Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1891-04-30
PUBLIC OPINION.
A ROPE OF SAND.

in few weeks. Dispatches which
state this fact also refer to charges o
fraud against National officers of tn
Alliance, about which it is needless t.
say anything, since it is stated that thu
great secession of members is due tt
disapproval of the Sub Treasury plan
After this scheme had been formally
adopted in two National conventions al
st. Louis and Ocala, its advocates in
Mississippi made it test of fealty II
is admitted that at that time, only a
few weeks ago, they had with them d
majority of the organization. But now
it is stated that large majority of the
former members are opposing the plan.
A flood of light is cast upon the order
and its nature and methods by this rup-
ture. Not another single demand made
by this new movement, be it remember
ed, has enlisted more zeal and passion
ate enthusiasm among its adherents
than this, or has been more fully dis
Icussed. The declaration for free coin
/ age did not originate with the farmers,
was not at first especially favored by
them, and, as Mr.. Simpson, of Kansas,
has stated, was accepted by him and
many others only as step toward mon
y-without-metallic-b basis, or fiat money,
which they desired. The attitude of the
Farmers toward the railroads in the diff
ferent States is governed by local Cir
.cumstances. Neither National Conven-
.tion made any formal demand for a
Rchange of tariff. The Western proposal
to issue Government notes in unlimited
amount and to lend them to farmers on
land mortgages was voted down at the
ognized by a vague phrase as possible
alternative in the Ocala platform, and
forms as yet no part of the Alliance
doctrine. Yet the one definite purpose
which was peculiar to the order at the
South, and to which the whole order was
formally committed, is suddenly thrown
overheard by 40 per cent. of the men,
'bers in Southern State even at the cost
of formal withdrawal.
Though the dispatches may eXagger-
ate, it is clear that the Farmers ALI
ance must have come into being with
out any defined objects or deliberately
adopted plans. Had there been any
such line of action or effort to which
members bound themselves when join
ing, it is simply inconceivable that
great proportion of them should sudden
ly and openly abjure it. In the light of
this experience the organization appears |
to embody nothing more than vague
dissatisfaction with existing laws, and |
hope that something better may be
found and agreed upon later. But this |
means that the organization has no CO.
fiesive force whatever. 1t is but rope
of sand. The instant that it attempts |
to concentrate efforts upon any definite
thing there is rupture. ItseemS prob |
able that a similar difficulty occurred in
Kansas, for the late Speaker of the
House is now engaged in protesting TO
the public that the measures there pro-
posed were not in the nature of repudia- |
tion nor calculated to wrong creditors. |
Yet it remains the fact that creditors |
believed otherwise, and withdrew capi-
ual from the State so rapidly that the
Alliance was unable to command the |
support upon which it had caculated.
When the Granger epidemic swept |
over the West it suddenly changed the
legislation of several States much more
radically and seriously than the Farm
ers' Alliance has been able to do this
year. But within one year the Granger
members who were still posing as Inde-
pendents, or Anti Monopolists, or Farm
ers, were scattering. and in two years
none were left. There was found no
bond of union whatever when the at
tempt was made to translate vague dis
into practical measures.
Certain railroad legislation went upon
the statute books, only after such modi-
fication that members of the old parties
favored it, and even these measures
have not since been regarded as public
blessings by intelligent farmers. 1t re-
mains to be seen upon what practical
line of action the Farmers Alliance can
agree But it is safe to predict that,un-
less it can find one of definite and salts
factory character very Soon, the organi
zation will melt away while its leaders
are trying to decide whittier to lead it.
WOMEN AS CHURCH LEGISLATORS.
Commercial Gazette.
For some time past the Methodist
Church has been agitated over the ques
ton whether women should be eligible
for election as delegates to the general
the body of supreme juris-
iiction over the affairs of the church.
The phases of the movement have been
watched with great interest and even
solicitude, outside as well as inside of
that communion, as the decision of so
powerful denomination as the Metho
dists will exert great influence on the
general subject of the entry of women
into the responsibilities of legislation.
The vote so far shows that a majority
Of those voting are in favor of making
eligible, but the vote also indi-
Gates that the great majority of the
do not take interest enough
in the matter to vote at all. A curious
turn has recently been given to the case
by the raising of a point as to whether
the vote in an all-important part of 1t
has been taken at all. The vote of the
has been merely deelara-
ton of sentiment for the instruction OF
the general conference. In addition it
was provided that the annual confer
ences, which are composed of ministers
only, should also vote on the question.
About forty'of them have voted on the
simple question of eligibility, but the
New England conference has called
notice to the fact that the question as
submitted to the conferences was the
specific one whether the present rule on
the subject should be amended by the