kansas under the present
circumstances will not approve or advo-
cate the building of granaries by the gov
eminent. The southern Alliance have
wasted its time and energies IN defending
this absurd measure. Uncle Sam lend
ing money to farmers on real security Is
another of its hobbies as unwise as the
preceding measure. The recent congress
of farmers held at Council Bluffs, Iowa,
adopted the following resolution: I'VE
condemn as unconstitutional, unjust and
rIinOus TO the farming class, the Vance
and Picker sub-treasury bills now pend
ing in the United States congress- The
ablest speeches in favor of this resolution
were made by members of the southern
Alliance. Comment is unnecessary.
Mr.. l.. l.. Polk, Of North Carolina.
president of the southern Alliance,
quite recently paid a visit to
Kansas when he spoke 10 many
places in favor of the third party /
but in his home, in North Carolina. we
NAV infer that he uses his influence 10 /
strengthen the Democratic party.
At the Alliance state convention in /
North Carolina it was almost unani- I
mously voted to keep the Alliance out Of I
politics and work out desired reforms /
through the Democratic party. At the I
Alliance state convention in Tennessee I
the order was given that mo political 4
questions are 20 be discussed, that order ,
Is non-partisaD.
And thus it goes. In Republican /
states Republican farmers are asked 70 I
vote against a party 10 whom we are 4
indebted for the verv existance Of a free /
country. In Democratic states the mem
bers Of the Alliance are informed that .