The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-01-30
WILL TURN THE STONE.

Our Getty" Alliance men.
WILL TURN THE STONE.
An Alliance Man Wants the Farmers
to Turn The Grindstone for a
While.
The following communication is OF
interest to us personally. We wish
someone would help us ''turn the
grindstone" for a time. The G. w.
needs help especially when it ex-
poses skullduggery in our officials.
At that time it needs the aid of pill
low under the garments where they are
most capacious. We suspect "Range
&c." below, of living in the town of
Clitheral, and we might by chance give
his name:
OTTER TAIL CRY, Jan. II, 1891.
Editor of Fergus Falls Journal.
It is with some hesitation that I en-
ter into controversy where so many
men of better talents than mine are
now engaged, but on reading the COM
munications that often appear in your
paper l think the cause of the great
ma ority can perhaps be assisted by
my pen. read with delight the terse
and plain truths written by that grand
old hero, Range a., and regret that SO
few have the manliness and courage
to write as he does. 1t may be on ac-
count that the farmers ''like poor
abject serfs'' that many of us are, dare
express their feelings for fear the "Shy
locks who hold the rod of debt over
them will at once demand their pound
of flesh. Be it as it may the truth in
the matter will yet be placed where all
except the old line republicans, who
are uOt blind, but won't see, can read
as they run.
The farmers little comprehend the
debt they owe thegreat Donnelly; they
little understand the herculean task he
has undertaken to perform for them.
II they did, oh how they would revile
all those who try to traduce him.
Some of my alliance neighbors tell me
that Mr. Donnelly is hired to break up
the alliance and that he has always
been in the pay of the monopolies.
In saying this they do a great wrong.
We have lots of men in public life who
are accused oftaking brides. We have
them in office in this state, and their
great wealth proves the truth OF the
charge. NowI know something OF Mr..
Donnelly; he is a very economical man,
lives a very quiet life, has always lived
ho4
His property is all derived from
the sale of the books he
has written. If he was in pay of and
getting large amounts from his
employers, would he not have some
thing to show for it? am sure that
Mr.. Donnelly cost the monopolies
lots of money, but it is in paying all
the little nasty ours that bark at him
and try to soil him with some OF their
own slime. When [ was a little boy
back east my father used to make me
turn the grindstone. He was heavy
man and bore on rather hard. I used
to get very tired of it. Since coming
to Minnesota [ find that in company
with the rest of the farmers, my nose
has been on the grindstone; it is worn
ting tired of that business, and [ think
now that, turning the grindstone is
not the worst job out. Suppose we
farmers turn just a little while for
change. We can if we think that way.
1t will do us good in many ways and
may make the other fellows some
better morally; at least they can then
clearly see both sides of the question,
which they can't now. Those fellows
call us cranks; now a few turns of the
crank may grind away some of the
scales from eyes, orrather consciences.
The first turn to be considered is
control of railroads. Some say we
can't but we can all the same We
must or they will soon have what is
left in the nation.
Second, the government loans money
to the bankers at per cent. and has
for thirty years. Why not lend some
to the farmers who are now poverty
stricken, but who have produced all
the vast wealth of the country, at a
rate of 2 or 3 per cent. for a few
years.
Whisky men and other manufacture
ers get an advance on their products
from the government. Let us work
the crank and grind away until things
are more equal. l have lots of time
evenings after get the chores done to
write. l should like some one who
don't like my ideas to answer; perhaps
he can give me some points to enlight-
EN- me. RANGE 80.
@
sE or the GREAT WEST:
y SUNDAY Media tons.