The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1891-08-13


instead of a prosperous, contented and
happy people, there are three millions
of men on the tramp, not from choice.
but from poverty; homeless and friend
less, the pitiable victims of the "monev
power"
How long is this condition to con
| tinue? Just SO long as the people
quietly submit 20 it.
| The only relief known under the sun
is to be found in the efforts now being
made by the order of the Farmers Al
| lance. If YOU would be free from |
these wrongs stand by the alliance; if |
| you would further endure these wrongs |
and forever fix the badge of poverty |
upon posterity, turn your back upon |
your brother and follow the lead of the |
politicians and partisan press, who |
arc the friends of the plutocracv and |
the enemies of the people. - Talia- |
hassc (Fid1 -1IIidnrc.
| The Blind Leading the Blind. |
| A minister of this city recently, in |!
conversation with the writer, took the |
ground that the millionaire Is bless |
| ing, because. he sad. he sets on foot
great enterprises that would not other
wise be developed. thus giving en-
| ployment to labor and augmenting the
production Of wealth. In support of
this position he cited the fact that
| kerosene oil is much cheaper than be-
fore the organization of the Standard
Oil trust.
To the superficial listener this would
seem weighty argument; but viewed
by any thinking man, it is an attempt
<x,f s.,
or reasoning Reduced to logical form,
it must read:
major premise: Prior to the organ
iZation of the Standard Oil trust, the
oil fields were comparatively undevel-
oped, and owing to crude and costly
processes, oil was scarce at high prices.
Minor premise: That trust secured
control of all oil fields. and through
improved machinery producrd SO much
oil that its price has fallen far below
| what it was before the formation of the
trust.
Conclusion: Therefore, trusts are
beneticent institutions, and it is only
by allowing them to flourish that the
people can buy at cheap prices the ne
cessities of life.
Aud resting on this lame and impo-
tent conclusion, our reverend friend
continues to preach Christ crucitied to
a world of sinners. and to pray piously
for the kingdom of God to come in the
hearts of men.
This argument proceeds upon the
theory that whatever Is. is right. Be
cause trusts and large capitalists have
laid hands upon the fruits of inventive
genius and the blessings of ciyiyiliza-
ton. it is concluded these things could
possibly have been used IN any
other way. 1t assumes that all com
merce and human labor would cease
with the disappearance of the million
aire. and ascribes TO greed power
greater than all Others existing in gov
crnment or society. 1t would tolerate
; a dangerous and mcrcenarv plunderer
because incidentally he might confer a
boon upon his victims.
The wealth of John ID. Rockefeller
Is Sl2o, ,0o0,o0O wrung from the chill
Iren of God through the oil trust.
, This sum represents the difference be-
tween the cost of getting his oil ont of
the earth and into the market. and the
price which it has brought him. In
the commercial handling of this one
| y S'h@
. fifteenth as large as the national debt
has stuck to the hands of one inli
vidual. and a minister of God tells us
this is right, because with multiplied
power of production and with vastly
improved means Of more cheaplv re-
tining this OIL its price is lower than
when but little of it was produced by
methods crude and costly.
Surely the blind is leading the blind.
, Will they all fall into the ditch to-
, gether ?-ifiaiitjr Ia.l Investigation.
The Constructive Party.
The peoples party is constructive.
Whatever it tears down is incidental,
what it builds essential.
1t demands the abolition of national
banks of issue. because they stand in
; the way of truly national system of
finance.
It demands the abolition of bonds
and all Understanding Indebtedness,
because they are against public policy.
, Then begins the work of construc-
ton.
The government issues fiat paper
dollars in payment of their indebted
ness.
And so the financial problem is
solved.
Crush THE MONEY POWER.
The transportation question is the
next easiest of solution.
The government, that is the people.
squeezes the money out OF the railroad
stock and that reduces it to 33 per
cent. of its face value.
1t next deducts from this all the
dividends and profits paid on the
watered stock
That reduces the stock to Is per
cent of its present normal value.
From this the people deduct all
nublic lands bountics, bonds, gratui-
s ties and whatever else has been
granted or yItel to the railroads, and
| this leaves the railroads about $500
600, 900 indebted to the American
,, people. :,
The government then takes the rali-
l roads ard does the transportation .nt'is-
mess of the American people at cost. =
Railroad millionaircs disappear, and
: all other syndicates, corporations, com
e binations and trusts trcmble. for their
time is coming.
T Taxation including tariffs comes
S next.
Tax eaters, tariff robbers, bounty
grabbers, subsidy thieves, and the
whole brood of harpies that live from
$ the public crib will be eliminated.
l A free people will have free trade.
e CRUSH THE MONEY POWER.
S The land question comes later.
b And it too will be settled on the
S broad principle that the land and all
| e. l.,
!; tage of all the people, and should not
be subject to speculative traffic
And so the constructive work of the
= | oo,,1a,o ,,orty will ro on till tho co,1 N =