Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1890-12-18
ALLWANT THE FARMERS
THE ALLIANCE FINDS ITSELF
VERY POPULAR.
Both the Old Parties scheming 60 se-
cure the support OF the New Associa-
tion-s -something OF what the Farmers
Alliance Is Working For.

cure the support OF the New AesOCia-
tion-somsthing OF what the Farmers
Alliance Is Working Fer
[Ocala Fla.) dispatch.l
There have been some mighty lively
political manipulations during the meet
ing of the Farmers Alliance, and tho
determined attack on DIR. Macune, which
was settled by a withdrawal Of all the
charges against that gentleman and the
presentation to him and Col. Polk by the
convention of gold-headed canes, has
been the means of bringing to light the
work Of the manipulators III the farm
ers thought the Democratic or Repub-
lican managers were asleep they were
mistaken, and are gradually awakening
TO that fact. Shrcwd men, both inside
and outside the organizations, have been
here and have put in strong licks for
their parties.
Colonel Humphrey, the head of the
negro Alliance, is a remarkable man. He
is white man, and the only one in the
organization. He was formerly Bap-
tist preacher in Texas, where his home
still Is, and he devoted many years TO
missionary work among the colored
people. When the negro Alliance move
ment was begun, two or three years ago,
tho members insisted on his taking
charge OF 1t and remaining. at its head
He has the nnbounded confidence OF
every man in It. They look upon him as
father, and his control over them Is
absolute. Probably no man In America
stands in such close relations with the
negro race and is so well posted about
their condition and sentiments. He said:
From the inception of the Alliance move
ment among the negroes they have been in
favor OF new political party. In the last
election the negroes of the South did not
vote except I'm South Carolina, where they
regarded the Tillman campaign as q third
party movement. The Alliance could not
have won that fight without the negro vote.
Seven-eighths of the colored people of the
South make their living by agriculture,
and their interests are In every way tdenti-
cal with those OF the Farmers Alliance.
Just now we are merely waiting for the
capitalization of the third party move
ment. AS soon as the Alliance acts we
shall be ready to join them In independent
political action
Our Alliance new has organizations in
thirty-six States, and twenty-five will be
represented at this convention. Our mem-
bership in the principal Southern States is
about Cor will be hereafter) as follows;
Alabama, 100, 900; Georgia, s4,000I South
Carolina, 10000; Mississippi, 100000; Texas,
10000; Arkansas, 10000; Louisiana, 5O,000i
nessee, 10000 North Carolina, $4,000.
President Humphreys annual address,
delivered at the opening of the conven-
tion, is really of more sign, ,fcance than
that of President Folks of yesterday to
the whites, He described the growth of
the colored Alliance during the year,
saying that it had been increased by the
addition of many smaller and weaker
organizations of colored People, and
that further progress in the same direc-
tion Is anticir ated in the immediate
future, and justifying the independent
political acton of the colored Alliance,
he said:
You saw yourselves and your families
being reduced to poverty, You saw debt
and mortgage accommodating and 'piling up
against you. Unable to clothe and feed
your families, return to abject slavery
seemed to you Inevitable. But the day has
dawned. You can now realize that the
millions of broad acres your Government
has given to few mon were taken from
you, and that the billions OF dollars wrung
from you by unjust and cruel taxation for
the enrichment of your fellow citizens have
impoverished you and your families.
At the request OF thousands of the best
and most influential colored people of the
country, both within and outside the AL
lance, IL becomes my duty 10 call your at
tention to the necessity that exists for in
dependence in political action. During this
year no less than five representative bodies
OF colored men, assembled in Chicago,
Washington, Raleigh, Richmond and Phila-
delphia, have declared their dissatisfac-
tion and unafiiliation with the existing
political parties. None of these great con-
ventlons have appeared willing TO formu-
late platform that they considered would
be satisfactory to their race. 1t remains,
therefore, that you should give your
earnest attention TO the all-absorbing Ques-
tion, and IL by a spirit of mutual COM
promise and conciliation, you may be able
to secure such a pledge from the great
labor examinations now represented In this
city as will warrant reciprocal and hearty
consideration and corporation, doubtless
great good will result TO both the white and
eolored races.
Those who hope to equalize the burdens
Of taxation, TO relieve the depression of ag-
riculture, and TO restore the Government to
the service of the People must join together
and stick together, and they must have a
came as well as a platform OF principles
distinctly their own. To this name and
platform they must invite their fellow-citi-
tens of the United States as n refuge and
fortress. In the recent election the infiu-
ence OF the Alliance was felt, and every
man realized what tremendous power IL IS
destined In the near future TO exert. But
lt must be remembered that In this case the
hlllance was fettered by party names which
II could not bear, and In many OF the States
the members refused to vote. In Texas,
Mississippi, and other States the elections
went rather by default than otherwise. The
people were not satisfied with the standard
bearers, and rather than be considered DEM
Dcrats or Republicans they remained at
homes and refused to take any part in
electing men In whom they could feel no
interest.
God has given this earth in usufruct TO
NIL the living. Men have as much right to
monopolize the air we breathe and the sun
shine that warns us as the land that by
Gods ordination feeds our families. take
this occasion distinctly to affirm that land
Is not property, never can be property. A
man may live on it and his improvements
are his. The land belongs TO the sovereign
people. In view of these indisputablo
truths we recommend to our people the
principle of the Single Tax party. II the
land carried all the taxes necessary to sup
port the Government it would not be held
by spectators as it Is now, and would soon
become abundant and cheap. There are
already millions of our people, both colored
and white, who favor this singlc-tax plank,
and We recommend It TO you, as its enact
ment into law would place homes within
reach OF all the people.
THE most ancient mode of writing was
on bricks tiles and nvSfpr ahalla and or,