The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-10-20
GOING TO PIECES.

Ex-senator WADE HAMPTON, OF South
Carolina, tells a reporter that the Farmers
Alliance is rapidly disintegrating in the
south, and that within the next four years
it will entirely disappear. He says people
are rapidly awakening to the absurdity Of
the demands which the organization has
promulgated.
Has not the Senator given the Alliance
too much time in which to run the full
period of dissolution? He has certainly
been too generous and lenient pro-
vided nature shall not be uukind
and will reward the labors of
the agriculturists with anything like
fair harvests. The chief cause of the dis
content among the farmers which led to
the organization of the Alliance was found
in bad harveSts and dull markets. When
their crops failed, or when ready sale could
not be found for their surplus products
they became disconnected and found fault
with matters generally. In their unwisdom
they attributed their misfortunes to the
bad politics Of the political parties, and
charged that corruption on the part of the
men who held Office aud those who made
the laws was the Immediate cause of the
farmers woes. 1t is noticeable that the
men who never have any money and who
/ are conspicuous failures as tinanciers are
eternally at the front with financial
schemes which will make smooth sailing for
everybody. The farmers knew that some
thing was wrong; they thought it must be
the political parties, and they imagined
that they (the farmers) could right things
by turning the 'ins'' out and assuming
control of affairs themselves. The move
nent was the spontaneous action of the
disconnected, and it went forward without
intelligent direction and with no tangible
object in view. 1t was simply a grumble.
| The men rushed bliudly after leaders who
knew nothing Of generalship In this
country the decision is by ballot at the
polls. The farmers voted about as the man
shoots at the burglar in the dark, hoping
TO hit him, but Just as likely to send
bullet through the ceiling or the floor
When the battle OF the ballots had been
fought, it was learned that the farmer.
had done considerable stampeding, anc
with the usual consequences of such in
considerate rushing-had done q good dea
of harm and no good. They sent som,
blatherskites TO Congress to be guyed anC
ridiculed; they gained control of respec
table minority in some of the stat
legislatures, where they attempted
aslnine legislation, and unfortunatel.
succeeded in some instances. The,
put fools on the judicial bench and incom
petent persons in Office. Along comes
, season of prosperity. Nature is kind an
, crops are generous The elements hav
been cruel elsewhere, and the world come
for our surplus on which to feed; the far
, mers are prosperous; they have money an
the aspect is not so gloomy: things are no
. all going wrong the parties are not cor
spring to plumber the poor agriculturists
but are trying to conduct themselve
along lines which intelligent men be
, lieve are proper: the farmers, in thei
, GOODNESS and comfort, prosperity havin
, relieved them OF their desperation
, entertained now that they didn't want /
5 be represented in the Senate by a ma
whose chief qualification for law maxim
seems TO be magnificent growth of viii;
e kers; that 1t is not something to be prou
6 VI tuab buo llOSb COuSplCu farmers lLel
Y sentative attracts attention only becaus
| he refuses to wear socks; that their count
| judges are so ignorant of their powers an
Y duties and of the law that they overrul
@ the supreme court and assume autocrati
authority in the Interpretation of statutes
OF course the Farmers Alliance is goin
s to pieces. Good haryests are killing it iu:
q as bad crops are responsible for the Dirt
! of the organization. The Communis t;hate
: with intensity the vicious doctrines of til
= Jewellers" as soon as he becomes pr;
d perty-owner. Put Socialist into ofic
It and he is most active ana determined
; preserving order and keeping the mass.
n in check. The American farmers al
Americas best citizens-cooI-headed cor
sentative, retiring in their natures an
law-abiding; they may be relied upo
every tlme-eXcept when their financi
ID distress "rattles' them when they see
r more likely than other people to do thin,
10 which In their natural condition of mir
% they rightly regard as ridiculou
'e Ii next year should be as XII
Y, 10 Lthe farmers as this one has been y