St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-08
PLANS OF THE ALLIANCE.

Ihere is q good deal Oh cOmmOLlOn
in the East against the meeting of the
legislatures of the Western states where
the farmer element controls. Very
large sums Of money have gone from
New England and the Middle states to
Kansas and other places to be loaned
on the security of farm mortgages, on
the credit of municipalities and to
quaSl-public corporations, like railroads
and gas and water works companies.
1t is feared that the Alliance will pass
laws arbitrarily reducing the rates of
interest, extending the term of stay
laws, confscating the property of rail
roads and legalizing general repudia-
ton of public and private obligations.
We have not examined the Kansas
newspapers on the subject. but we pre-
sumo that the Republican organs there
are adding to the general alarm and
concern by narrowing recitals of the
deep deviltry the farmers propose to
perpetrate.
This is the attitude the Republican
newspapers in Minnesota are aSSum-
ing, with characteristic lack of
patriotism. The Farmers Alliance
has representation of bakers
dozen in the senate, and less than
third in the house, while the Re-
publican party has total in both
houses considerably larger than either
OF the other parties, besides controlling
the executive and every member of the
supreme court. 1t would not appear at
first glance as though there were any
very great danger under .such circum-
stances of revolutionary legislation.
The Republican editors of the state,
however, are bugling everybody who
has dollar in the world to get into line
quickly for its defense under the lead
ership of Mr.. MERRIAM, their bank er
governor from st. Paul, and Mr..
SEARLE, their banker candidate for
speaker from st. Cloud. They keep
shouting that the Strongholds of capital
are in danger that the Republican
party is the only real simon-pure
money loaners' party going; and with
tipsy aim they hurl huge bottles of ink.
Luther-like, at a devil of anarchy which
OlClI lICCtlC OCCO SCdICu Oli
the state house dome.
All this is the veriest poppycock.
The Farmers Alliance in the state of
Minnesota cannot enact a single meas
Elm the present legislature without the
assistance of the Democrats or Republi-
cans. Some Democrats or Republicans
will have to vote with it OH all the laws it
proposes in order that they may pass,
and Republican governor will have to
sign them. If he disapproyes, they can
not be passed over his veto without Re-
publican votes, because the Democracy
and the Alliance combined have not a
two-thirds majority of either house.
But, besides all this, the farmers of
Minnesota are not anarchists, thirsting
for the destruction of property. They
are property owners themselves,
banded together for its preserya-
ton against the assaults of class
legislation. The Democracy is with the
Alliance Oh almost all the great national
issues. and on many for which it fights
in the state. We hope to see a great
many of its principles vitaliZed in the
shape of laws. A combination of the
Democracy and the Alliance to this end
is very desirable. The great trouble
with much legislation heretofore enact
ed for the amelioration of the condition
of the oppressed has been that it has
beenrendered imperative by the courts,
which have declared it unconstitutional.
The farmers knowledge of his wrongs,
put in shape by skilled constitutional
lawyers, of whom there are many in the
legislature, ought to produce something
which will stand and be effective.