The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1891-09-10
EQUAL RIGHTS TO ALL.
LOYALTY TO PARTY A THREAD
BARE SOPHlSTRY.

Kearby. of Texas, Replying to an Invita-
tion to Dclivc" Address Before tho
Alliance at Dallas.
The industrial and producing classes
have been plundered and oppressed
~ class and vicious legislation for
twenty-five years. A mistaken party
fealty, born of local and sectional
prejudices, hes stood as pillar of fire
in the pathway of all reform; this is
being rapidly dissip.ted by Intelligent,
thoughtful inquiry and Investigation
by the masses. All men know and adj
NIT that there never was a time in the
history of the worlds civilization, that
there were SO many very rich men, SO
many very poor men; the acquisition
OF fabulous wealth has been made easy
to the few by prostituting the func
tions of government.
Party success has been, and is, tho
achievement of money, corporate
wealth, and the macl nations Of schcm-
ing politicians; in all this, patriotism,
the public good and the interest of the
many, is completely lost. The indus
trial and producing classes have hitll-
erto taken but little interest in the
country, have voted their party affili;s-
tions, rejoiced with party success and
mourned with r-rty defeat. But ex-
perience has taught US that the trans
planting of one party by another
brings no changes in the general con-
dition of the country, the rich con-
tinue to grow richer. and the poor,
poorer; here and there some changes
in Office holders, republican displaced
by democrat. New men appear at
court" but no substantial reforms are
inaugurated. Extravaganza, liccn
tiousness in public affairs, favoritism.
bonds. national banks, tariff, dear and
scarce money, corporate wealth and
influence still abide with us. There
exists throughout the land universal
and irreconcilable discomfort, a feeling
of unrest: burdens are multiplying,
labor goes unrequited, distress, want
and penury prevail everywhere: aggre-
gated corporate capital controls com
merce, the value of products of indus
try, the price of labor: these conditions
are the direct result of party policies !;
the people in their majesty must bring
about the reforms desired, they must
restore this government TO its primeval
equalities, they must shape and make
operative policies that will alike foster
and protect capital and labor, produc-
tive industry must no longer be de
pendent upon trusts, corporations and
combined capital for its remuneration.
The fostering government protec-
ton, hitherto given to wealth,
CT ha ,I tan Iol 10
| dustry, to labor, to the people
| The industrial and productive class
es constitute about seventy per cent
of the voting population of the nation,
| they represent all of the creative
wealth of the nation, they represent
| eighty per cent. of the consumption of
| the country; vet they have less
! than five per cent. representation in
! the administration of the affairs of the
! government.
| For twenty-five years the farmer and
the lahorer has. with implicit submis-
/ sion, intrusted government policies to
] rartv.-every party platform during
that time has been pregnant with
promises Of reform, alternate party sue
cess has produced no reform, no
/ our condition drifted into intolerahle
/ oppression, to classes, to conditions of
dependencies. OF servitude, of poverty.
| But the people are admonishcd tha
their safety lies in their loyalty to
party; a sophistry so threadbare
ought not to deceive fool. Have
you not trusted. and have you not ex-
| perienced disappointment. What SER
vice has party rendered that it should
command the homage Of the people.
The democratic party Is, and has been.
In all its history, replete with mega
tlons, first resisting, then tamelv ac-
quiescing, it Tails, rants and scolds,
but AS never inaugurated or achieved
reform. Strong III its protestations
against the iniquities Of the republican
party, but weak in resistance, weak
in achievements.
No conditions created by republican
rule have been disturbed by demo
cratic policies. The bonded debt, a
financial cruelty. has been repeated
ly refunded by democratic votes. Ma
tlonal banks. the creature If republi-
can devotion 20 monicd autocrats, have
been repeatedly rechartercd hy demo
cratic votes. Protective tariff, the
great republican Thief that prrloins
from the roor to make the rich richer,
has been temporized with by demo
cratic votes, looking TO five per cent
redu ,tions, thereby legalizinS the
most stupcndous system Of robbery
that ever disgracad our liberty or onr
civilization. Dcbascl silver, the price
of shameless republican LOYALTY tc
eastern gold bugs, has by democratic
votes been repeatedly dishonored and
has never vet, and never will be, fully
restored to its dominion as the money
of the people, hy democratic policies
New policies must be forged and new
men placed to the front. to test their
practicability and usefulness. Every
new or reform movement may expect
to encounter democratic opposition
because the scope and fall measure oil
democratic usefulness is resistance
nogation; republican op! osition he
cause their allegianee is to capital and
corporate power, because they are the
legitimate -progenitors of the financial
policies and the class legislation that
has produced the want, beggarv, un
easlneSS and unrest, that hangs like i
Hpall of darkness" over this land
/ know but Ii tie of the sub-treas,lry
scheme. l learn that it promises the
people money issued by the govern
ment, upon their land and other prop
erty as security; while present poll
cies only promise the people none,
u-on government bond as security
| II IL be one Of tho functions of poynrn
ment TO issue the people money upor
any kind of security, | can't see VIII,
land y cotton shonld not be as availa
bic rs a bond, If it he one of til,
functions of government to take as sc
cllrity for its revenue a barrel of whis
ky and store in house owned .ol
maintained by the government. VIII,
not take pushel of corn or wheat fol
/ the same purpose? Dsmagogues or,
out, ''One is paternalisnl, the other i