The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-08-20

Ing tho session OF tue FARMERS Alliance
to-day, newspaper reporters were not al
lowed near the doors leading to the
house of delegates. 1t was charged that
the newspapers had published on tho
previous days proceedings which should
not have been published.
The chairman of the press committee
gave out tho following:
Resolved, That wc deem it both pa
triotic and judicious to pay our taxes in
money and not in coupons, and we hereby
earnestly desire Taxpayers in the lar
ger cities not to sacrifice our State upon
the altar OF commercial cupidity.
Adopted.
Tho committee to whom was referred
so much Of President Pages address as
treated OF the debt submitted it's report
to the convention, which was adopted
This report declares that tho Alliance
fully appreciates the Importance of
settling the State debt, providing it can
be done without in any way increasing
the present rate Of taxation; that tho
taxpayers of Virginia have some rights
that tho bondholders ought to respect;
that the committee is satisfied that GER
tain people in Virginia had made impress
sions on tho bondholders of the condi-
ditions of the State not true, which in
their Judgment had retarded u settle
ment of the debt.
Col. l.. l.. Polk, president Of the
National Alliance, addressed a public
meeting at Mozart Academy last night.
In the course of his remarks he said:
My friends, we have assembled here
tonight for purpose, we are not here
tonight to discuss political parties, but
are here to discuss principles. We are
not here to consider the merits or de-
merits of men, but VIC arc here to con-
slider measures and principles. Men are
as transitory as the morning dewdrop.
ut has been my good fortune, Brother
President, within the past few years to
traverse most of this great country. As
have sped across it's magnificent ter
ritory and contemplated this vast net
work of railroads Q7o,oOo miles), with
its 10000 engines, 100000 cars with a
carrying capacity of 100000 and GOO,-
100000 tons OF freight-when look at
the streets of this city and note it's
progress and development.
When go through large and rosper-
Gus cities and witness their develop
mcnt and growth, when | gazo upon
these magnificent plains and hills
stretching out in all their grandeur aud
beauty, when l look at our beautiful
rolling rivers as they plunge along to
old ocean in their majesty and power
forever, when feast my eyes and soul
upon the beautiful and picturesque
landscape scenery which everywhere
appears, when think of the material
Development Of this great country,
am made to think in my heart that truly
this is the greatest country on the face
of the Garth But, brother president,
when stand in this presence and look
into tho faces of the men who in all the
ages past and in all the civilizations of
all the countries on the face of the
earth have constituted the great middle
class, that class which has ever been
tho truest defender of civil liberty, ttat
class which has proven itself in eli
tiEoes past to have been the greatest
couservators OF peace, progress and or
der, the men whom without Jay Gould
with all his wealth could not buy his
breakfast, the men who clothe and feed
tho world, 1 say,Mr. president that
when ! stand in this presence and look
this class of my fellow-citizens in the
face ] forget our vast system Of rail
roads,o our beautiful scenery the mag
nifcence and grandeur of our growing
cities,and | think in my heart that
after all the greatness and grandness of
our country rests in tho hearts. hands,
and homes of this people.
Tho oldest man in this house cannot
tell when he saw railroad enterprise
flourish and prosper like it does to-day;
anufacturing flourish as itdoes to-day:
when cities and towns prospered like
they do to-day. lie cannot rememb Dor
tho time when agriculture in these
American States languished as it does
to-day. Now / would like for some OF
the young farmers to note down these
figures: In 1850 20 per cent. of the coun-
try's wealth was in the hands of tho
farmers. How much DO you own to-day?
Twenty. two per cont. From 1850 to 1860
you increased your agricultural inter
ests 100 per cent. From 1870 to 1880
you increased 9 per cent. instead of 1Ol,
falling off Of 90 per cent.
Moreover the acreage devoted to
crops had nearly doubled; tho farm
hands nearly doubled, and you all know
that agricultural implements and ma
chinery had vastly improved. In 1884
the ten staple crops Of this country sold
for . per cent. less than some crops sold
in 1856. There are men sitting in this
audience who have worked good lands
for twenty-five years. They worked
hard, yet they are poorer than they we're
a quarter of a century ago. These
figures should arouse the attention of
our so-called statesmen, who absorb
their time in trying to gain mere party
victory.
when money was plentiful and $50
per capita was in circulation everything
was progressive. You could pay your
debts in cotton or in corn. Your labor