Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-12
sUB-TREAsUEV FALLACIEs.
The Speech of Mr.. Z. S. Hall Yesterday
Forenoon

intend to-day to discuss and try and
point out to my brother Alliance farmers
the reasons that force me to object TO the
sub-treasury scheme.
1t has been with feelings of deep regret
that have felt myself forced to oppose any
measure that is held to by the Alliance
with which l have been connected for sew
eral years, and for which l have laboref
Ions and hard.
And the fact that this organization has
placed me at the head of the largest state
Alliance in the United States, and that the
national legislative council has elected me
to one of the most responsible posi-
tons in the gift of our national
Alliance only makes it the more difficult to
object publicly TO this Sub-treasury scheme
And l viii frankly assure my brothers of
this order that the only consideration that
has impelled ME to this action, is that am
farmer, with all that ! have invested in my
farm. Every cent make l make by farm
ing, and / am fully convinced that were this
scheme to be enacted into law and carried
out it would bankrupt me and every other
farmer in the United States, and hasten, if
not bring about, our national destruction.
Some OF my brother Alliance men seem to
think that / ought not to publicly attack
this measure, especially IN view OF Inc posi-
ton hold in the order.
If the sub-trsasury scheme is right the
more fully, publicly and oftener IT is dis
cussed the sooner it will be enacted into law.
If it is wrong, full free and public discus
sion of it will the sooner bring out its falla-
ciys, and we will be enabled to see them and
quit advocating wrong measure the sooner.
We are told that as Alliance men we are
bound by statute law passed at Ocala last
December which declares that ''all meas
rres presented for consideration may bs
discussed fairly, fully, honestly and
thoroughly, and when the action Of ma
l., H., bod oil raar4 70
the meeting are pledged to support such
action. II is the duty of every
member, where the body has spoken, to
stand as unit before tie world
l deny, in the first place, the right of the
national body to enact any such statute,
for the reason that our order declares in its
constitution and obligation OF membership
that our political views shall in no
wise be interfered with, meaning our
views relative to political (that is legisla-
tive matters. | wish the order through
ont the United States to know how fairly,
fully, honestly and throughly' the sub-treas-
ury bill was discussed at Ocala before its
passage.
The members were limited to one speech
of not TO exceed five minutes each in which
to discuss this bill
One speech of five minutes to discuss bill
or scheme which, if enacted into a law,
would change the whole financial system of
our government since its foundation. After
the sub-treasury advocates had by this
means gagged free discussion even within
the order and forced upon us without US
having I chance to expose its fallacies this
scheme, they then organized every ALI
ance newspaper in the United States to-
gether under an iron-clad and steel-ribbed
constitution, known by the name of the Re-
form Press association, and these Alliance
newspapers do not dare publish one word
against these demands, under the penalty
of being expelled from the association,
denounced by the executive committee, and
their newspaper property destroyed.
now appeal to that sense of fairness and
honesty and love Of fair-play that has ever
characterized the farmers OF this country
and ask them what other channel
have TO object to or to ex-
pose the fallacies of any scheme except in
the old-fashioned wagon the stump and
through the public pressl L have ever ex-
pressed myself as willing to meet in joint
discussion any advocate of this measure, to
the end that we might discuss 1t IN Tree,
kind and fraternal spirit.
Now, brother farmers, how do you like
this method of fastening the sub-treasury
scheme upon usl Do yeu pot see that its
advocates have bridled free discussion by
US except in our secret meetings, and there
YOU have all the literature and argument
that everyone in the order in the United
States can produce on one side, and no one
TO answer it on the other, and should some
brother oppose it, he is soon informed that
he must shut up or get out.
maintain that no honest measure that
was pushed aud advocated by its authors
from honest motives would have any such
methods as this resorted to to carry it for
ward. and would not fear to have full,
free. public discussion of the merits of the
measure. and let it stand or fall, as al pub
lie measures in the past, upon its merits.
now ask you as farmers to give my argu
ments fair, honest and careful considera-
ton. remembering that 1 am discussing d
measure in which we, as farmers and citi-
zens of our common country, are financially
and deeply interested. And in con-
sidering and weighing what l have
to say please bear in mind you are being
talked to by one who has no interest but /.
farming, and who is not nor never was An
Office seeker I claim, brother farmers,
that this sub-treasury bill was originated
and is being pushed by its author,
C. W. Macune, for but one pur-