The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-12-11
AFEw WHY'S AND wHEREFoREs
So Long NJ We Are Free People We
viii Have Political Parties.

=
So Long NJ We Arc Free People We
Will Have Political Parties.
Hon. G. B. Collins OF Florida, hav-
ing been charged with communism
because he advocated the Farmers
Alliance program recently made a
speech at Dade City, in which he said:
What a pity that Mr.. Adams, vice
president of our Alliance, should be
compelled to cut down his peach trees
because the express companies persist
in claiming the crop. yet all the while
our fellow citizens in New York are
burning with an intense desire for
peaches. Sometimes am not so sure
that I'm glad I'm living. Maybe if
could go to sleep and wake up 100
years from now in Bellamy's Utopia,
I would find all these matters ar
ranged, but suppose should wake up
in the frowning presence of Caesars
Column, might not find things all
disarranged?
If our government has become
strong enough to reach up to the high
er strata of air above the arid plains of
Texas and like a cloud compelling
Jove force the rain to the earth. I
think its mighty hand can grasp the
innermost machinery OF the great
transportation lines and save brother
Adams peach trees from the destroy
ing AK. If it can take my letter for
the infnitessimal remuneration of
two cents and deliver it to the dealer in
Boston with the information that
have forwarded to him 100 box
es OF oranges why may it not
carry those oranges with the same
degree of 'celerity, certainty and Sc
curity, or compel the public carrier to
do it at a reasonable compensation?
Then why may it not take me to the
Hub of the universe and center of Gull
ture. where have shipped my most
esthetic brand of fruit? Whyp Because
we are met with the appalling and
soul terrifying statement that such &C
ton on the part of the government is
contrary to all pre- established custom,
and-now, be quiet please; hush! is
un-Democratic. Let me just here my
brother Alliance man. lay down this
proposition, viz: Whatever principle
OF. economic government can be util-
lied for the benefit of the masses of
the people is Democratic
when speak of measures being
Democratic am not talking as par
tisan. I would it were possible to
eliminate from the discussion of these
great economic questions all idea OF
partisan politics, and that the Ameri-
can people might come together and
settle them strictly upon their merits,
but that is an idle wish an irrides-
cent dream So long as we are free
people so long will we have political
parties, and to one or the other men
will pin their faith.
The Farmers Alliance of America
is not political party, and yet its
members are moved by questions OF
an economic nature, as they were
never moved before. l declare to you
here to-day that the order was founded
in wisdom. 1t was the coming to-
Sc1Aor VI OIdVC, pdGlcub pdCElOUAC duO
plodding men, actuated by one COM
mon impulse-self protection We
saw our wealth slipping away from US
as the receding tide leaves bare the
sterile sands. We saw our social
status going down in the scale until
we, whose fathers were princes in the
land, are but toilers toiling without
hope. We saw our political influence a
mere thing of plaster. to be nodded at
will by the cunning hand OF the spec
ulator and politician. We saw this
government which we love becoming
a temple for the in-dwelling of the
children of fortune only, while we
linger at the gate, glad to pick up the
crumbs that fall from the rich man S
table. We felt and still believe that
upon our existence depends the veal
of all mankind. We feed the world
and the world should cherish us
There should be a community of in
terest and each occupation should re-
member that it is but factor in the
sum of human progress. New Nation.