The advocate., 1891-04-01
TINE sUBTREAsUBY PLAN.
Declaration OF the Farmers Alliance and
Industrial Union.

in Ht Louis in December, 1850
The financial policy Of the general gov
ernment seems to-day TO be peculiarly
adhptad TO further the interests OF the
speculatIng class, at the expense and TO
the manifest detriment Of the productive
class, and while there are many forms OF
relief offered, there has up 10 the present
time been no true remedy presented
which has secured q support universal
enough 10 render lts adoption probable.
Neither Of the political parties offer
remedy adequate TO our necessities, and
the two parties that have been In power
since the war have pursued practically
the same financial policy. The situation
Ia this: The most desirable and neCes-
sary reform 10 one that will adjust the
financial system Of the general govern
mont 80 that It's provisions cannoTBB
utilized by class, which thereby be-
comes privileged and is In consequence
contrary TO the genius Of our govern
ment, and which 10 to-day the principal
cause OF the depressed condition Of agri-
culture. Regardless Of all this the poll
cal parties utterly ignore these great evils
and refuse TO remove their cause, and the
opportunities Of the privileged class can,
by means OF the power Of money TO OPP
press, exact from labor all that 1t pro-
duCes except a bare subsistence. Since,
then, II 10 the most necessary OF all re-
forms, and receives no attention from any
Of the prominent political parties, II is
highly appropriate and important that
our efforts be concentrated to secure the
needed reform In this direction, provided
all can agree upon such measures. Such
action will In no wise connect this move
ment to any partisan effort, as 1t can be
applied TO the party to which each mem
Der belongs.
In seeking true and practical remedy
for the evils that now flow from the I'm
peEfeotlons In our financial system let us
first consider what 10 the greatest evil,
and on what Il depends The one that out
strips all others 20 far that IL Is instantly
recognized as the chief, and known with
certainty TO be more oppressive to the
productive interests of tho country than
any other influence, is that which dele
gates 70 q certain class the power 20 fix
the price Of all kinds Of produce and Of
all commodities. This power ls not dele
gated directly, but it IS delegated indl-
rectlY by allowing such class to issue a
large per cent Of money used as the cir
CulAtlng medium of the country, and hay
Ing the balance Of such circulating me-
dium, which Is Issued by the govern
ment, a fixed quantity that is not aug
mented to correspond with the neces-
stiles Of the times. In consequence OF
this the money issued by the privileged
class, whiCe they are OF liberty to with
draw at pleasure, can be and is 80 manlp'
ulated 40 TO control the volume Of cir
culatlug medium Of the country sufficient
10 produce fluctuations in general prices
az their pleasure. Il may be likened un-
20 o simple illustration in philosophy
The inhexlble volume Of the government
issue ls the fulcrum, the volume Of the
bank issue 10 applied, and Is either raised
or lowered with great certainty to cores
pond with the volume Of bank issue. Amy
mechanic will instantly recognize the