davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-02-03

BROTHER GEORGE W. STRAUGHAN
thinks "Our Z9b." is a fine cold
horse" but he is afraid he will not
pull in harness he is not used to. We
think be is used to working in the
harness he now wears; at any rate he
has said lie will work in his present
harness, and we think he will do what
he says. We assure Bro. Straughan
that we think the teachers in North
Carolina get too little pay now, and
We certainly would not be in favor of
making it less.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-02-03
No. 48

lack of confidence in the order Great
many prophesied, prior to the election,
that thers would be an Alliance
funeral in our community after the
election, out God grant we are more
vigorous, l think, that the Alliance
funeral will not take place until after
the death of the devil, 80 when you
hear of his death, some years after
wards you may perhaps hear of the
death Of the Alliance; the reason is
that the Alliance will have battle to
fight as long as the devil lives. He
with his cohorts being around seek.
lag whom they may win over to the
side of prejudice. Brethren, now let
us all who are members, push the
work of the order INCREASINGLY for
five years, then if we see no improve.
ment [ am willing to push Eve years
longer.
If the Alliance fails, nay God of
Heaven tell US what will help us.
With much success to The PRoGREs
sIvE FARMER, l am yours as ever,
JOHN D. MCMILLAN.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-02-03

JUDGE PETER, prominent ALI
anceman of Kansas, has been elected
to succeed John James Ingalls, in the
Senate of the United States. The
decree has gone forth that the ALI
aucemen Of Kansas are not wax in the
hands of ring politicians to be shaped
into any form to suit the views of the
bosses. They are men, who know
their rights and dare maintain them.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-02-03

Nh. EDITOR ourpermission given
in the issue of the 9Th inst. for the ex.
preston of opinions concerning Sen.
ator Stanford's Land Loan bill is the
cause of this communication.
The scheme is in accord With the
demands of the Alliance as expressed
at Ocala, but the bill has Objectionable
features:
/. Engrafting Capitalization upon a
measure for the relief of the people
is a feature of questionable expedi.
ence, when appointments to the civil
service are under the control OF the
party in power.
2. The minimum limit for loans
ought to be lower than $3.50 to ben.
eft the small landholder.
3. The bill should also contain a
maximum limit for loans.
The National Economist in its issue
of December 27th, contains an article
headed, I" For an Enlarged Issue, by
J. H. Grcf, the reprint of which in
your paper might be- of interest to
many of your readers. SAID article
proposes to utilize the State and
county treasures as the means of dis.
tribution for the Land Loan fund and
use the interest for the maintenance
of the common schools. The benefits
of such a measure are obvious, if the
plan is practicable. Linking prac
ticAble land loan and educational bill
together and enacting it as ! law
would be boom to the people. Here
is work for Solon.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-02-03
EDITORIAL NOTES.

WISCONSIN has elected ex- Secretary
Villas to succeed Mr.. Spooner in the
United States Senate.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19
Yellow Medicine Co

The Yellow Medicine County AL
lance held the semi-annualm meeting at
Clarified, June 9, 1891. The repre-
sentation was not as large as expect
ed, but much enthusiasm prevailed.
An address was delivered by the
County Lecturer.
The following officers were elected:
President, Jacob Cook; vice Presi-
dent, 81. S. Berg; Secretary, C. C. An
derson; Treasurer, L. S. Oswald;
Business Agent, E. B. Day;
The following resolutions were
adopted:
Resolved, That we cordially in
dorse the action of the Cincinnati
Conference in giving birth to the
"New Party" And we do heartily
endorse the platform of the Peoples
Party" But regret that it does not
contain a plank favorable to our
earnest and patriotic co-reformers,
the Prohibitionists.
Resolved, That we consider the
criticism that the Peoples Party re-
ceived from the editorial article in
the State of May 2Sth, 1891, as
unjust, uncalled for, and an un-
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19
WISCONSIN,.
Under French Dominion

-
This interesting, and unusually in
structive volume of ITS pages is
from the pen of our correspondent,
S. S. Hebberd, OF Viroqua. Wis, Mr..
HIS writings have been appreciated
by us, and we are sure, also, by our
readers. He is a scholarly gentle
man, and the present work is evil
dence that he is a close student.
Few are aware OF the important part
played by the northwestern states
at least Wisconsin and Michigan-in
the earlier history of the continent.
That the foundations of great en-
pire had been laid here is a fact-a
tact scarcely known to the eastern
historian. The Importance of this
fact-and it's proper exposition, is
the mission of Mr.. Hebberd's work
and he has done it well.
His description OF Indian policies
as the massing of Indians about
Green Bay and Fox River, Wis, and
the purposes involved, show that the
gentleman has an appreciation OF
the philosophy OF history.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19
Iowa.

The Iowa State Convention of the
Peoples Party was triumphant af-
fair-but the daily papers never men
ton it!
Over 500 delegates met at Des
Moines, although the railroad gener-
ally refused the courtesies shown to
other conventions. Several promin-
ent republicans, men of character,
gave in their adhesion to the new
movement. The old soldier element
was very strong.
The following ticket was nomin-
ated:
For GOvernor.-A. j. Westfall.
For Lieut.. Gov.-Walter Scott.
For State Supt.-C. w. Bean.
R.R. Commissioner.-D. F. Rogers.
Supreme Judge.-T. F. Willis.
The platform confirmed and rati-
fed the Cincinnati movement, and
inaugurated the Peoples Party in
Iowa.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19
The Journals.

Last year we published the fact-ln
connection with the matter OF that
reporter-bonus folly-that the great
state OF Minnesota did not propose
to let people know what their legisla-
ture did!
We were severely scored for this
and the statement made that any
one could get the bound reports.
Now we have not word to say
against the Secretary OF State in this
matter. If he hasn't the books how
can he distribute them? He has
treated the G. w. fairly and sent us
COPIES. But it was done with justifi-
able hesitation on his part when
there were but 400 copies to give
out!-and more than that number
would be required by the newspapers
alone.
This is not right-and this is the
cover under which the reportorial
bounty is called for. Our voice is for
10000 journals of a reasonably full
report-like the Congressional Globe
for Congress-giving the attitude OF
every man who addresses the COM
monwealth. Then the voter may
know their men-and not be lied to
as they are now under the hiding OF
enforced ignorance. We don't care
what it costs-if it takes $50, 900 or
a million dollars-we say give us
light-giye us light!
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19

The Fusion Element.
A Todd County farmer writes us az
follows:
II always thought you were too
hard on the Hall men, such as op-
pose MIR. Donnelly. But if Mr.. Stivers
states that they have been trying to
combine with the democrats. I be-
lieve him, for know Mr.. Stivers, and
he is truthful, and / believe the whole
thing is true, and it is not right that
such men should have any influence
in the alliance las Hall, etc. I be-
lieve more and more that you are
right in trying to break down the
men who sell us out, etc.
Mr.. Stivers. democratic member OF
the house, editor of the Brainerd
Journal, did say so-and it was true.
The statement of the case made in the
G.. W. and the daily papers OF the
Twin-cities and Duluth. has made a
profound impression. It is true that
these men have moved heaven and
earth to break down the GREAT
WEST because it knocks them be-
tween the eyes. The alliance of Min
nesota, thank God is now practically
a unit on the conduct of those men.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19

debts? It is a dangerous law to
have on the statute books.
To this the GREAT WEST answers.
1. This is a report of a journal
whose sympathies are on the dollar
side.
2. The interest-bin did not pass.
3. The forfeiture clause is the law
("Ain't it?")
4. How many dollars of capital
have left the state.
5. Does Hompe, who bumped him
self to defeat the clause, know of this
recent execution of the law?
6. Did he write to Wyoming Nc
Gee about it?-or to the Estate"
newspaper?
Z. When will Capital pack it's grip
and "git!'
&. When Capital leaves the state
will the paper called the 'sState'' be
left behind.
9. And SO on.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19

Long. The Alliance then proceeded
to elect new officers for the ensuing
year, as follows:
j. 81. Maxwell, President. J. F.
Green, Vice President. F. D. Brant-
ner, Sec'y. A. E. Tuttle, Treas. J..
B. Green, Deputy Lecturer. The fol-
lowing were elected as the executive
committee in addition to the officers:
Mark Graves, VIM. M. Stokes, Fred
Pank. The Sec'y was then instruct
ed to write resolution and have it
printed in the Citizen of Adrian, and
the GREAT WEST of St. Paul, indoors
ing the Citizen Of Adrian, and the
GREAT WEST, also Ignatius Donnelly
and the Peoples Convention at Gin
cinnati, Ohio.
Resolved, That we most heartily
indorse Ignatius Donnelly for stand
ing up so nobly for the Peoples
Party and their rights at the Cincin-
natl Convention.
Meeting adjourned.
F. D. BRANTNER,
j. ID. MAXWELL, County Sec'y.
President.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19
FOREST LAKE, Mimi. June TX

FOREST LAKE, Mimi, June Is, 81.
EDITOR GREAT WEST:
Parties have written to me COM
planning of having received up to three
packages of Flax Pamphlets, and
that they have had to pay soc.
each package, express charges. Now
l want to give the information, that
when those pamphlets were ready to
be sent out my list of local secretar-
les was wanted to address them. As
our constitution prohibits me to
give out said list l offered the secre-
tary OF the state of Minnesota, whose
duty it was to send out those PAM
phlets, to address them for him.
This my offer was rejected by the
secretary OF the State of Minnesota.
and 1 was therefore not responsible
for any mistakes made in the sending
out of those pamphlets.
A. L. STRoMBERG,
Sec'y S. F. A.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19
Journal, Fergus Falls:
OUR USURY LAW.

The workings OF the Minnesota
usury law were strikingly illustrated
at the recent term of the district
court in this county. One OF the
parties bought horse of the other,
on which he gave a mortgage. Al
ter the debt had been running for
some time, the purchaser of the horse
wanted to dispose Of him and asked
to have the mortgage released,
offering third mortgage on a piece
of land. At the time OF, the change
of securities it is admitted that one
party owed the other $741. When
the new mortgage was made out it
was for $3.50. It was duly executed
and no denial of the business of the
debt was made. After running six
years, during which time the prin-
icpal and unpaid interest together
amounted to nearly $1,000, an at
tempt is made to collect the debt.
The debtor sets up the claim that
the difference between $741 and $3.50
was usury, and asks to have the
whole debt Cancelled. The creditor
asserts that the 50 claimed to be
usury was agreed upon as expense
for making out and recording the
papers for the new mortgage. The
case was given to the jury with in
structions to decide: "Was the
transaction usurious?" They de-
eide it was, that the SO was usury;
and the debt OF 81 200 is wiped out.
The Journal does not believe that
such law is beneficial to the people
of the state. 1t doesn't believe that
the man who seeks to wipe out his
debts by such methods will profit in
the end. And there is one thing GER
tain that if the practice of repudia-
ting debts in this way becomes gen.
era1 in the state that capital will not
rush in to any great extent. In this
case it may be that there was usury
in the transaction but in cases where
there is not what is there to prevent
any INSCRIPTIONS man from claim
ing that there is and abolishing his
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19
Pipestone County.

Pipestone County.
PIPEsToNE, MINI. June z, 1891.
EDITOR GREAT WEST:
/ am well pleased with the work at
Cincinnati. There was a meeting of
the County Alliance and County
Union yesterday to hear the report
OF Delegate johnson, which was
largely attended. There was a good
interest manifested. hope the peo-
pie OF this county will stand solid in
the future, but La Due made some of
them sick. rather think there will
be some one to get the names of the
Peoples Party candidates upon the
tickets next election, although that
brilliant orb [Star] OF Pipestone
thinks Muller, Warren & Co., are the
only ones under the law who can act
for the Alliance.
When I was boy, and read about
Jonah having been swallowed by a
great fish l was not prepared to be-
lieve it. But I am now, for l have
known smaller sized Fish to swal-
low three or four larger men at one
time, and spew them upon the beach
to dry some OF the green sap out
from their political sides.
j. A. BIGELow.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19

Some OF the members who Joined
our Company last year think they
ought not to pay any acreage COM
mission this year, because agents OF
the other Companies do not charge
the farmers any acreage commission.
The agents for .oLher Companies do
ing a Hail business are paid out of
the general fund, which is charged
up as agents commission and must
be paid the same as losses and ex-
penses are paid, thereby compelling
the small farmer to pay for insuring
the large farmer, which is all wrong.
The new member, for instance, pays
$500 membership fee and in the fall
must pay his share of the two cents
per acre paid to agents for insuring
the old members. This Company
charges each old member according
to the number of acres he insures.
Consequently there will be no acre
age commission to be paid out of the
funds of the Company in the fall.
Every farmer that insures knows ex-
actly how much goes to the agent
OcO0uSo oAcy pay ~ du CHc olme VI ~
is added to the note. New members
that Join this year and pay the men,
bership fee will not be called upon to
pay for insuring other members.
Where agents are paid the two cents
per acre by the Company, that two
cents or more of course is paid out of
the funds meant to pay losses with,
but the agent does not tell the farm
er that, and the farmer supposes
that he is not paying any agents
commission (although it does not
seem reasonable to suppose that the
farmers think an agent is going
around through the country insur-
ing people for nothing); but the
farmer pays the agent just the same,
for everything must be paid from the
amount realized from the notes. Re-
member we only collect enough to
pay the losses; it may not cost
more than - or Is cents per acre
this year. Yours Respectfully,
R. ECKFORD,
Spc'v
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19
Dodge County.

OO0fe county.
DODGE CENTRE, Mimi, June Z, '91.
EDITOR GREAT VEST:
The annual meeting of the Dodge
County Alliance was held at Wynn
ans Hall in West Concord, June LIST.
The following officers were elected
for the year:
81. W. Norton, President, Wasioja.
E. w. Westcott, V. Pres't, West
Concord.
A. D. Burr, Secretary, Ellington.
E. Kent, Treasurer, Dodge Centre.
jeremiah Yates, Lecturer, Wasioja.
Executive Committee:
M. R. Dresback, Dodge Centre.
Claus Alberts, Mantorville.
E. J. Sheen, Claremont.
Thomas Tibbetts, Concord.
W. 3. Chamberlin, Dodge Centre.
F. M. Cooper, Mantorville.
George Baumann, Hayfeld.
James Ammondson, Vernon.
H. j. Wright, West Concord.
w. A. Sparrow, Kasson.
The meeting was full of earnest en-
thusiasm for the cause.
NJ. R. DREsBACH, Ex-Sec.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19

Division of the Alliance.

active up a
dred angels.
The alliance of the country being startled by the
that there split the Minnesota Alliance that the
great 5th District has gone off the split
This absolutely omny false There split in the Min
Alliance There about fifty followers the
who met in city in Otter Tail County supposed Congressional Dis
tc alliance The District embraces about 400 alliances There
ly 80 delegates" present.
There Congressional District Alliances by the Constitution.
Most Of those 80 recognized that district the
putes the Twints Hompe Hail. despised
throughout hatred for has
this But these fellows mand resolved that they
support Peoples Party through that odorous Owen
resolution to alliance
throughout the country.
you the country large
supporters Donney and the State Alliance The 80 gath
rather % gathered at Fergus Falls
men vomed
political filth Hompe the leader who broke
although nobody made President OF the
ate pro him
publan-gum Hompe
division in Minnesota We
gnatus Donney it's president the alliance
by the political hrngs of the Twncty monares
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19
State Tarmers' Alliance

FOREST LAKE, Mimi, June Is, 81.
EDITOR GREAT WEST:
Please find the following report:
Cash receipts from local alliances
since my last report:
Cedar Mills Alliance, No.
1908, Carl Kohn, Hutchin-
son, dues $4.2O, member
ship fees IS cts. $4.95
John Erickson Alliance, No.
1919, 81. Johnson, Cokato.
membership fees. 1900
Alliance, No. $50, Andres
johnson, Evansville, Dues. $50
West Union Alliance, No. 6S5,
Z. E. Bohall, West Union,
uueS OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. S5S
Castle Rock Alliance, No.
1858, G. W. Batson, Castle
Rock, dues 1926, member
ship fees 81 .5O..................... 3.75
East Union Alliance, No.
1874, joni Larson, Carver,
membership fees. ............. 200
Red River Alliance, No. 500,
P. Lindahl, Hallock, Dues. $50
Barry Alliance, No. sos, J.E.
Chase, Barry, dues. 4.2O
East Mcpherson Alliance, No.
1887, John O'Brien, St.
. c, Clair, dues. 1.7e
Alliance, No. 755, W. Morri-
son, Rochester, dues to Ma
tional Alliance. 70
A. L. STROMBERG,
Sec'y.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19

The Fifth District
Convention met at Fergus Falls on
the 18th inst. In the first place
there is no such thing as a Fifth Dis
t1ict Alliance. The District Alliance
does not now exist under the new
constitution. In the second place
this convention was merely the gath
ering together OF
THIRTY-TwO MEN
in a District in which the very coun-
ty that it was held in had over 40
alliances!-and the district over 300!
1t was simply blowout gotten'up
by R. J. Hall, Hompe and their trail
tor outfit. Hompe introduced the
following resolution:
"That the Fifth district congress
sional Alliance in convention unanl-
mously resolves to cooperate with
the Peoples Party through the state
central committee of the Alliance
party, which is in full accord with
the independent movement"
1t was carried, with only four dis
senting votes. Hompe is the man
who was made President OF the late
Senate by the republicans to reward
him for his treachery-the man who
introduced the railway ticket bill for
the railways.
We solemnly assure the rest of the
state that the Fifth District is loyal
to the State Alliance. They are 10y
al ten to one! The above gathering
was not the 5th District. They
elected A. D. Gaines, an Alexandria
politician, as president.
Who is the Secretary? Why, that
same Senator Lommen, OF Polk, who
went back on the reduction OF inter-
est bill, and attacked Donnelly most
shamefully. He is the man whom al
lance constituents wrote to stating
that the rope was ready to hang
him.
Who is Treasurer? The man
Hompe-hated, despised, Nobody
Hompe-republican-gum Hompe-
the anti-forfeiture, Ticket-agent bill
Hompe.
Who is Lecturer? Twine-junket
Hall.
We resent such a dirty shake-up as
in any sense representative OF the
5th District. 1t is shamefully fraud
ulent.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19

The following is clipped from the
Duluth Evening Herald. 1t shows
that our report OF the contemplated
treason of Hall and the estate" out
fit was not misleading. We can now
account for the bitter editorials of
the Estate against the Peoples
Party platform-and for it's demo-
cratic editorials, taken bodily from
the Globe without comment. The
facts in reference to the following
were also published last week in an
article from the Despatch. The Her.
aid says:
FUSE OR REFUSE.
"MINNEAPoLIs, June 9.-It is not
political gossip or idle street rumor
that predicts a fusion electoral tick
ct between the democrats and al
lance parties next year. The al
lance people are now almost hope
lessly divided into two factions, led
respectively by Donnelly and R. j.
Hall, the latter representing the
Phelps Muller element which insists
that the state central committee ap-
pointed at the last state convention
is potent in the control of the al
lance, and therefore fully authorized
to act in all matters pertaining to
the future action of the alliance as a
political party.
This element has been in consulta-
ton with members of the democratic
state central committee lately, With
a view of perfecting plan for the
fusion electoral ticket and the over
throw of Donnellyism.
1t comes direct from no less a per-
son than II. c. Stivers, OF Brainerd,
a democratic member of the last
house of representatives, that this
fusion idea is being very favorably
considered. In conversation last
week with a prominent St. Paul citi-
zen, who was visiting at Brainerd,
Mr.. Stivers expressed himself in SUBJ
stance as follows: Il believe in the
plan for a fusion ticket next year.
1t will be best for both the alliance
and the democratic parties"
We were aware that this scheme
had been divulged in other states
and was practically wrecked by the
Cleveland letter. In Minnesota it is
simply a piece of folly On the part of
dozen men who have no more in
fuence in the alliance than to con-
tinually keep up a disturbance.
There is no ''division" in Minnesota.
The state is almost unit. 1t is a
part OF these statehouse plotters to
keep up the appearance OF a division.
But they are active workers-prob-
ably because it pays them.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-19

The foolish remark of Miss Melon
ald-Valesch is travelling over the
country with great rapidity. We
clip the following from the Sioux
Centre Times:
ga socalled alliance lecturer is re-
ported to have made the following
confidential remark recently: "You
must keep on making the farmers
discontinued to make them join the
alliance" This is akin to the meth
cd OF the quack doctor who said
that his usual mode of treatment for
all diseases was to throw the patient
into fits-'and then, he added, I'm
death on fits
If Mrs. Valesch had made the re-
mark privately it would have been
better. 1t takes good Judgment to
be lecturer.
The 'Torch," of Kansas, looks at
Miss Eva in the following light. 1t
is severe, but we fear that it is Just:
'Ihe ring politicians and banking
nabobs that captured the Minnesota
State Alliance last fall sent pretty,
witty little Eva Mcdonald to the
Cincinnati Convention to represent
their faction. Eva was not recogniz-
ed as delegate by the representa-
tives of the Farmers Alliance from
that State, and yet she managed to
have herself heard at the ratification
night meeting, and captured the
whole audience, at least that great
part of it that knew nothing Of the
methods of the bosses, who sent her
there; and consequently she is get
ting quite lot of complimentary
free advertising. Eva has winning
way about her, and vet she may be a
devil in disguise-a tool of the
Northwestern plutocrats.