The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-11-25
THE FARMERS ALLAN
President Polk Formulates the Demands
of the Order-Financial Reform the
Issue-A Loss Of Fifty Per
Cent in Membership.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Nov. l7.-tive
hundred persons all told are in attend
ance at the opening session Of the Ma
tional Farmers Alliance at Tomlinson
Hall. Secretary Tillman Of the ALI
ance council beg:l an open war on the
Peoples porty last night, and contin-
ued it to-day. He responded to Mayor
Sullivan's welcome an endeavored to
outline the policy of the convention.
He said he was not here in the Interest
of any third party, nor to promote the
fortunes of any political aspirant. He
called attention to the billion dollar
congress, which expended an amount
equal to $50 day since the birth Of
Christ, and said the tariff must come
down to a reasonable basis of taxation,
and reckless expenditure must stop, or
they will change the personnel of every
congress. Two sets of three initial let
ters, T. and c., comprise the unwritten
oath Of the Alliance-transportation,
tariff, trust; crush, change and con-
trol-and they must crush the trusts
by change ii the tariff and control
of transportation.
After Tillman concluded, J. +. Will
let's, late candidate for Governor of
Kansas, responded in behalf of the
Alliance, and Jerry Simpson and Mrs.
Mary Lr:se. of Kansas, and Gen.
Weaver, of Iowa, spoke briefly.
In his annual address, delivered to-
night, President Polk hogan by calling
attention to the grave responsibilities
which rest upon the members of the
supreme council, and predicting glori-
Gus results if the power of the Alliance
was wisely directed. The speaker,
J after presenting an argument showing
| discrimination against the agricultural
Gle sses, proceeded to state their de-
n1cnds, saying:
eve demand government control of
transportation; We demand the reten-
ton of our public doEain for the use
of our own people; we demand the pro-
hibition of gambling in futures of agri-
cultural and mechanical products; we
demand the free coinage Of silver; we
demand that no class or interest shall
be taxed to build up any other class or
interest; we demand the election of
United States Senators by the direct
vote of the people; we demand gradu-
ated tax on incomes; but, more impor-
tant than all these, broader and deeper
than all these, and first of all these, is
the transcendentally paramount de-
mand that our national bank system
be abolished, and that the peoples mo-
ney shall be issued to the people direct
by the government, at low rate of in-
terest, and in sufficient volume to meet
the requirements of our growing popu-
lation and trade.
"The supreme issue before the Ameri-
can people must be financial refo N.
the powers and function designed by
the trainers of our Constitution for the
benefit Of the people, and which have
been stealthily usurped and appropri-
.ated by corporate and monopo!istic
combinations, must he restored to the
people, to whom they rightfully belong.
This can be done only through persis-
tent effort, answering fidelity to
principle and harmonious united ac-
ton.
"Not the war Of twenty-five years
ago, which resulted in the emancipa-
ton of chattel slavery but the gigantic
struggle of to-day, between the classes
and the masses, involving the stupen-
dous issue of freedom Of honest labor
from the degradation and slavery of
plutocratic power, engages the public
mind, and is the supreme incentive
and object of this great political revo-
luton"
sUB-TREASURYs SCHEME EADOPTED-THE
ALLIANCE AND THE ESPEAKERSH1P.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND, Nov. 1S.-At
this mornings session ef the Alliance
Supreme Council communication was
received from w. S. McAllister, chair
man Of the anti-subtreasury commit
tee, asking for a conference and a
| chance to enter a protest. After an
acrimonious debate, motion, by j.. F.
Livingston, Of Georgia, prevailed, that
a committee of five should disappointed
to confer with McAllister. Immedi-
ately after the council adopted fiat
footed resolution pledging the order to
the sub-treasury plank. The confer
ence later in the day resulted only in a
wordy squabble.
Another fight occurred in the morn
ing over Il resolution introduced by l.
NJ. Brand, Of Georgia. This resolution
recited the fact that the Alliance had
at st. Louis, in December, 1859, to-
gethec withe Knights of Labor, adopted
a resolution demanding that the means
of transportation and communication,
the railroads and telegraph, he operated
| by the United States government, and
that this resolution had been changed
at Ocala last year. 1t then declared
that the Knights of Labor had not con-
sented to any change of the demand
for government ownership, while the
Ocala demand is for control, with con-
tingent ownership, if simple control is
found impracticable. This resolution
went to the committee on legislative
demands, and the prospects are that it
will be favorably reported upon.
The fact developed this morning that
the Alliance has lost fully 40 per cent.
| oF borchio ~, IEoct