Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-11-19

ton, YET the FARMER. possessing onIy 90 pc
cent. of il, pIys so Per cent of the taxes
| With all the moiern facilities Of transporta
ton and improved machinery. the f-rme
| finds himself compelled to sell his prOIuc'
at prices barely covering the cost.
Again, the farm mortgages in the agricult
| ural states are frightfully large. In low
the mortgaged indebtedness is SlO4 pc
| capita, in Kansas SIS, in Illinois 500. anC
| everywhere the farmer Is oFerburdeneC
with debt The gross inequalities and dis
| ordinations against the farmer have caused
a rapid decline OF agriculture, shat art o
| all arts, that science OF all sciences" and
| that, too, in a period OF wonderful develop
ment. 1t is therefore that the farmer is nov
| appealing to the supreme tribunal of public
opinion and asks just decision through the
ballot box
President Polk then took up the de
mands of the farmers, on which he
spoke at great length. He first gave
the history of the reform bill intro
duced into the last congress by the
members of the alliance, and con-
tinued:
This received no consideration by the
| billion dollar congress except in the way oil
denunciation In the light of history It ID
the imperative duty of the p, Ople to arrest
the evident and al irming tendency 10 cen
| tralize the money power of the country.
This was one of the great purposes of that
bill 1t would h We supplanted the iniqut'
Ously unjust and oppressive national bank
system by securing TO the people an ade'
quate amount of money direct from the gov
eminent at a low t. of interest to meet the
legitimate demands Of the country. But in
Justification of the silent contempt which
characterized the reception of the measure,
assaults, vehement and persistent. have
been made on its minutest details instead OF
giving manly arguments on the underlying
principle Despite these assaults the sub
treasury dea has grown until 1t is the senti-
mcnt of the order in thirty-fOur states.
The constitution declares that congress
shall have power to regulate commerce
among the states. Money, transportation
and transmission OF intelligence are the es-
sential elements in commerce. Does con-
gress regulate these? Organ zed capital has
demanded of congress AMI obtained con troll
of the volume OF currency. This has re-
suited In fearful augmentation of central
lied money power to the impoVerishment
and robbery of honest industries. In 1885
the amount Of currency was 100000 OOJ,
with 81, OOOO0 population. o-day with ia
600 OF people the volume of currency has
been reduced to 5000, OOO,OOl, resulting in high
priced money and low priced articles, en-
failing distress, poverty, suffering and ruin.
Government control of railroads Is one OF
the essential demands of the alliance; also
the retent on of the public domain for our
own people; also the prohibition of gam
bling in futures; also the free coinage OF sill
yer; also that no class legislation be en-
acted, also that the United States senators
be elected by the popular vote; also that a
A.
greatest demand of all is that the national
banking system be abolished and the peo-
pies money be issued direct by the govern
ment to the people.
The supreme question before the people IS
that of financial reform. The two great par
ties have evidently sounded q truce and, as
in the past, this question of financial reform
shall continue to be regarded as neutral
ground" between them. In this crisis it is
the duty OF every true member of the alli-
ance 10 stand firmly by our principles and to
demand of all aspirants for our SURFACES an
unCquivocal definition of their position on
these great principles.
President Polk next took up the sub
ject of the organization, its progress
and condition. He said that it had
steadily enlarged its territory and was
thoroughly harmonious Since the last
meeting of the council the states of
New York, Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin,
Delaware, Oregon, Washington and
New Jersey had been added to the rolls.
1t was the duty of the alliance to con-
tinue its work of educating the
people and no more potent agency
existed for the purpose than the dis
semination of literature. The recon-
mendation was made that a conference
be had with the reform press associa-
ton to discuss the most available means
of thus preaching the doctrines. 1t
was also recommended that fund be
instituted to aid in the work. The
most powerful auxiliary force to the
service of the reform literature was to
found in a we'll regulated lecture sys-
tenn. The demand for speakers was so
great that it was impossible to supply
it
The speaker closed with remarks
upon the duty politically of the alli-
ance. He said the organization must
be kept free from ENHANCEMENT with
any party, declaring; 1T would ut
terly fail in its high purposes if it
should be degraded into a mere party
machine to be manipulated by design
ing men. When it shall fail to elevate
its membership above the arrogant
domination of party mandate, the hour
for its decay, dissolution and death will
Ls.Ts coma"