The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-08-19
He Discussed the Merits Of The Farmers
Alliance
SPOKE OF THE SUB-TREASURY BILL,
And Challenged ANY Lawyer to Show Any
thing Demonstrations About
the Power OF Money.

began TO talk there were about one thousand
people present.
The atmosphere in the house was intensely
warm and fans and straw hats were kept in a
continued swing. There were a number OF
prominent Alliance men Oh the stage.
Major Mann Page presided and Mayor
tIyson and Colonel Polk occupied seats near
tho front
The assemblage was not made up entirely
OF farmers. There were many prominent Rich
mond business and professional men and even
a few ladies and children.
THE MAYOR.
The meeting was called to order by Major
Mann Page president OF the State Alliance,
who said twill be unnecessary in me 20 at
| tempt TO introduce to part Of this audience
the Mayor of this town. but it gives me
pleasure TO present His Honor TO the visitors
MIR. ElysOn then arose and thanked the
Alliance cordially for the courtesy which
they had shown him and welcomed all in
very appropriate terms In his remarks he
said that he had once heard distinguished
educator say that be knew Of no
calling which required more education
or culture than the profession of the
farmer lie expressed his lofty opinion of
the farmers of the State and told how it had
always been from the farmers homes that the
distinguished sons of the State had Origi-
! mated. Il believe he said. that you are
worthy of your slres. and that you will insti-
| tute In the minds Of your children that same
! love of your country" He then spoke in glow
ing terms of the organization which had for
its object the alienation of mankind.
COLONEL POLK.
Major Page then in a few words presented
| Colonel Polk the president of the National
| Alliance. He is a man of rather striking APP
pearance and the pOssessor of a decidedly
pleasant face. Past the middle age, perhaps,
he stands perfectly straight and has the
power of holding his audience closely. He
has remarkably bright eye and wears a long
iron-gray beard. He spoke in measured
but distinct tones at tirst, Speaking faster as
he proceeded with his subject and was lis
tened 10 with the most wrapt attention.
When he arose TO speak he WAS greeted with
burst Of applause, and in the course of his
talk he said:
Il desire 10 express my warm appreciation
Of the honor done me. / want 70 thank You
most gratefully for this greeting. and desire
10 thank the Mayor for the welcome he has
given me and TO assure him that do feel
quite at home.
RICHMOND MEMORIES.
There are glorious memories clustering
around this historic city which cannot he re-
membered by North Carolinians except with
a sense of kinship.
We have assembled here for a purpose.
We are not here to discuss political parties.
but principles not the merits Of men. but
measures. Men are as transitOry as the dew
drop on the morning rose leaf
He referred eloquently TO his travels over
this country. and in speaking of the wonder
full growth and development said:
when | look into the faces Of men who
have constituted the great middle class, that
class which has always proved itself 70 be the
conservative element into whose minds is in
stilled the doctrine Of peace, good will toward
men. the men without whom all civilization
would die. the men who clOthe and feed the
world, and without whom Jay Gould would
starye forget the grandeur Of the country
and think only Of the men.
TAFFY ENOUGH.
In continuance Colonel Polk said. A man
who would stand before this audience and
suppress the truth IL not worthy Of trust We
have had tafy enough in this country Those
who do not read our literature. but only the
partisan press. are not always fair 10 us, aud
naturally drift into prejudice. | want 10 say
TO the merchant: You are in our boat. and il
is being steered by the strong hand of the
farmer, and if If is drawn in the vortex and
goes down you go along with him. Mer-
chants, we are neighbors and we should be
friends We expect men 20 differ with
US but we say on our side that they have no
right b say hard things of rs until they
know what they are talking about. / have
seen people who never heard our principles.
and have seen intelligent lawyers who had
never read our platform. ana gentleman in
the legal profession who heard the platform
by me said when / finished that ne was
looking for something Objectionable TO fol-
low. and if that is all here is my hand, and /
am with you. Here Colonel Polk read an
epitOme Of the main principles as set forth in
the platform Of the party. which were
greeted with applause as favorite sections
were reached.
PURCHAsADLE POWER or MONEY.
In comparison OF the purchasabe power /
of money Colonel Polk said no man can re- |
member when railroads manufactures and |
land enterprises foursbed as they do now,
or when agriculture langulshed as It does |
and he showed by statistical statements that !
the wealth Of the country had increased at
the expense of the farmer, who had worked |
hard for twenty years, and were now poorer
than they were at the beginning.
The most cOnsummate ylllanOus scheme for
robbing labor of its hard earnings has been
practlced in the United States Congress for
twenty seven years. The Government lends
our money to the National banks at per
cen t. and then authorizes the banks to lend
US our money back at per cent. The basis
Of tins money is bonds. The basis Of bonds
IS Government credit The Government is
your agent and yet they do this and call it
craftsmanship. 1t Is John Sherman state
We don't want any of that kind in
ours, nor. the Cleveland kind. either. for thas
matter
II Is only q question of time when there
Will DO such financial crash as WAS never
heard unless the people will come 20 our aid
md place agriculture again IA its natural po-
,ition.
Where is the farmer that is making money?
show me one and will show you nnety-nine
letting poorer every day.
have some consolation, however, for the
'irginia farmer The dollar now has more
power than ever before But
where can you get the dollar? VIII buy more
4 what. II will buy more OF the products of
abOr. Then drawing beautiful picture of
he once magnificent luxury of the old Viz
inia home he contrasted the farmer of the
resent day. reverently giving thanks for the
ecessities Of life, and said this is what 3000.-
90 OF farmers are kicking about and will con-
lnue to kick until they get what they want.
WHOSE FAULT?
It is not our fault that we are in this condi-.
ion. The trouble lies in the wicked financial
Olicy of the Government. We don't intend
D continue il, nor will we let Grover Cleye-
md make us think that the great issue is
or cent difference in the tariff. We will not
ountenance sectional strife any longer. We
ave found out the trouble and we will stay
y it till we get rid of it. Legislation is the
smedy. We want every politician 10 under
and that we mean refOrm-a reform of the
reat financial system of the country.
A big republican government can be run
IL