The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1891-03-28
Demands of the Alliance.

Oclu8uOS VI the AlllamCCe
Now that no exciting campaign
is in progress to distract the at
tention and warp the judgement in
partisan bias, we think it is a good
time to discuss the political issues
upon which our people are SO much
divided. Taking this view of the
case we trust our readers will not
hold that we are harping too much
upon one subject when we proceed
to consider "the farmers demands.
As this is essentially a farming
country, and the farmers constitute
the principal citizenship, we do not
feel that we have any apologies to
make for extended discussion of
any subject that interests them. AS
a basis of our remarks we repro
duce the platform adopted by the
National Farmers Alliance, which
met at Ocala in December last:
First-we demand the abolition Of national
banks; we demand that the government shall
establish sub-treasuries or repositories in the
several states, which shall loan money direct to
the people at low rate Of interest not to exceed
per cent per annum on imperishabie farm pro-
ducts. and also upon real estate. with proper
limitations upon the 9nantity Of lands and
amount of moneys; we d hand that the amount
Of circulating medium be speedily increased to
not less than $50 per capita.
Second-We demand that Congress shall pass
such laws shall effectually prevent the deal
ing IN futures on all agricultural and mechanical
cedure in trials such as shall secure the prompt
conviction of offenders, and the imposition of
such penalties as shall secure the most perfect
compliance with the law.
Third-We condemn the silver bill recently
passed by Congress and demand in lieu thereof
the free and unlimited coinage of silver.
.Fourth--'We demand the passage of laws pro-
hibiting alien ownership of land by aliens. and
that Congress take prompt action to devise some
plan 10 obtain all lands now owned by aliens and
foreign syndicates, now held by railroads and
used and needed by them be reclaimed BY the
government and held for actual settlers only.
Fifth Believing in the doctrine of equal rights
that our national legislation shall be SO framed
in the future rs not to build mp one industry at
the expense of another. We further demands
necessaries of life that the poor OF our land must
have. We further demand just and equitable
system of graduated tax on incomes. We believe
much az possible in the hands Of The people. and
hence we demand that all national and St te
revenues shall be limited to the necessary ex-
penses OF government economically and honestly
administered.
Sixth--We demand the most rigid just and
honest ftate and national governmental control
and supervision of the means of public COM
troll and supervision does not remove the abuses
now existing. we demand the government own
ership OF such means of communication and
transportation.
1t will be noticed that the first
plank of the above platform en-
bodies no less than four distinct de-
mands, namely, (1) the abolition
of national banks, (2) the establish
ment of sub-treasuries and the
lending of money at low rate of
interest on imperishable farm pro-
ducts and real estate, ~ erection
of warehouses or repositories for
storage purposes, and a. that the
circulating medium be increased to
not less than $50 per capita. We
that the subject matter of
their first plank is about the gist of
all the ne,o ideas of political econo-
my that the farmers have to offer,
and that all of these were not un-
known to discussion before the
the farmers ever thought of en-
bodying them in their platform.
In fact one of these propositions
is the property of the Democratic
party, and has received unquali-
fed endorsement. The same thing
may be said,of nearly every idea
in all FIVE of the other
planks of the platform.
So far as the abolition of nation
al banks is concerned, we consider
the proposition as altogether CHI
merical, and, even if it could be
done, it would be productive of
harm and harm only. The system
is the admiration of the world, and
grows more popular every day.
Only those ignorant of its opera
lions could be brought to oppose it.
The government throws safe
guard around these banks, and they
are the safest institutions ever con-
,eived for the protection of the