Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-07-30
A PLEA FOR HARMoNY.
Registered:

a PLEA FOR HARMONY.
To the members Of the Farmers
and Laborers' uunion of Missouri:
For fear that there will be trouble
and division in the State Union
when it meets at Fertile Springs, in
August, | am prompted to write
this article in full hope that if do
no good | will at least do no harm,
1t is said and justly soIthot "soft
words turneth away WRATH" and
| fully believe that the adoption of
the principles first promulgated at
McKinzie, Tennessee by the Ma
tional Agricultural Wheel. and
then adopted at the consolidation
of The State Alliance and State
Wheel at Springfield, Missouri, in
August 1889, and adopted by the
National Union which met in st.
Louis in December, 1889, is the
only salvation for this country
against the power of money to
oppress. As TO money, we want
more.
| believe, SO far as the first de-
mands are concerned, the Spring.
field demands, there is perfect
harmony; practically no division
in the order in Missouri. We agree
that the National bank is curse
to the country and that Congress
SHOULD pass law repeating the
act creating the same, and that
none other should be chartered.
/ To this we all or nearly all agree.
! We agree that the law creating the
National bank is class legislation;
we agree that the government
/ should give away no more land to
corporations, and | believe congress
/ has ceased to do this. The ngita.
tlon OF the people has brought IA
check to this extravaganza. We
also almost unanimously agree that
the government should coin silver
as free rs gold. We have no
division with but few excep,iuns)
to this demand. We believe that the
/ National government and State
legislatures, should pass such laws
as will force the railroads to haul
/ the products of the farm at such
prices as would be Just to producer
as well as the carrier. There are
several other demands to which
we all agree. Also we all agree.
virtually, that the tariff Is wrong
and should be repealed and that it
Is class legislation in the interest
OF a few manufacturers and that it
is wrong. All class legislation is
wrong IN this government and
should not be tolerated by the
people.
Now ifthe law creating National
banks and the Tariff law was re-
pealed taking from the banks the
power to contract or expand tie
currency at will, and the govern
ment issue fifty dollars per capita
to circulate among the people, un-
controlled by the National banks,
is it not reasonable that times
would change and that the money
would again flow 90 the farmer to
get his wheat. corn, pork and beef.
as in the days of yore, and that
the farmers would again be men
Of money.
Before the present money system
wss inaugurated, the producers
had the money. If a man wanted
to borrow money, he went to the
farmer to get it. He did not have
to 60 to the money shark for it but
could find il with the farmer.
We want to return to the old
path How can we do this2 by
creating other GLASS legislation? /
think not. But by repeuliag all
class legislation and creating no
more.
But there is ono question in
/ Missouri on which the order l.
I divided ana / see Ditier feeling
between the two forces, one for,
the other against; il is known as
the treasury plan Is this the
way for business men 10 act? Is il
not better to let this one idea pass
for the present than to see our
noble order damaged hy division.
I ! for one say, let the matter rest un.
/ I'll the plan can bc tried on a small
scale, and if it works we'll, aGopt
| it, and If bad reject it, by keeping
harmony in our order
/ make this plea for harmony
and for right. In this make no
war on either side on those who
support it nor those who fight the
plan. but alone for peace and har.
mony aud for the right.
Very Truly.