Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-06-17
WELL DONE.

InlS meeting ana the plaCIOrm Incr0
adopted are now matters of history.
But public opinion of the present day
seems to have a very poor conception
of the far-reaching Importance of the
events which transpired at Cincinnati
The daily and weekly press of the
country, both partisan and independent,
which are now committed to the new
movement, are either silent editorially
or take very superficial views and COM
ment on detail, or predict results with
out presenting the true principles in
volved. There are many views which
can be presented of the causes for the
meeting, the work of the BODY as
sembled, its methods and the immediate
effect and ultimate results of the action,
all worthy to challenge the most care
full thought and consideration on the
part of every loyal and true citizen of
this country.
1t was not an alliance meeting.
Those who called it did not desire or in
tend that it should be an alliance meet
ing. The alliance at its last national
session at Ocala, Fla, had provided for
a general conference of all organiza-
tions of producers willing to cooperate
to secure political reform, to be held in
February, 1892, and agreed that dele
gates from all such organizations
should meet at that time upon an equal
basis of representation and agree upon
a set of demands and upon method for
enforcing such demands. This action
was adopted unanimously by the SUI
preme council at Ocala, and the detail
of putting the plan into execution was
referred to the committee on confedera-
ton. That committee in January last
met a like committee from the
Knights of Labor, the National Citi-
zens' Alliance and the National Colored
Farmers Alliance and Cooperative
union, and organized themselves into
the confederation of industrial orga-
nizations, accepting the Ocala platform
with slight notifications, and provided
for a thorough expression from the
rank and file of the people by a
thorough organization for that purpose,
by means of central committeeman
national state, district and county.
Their action has since been rati-
fed by the National Farmers
Alliance at Omaha. This is perfect
as far as it goes, but it did not
reach large class of citizens who
are as truly devoted to reform who do
not belong to any reform organization;
hence the necessity for a general con-
ference. AS a large per cent. of the
people interested in reform would not
be eligible to representation in the
February, 1892, meeting, an expression
from them was necessary. The meet
ing in February, 1892, will not be an
alliance meeting, but the membership
of the alliance will be represented as
individual citizens for the purpose of
agreeing upon a set of national de-
mands and upon the best method of
enforcing them. If those delegates
at that time, after a full discus
sion of the subject, shall decide on
independent political action the mem
bership of the alliance, or others who
selected and authorized the delegates
to represent them, will be bound by
such decision, but the alliance as an or
ganization will pursue its course, as
now, non-partisan. The Economist, as
the national official organ of the alli-
ance, opposed the policy of holding the
Cincinnati meeting on the ground that
it would conflict with the proposed
meetiGs in February, 1892, but the
course pursued by the meeting has
been so wise and conservative that in
stead of conflicting it is destined to
prove an actual benefit and supply the
link that will unite the farmers with
all other occupations in the great ap-
preaching conflict.
The meeting as assembled was one of
the first of its kind since those held in
the early days in the history of the
country, when the common people took
an interest in national affairs. The
people came to this meeting, solid
thinking men, not politicians, and never
| perhaps in the history of this country
| has so large a gathering been pervaded
| by such unity of sentiment. There was
absolutely not dissenting voice as to
| the provisions of the platform. The
| only discussion seemed to be as to the
time of organizing party. 1t is with
out parallel in history that over four
| teen hundred men from different states
and sections of the country, represent
| ing all the different forms of political
education and belief, should at once and
without debate or dissension agree to a
short and pointed platform containing
| some very decided innovations upon ex-
| protest against present conditions could
not be made.
The platform adopted is an embodi-
ment of wisdom and conservatism.
Every line breathes the spirit of equal
rights to all and special privileges to
none" 1t stands out in strange con-
trast to political platforms, which usu-
ally are couched in equivocal language
intended to confirm both sides of all
| questions. There is nothing equivocal
| about the platform; it is a basis for a
campaign of education and not cloak
| for campaign of prejudice and agita-
ton of sectional hatred such as the pro-
fessional politicians desire
The results of the Cincinnati meeting
are, that the reformers of the country
have met in mass meeting and unani-
mously agreed that the platform of the
farmers adopted at Ocala, including
the sub-treasury plan, shall be the
basis of the great and inevitable reform
| fight which is now on, and that they
desire to unite with the farmers and
| laborers to fight under that banner as
! peoples political party in 1892; that
they indorse the platform but do not
appropriate it for political purposes
until the farmers shall have met In
February, 1892, and decided what steps
they will take to enforce it If they
decide to enforce it by political action,
! then the reformers will join in their con-
vention and help to inaugurate party
and conduct the campaign, but should
the farmers and laborers decide not to
| do that then the reformers call ma
tional convention not later than June /,
1892, appropriate the platform and put
their ticket in the field. This is emf
nently wise and proper. 1t can in no
way hurt the alliance work in the south.
and must help it In the north, where
having embarked in independent poll
teal action it is necessary that they
| nave an assurance that a national