Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-18
ALLIANCE PICNIC.
AL6EMARLE FARMERS FEAST AND
LISTEN TO GOOD SPEECHES.
Higher Education and Farming Shaking
Hands, vsriyine and Oppressive
Laws"-work OF A Agricultural Press.

VA, AuSutt
Saturday was day long to be remember
ed by the farmers Of old Albemarle county
II was the time set apart by the Farmers
Alliance and farmers generally for thei
6rst picnic. which took place at the Uni
vcrsity OF Virginia, the beautiful grounds
and buildings Of this grand old institution
bong utilized for the purpose. Speech
making by prominent Alliance men of the
State preceded the feast of good things.
At about 1880 O'Clock the meeting wa
called TO order by II. l.. Lyman. Lsq.. OF
University was very well filled with tht
best farmers of the county, taii
sprinkling of ladies beng present; At the
hour named the Chairman called on the
Rev. DIR. kinlock Nelson. Of Alexandra, "a
lead in PRAYER. Music from the Monticello
Band Of this city followed.
WELCOMED.
Professor William II. Thornton. chair
man of the Faculty of the University oil
Virginia. was then introduced, who IN Anew
well-chosen words warmly welcomed the
Alliance and their friends to the institu-
tion and placed the grounds and buildings
at their service. Among other things, ne
said that agriculture was the basis OF the
dation of all civilization; everything tnat
Affects the farming interests affects the
whole country" He expressed regret AT
not knowing fully the plans of the NJ
lance: but on behalf the University he
would be GLAD 10 render all possible aid 10
the farmer by the scientific work and
teaching of the school he represented,
AoooD RESPONSE.
Hon. Thomas Whitehead. State Commits
sioner of Agriculture. responded IN hap
by manner TO Professor Ihorntons re-
marks. thanking him for the courtesy
which had been shown to the farmers on
this and numbers of other occasions. 1t
looked TO him as If new era was ABOUT I"
dawn upon Virginia. which had long ago
been jnaugurated by the founder OF
Tins grand institution. which now takes
euch interest III scientific farming.
Higher education aud farming SAID
thu speaker, ARE now shaking
hands" lie, with Others, was gratifed
at the kindness often extended TO the
farmers Of the State by the University au.-
fhorIties in inviting them to make use OF
the buildings and grounds at when 70 hoid
fional institution. and had now arrived at
the time when 1t was getting To be some
thing and its power was being felt" He
emphasized the fact that II had always
been n non-political body, and that the
main fight was against the improper use OF
money III the hands of few. 'lkducation
can help US on, OF all our difficulties, and
in the University will be found II strong
ally, which will stand shoulder to shoulder
with the farmer in his efforts to get educa-
ton, and 1t would be well to form an ALI
ance with this institution We
have no enemies To punish, and we Will
take care of our friends. Members of the
Legislature are TO be elected this fall and
we propose to take a considerable hand III
the battle IAppause.l
rREsIDEsr FACES ADDRESS.
Major Mann Page. president OF the State
Farmers Alliance, was the next speaker,
who opened ms address by saying that he
had travelled day and night for two days
in order to be present at this meeting, and
had met with an accident which caused
him to limp, but he would not allow his
physical suffering TO keep him away.
Nearly thirty years ago he had travelled
great deal, then mostly on foot and on
short rations. aud he was yet able TO do
so. He was delighted to meet the farmers
OF this section. and congratulated them
on the selection of the spot chosen for
their first picnic; II was peculiarly suited
for the purpose. since the Alliance was an
educational bureau" why is II, said
The tillers of the soil are hard workers
and produce largely; then why is 1t that
II does not pay" A variety OF reasons
were assigned for this state of affairs, the
principal one IN the opinion of the
speaker being that the chief talent of the
farmer mind-lics buried and Is not
properly accounted for. Muscle was not
all that was needed; If that was true mules
would have been substituted for men.
Ii may be a visitation of Providence for
failure TO use the gilt God has intended
us TO take advantage Of lie then paid his
respects TO the financial questions OF the
day and the contraction OF the currency.
"What must We do with our wheat Z" 1t
would not pay TO sell II now because OF
the fact that IN the past several days 1t
had taken n drop OF twenty-oight cents
per bushel. and this in the face of the fact
that the European market was bare and
that a million bushel deficiency existed III
that country. our Secretary OF Agricul-
ture says the cause of the drop Is attri-
butable TO over-prOductlOn." say 1t Is
everything and oppressive laws. He
felt like exclalmlng III the language OF
part of the Episcopal service, From all
such good Lord. deliver us L am not
here to talk on political subjects. | view
Harrison simply as the President, the
Secretary of State SIMPLY as the Secretary,
and so on. Agricuiturists pay 80 per cent.
of the taxes of this country, and did You
do your duty this would not be so and
there would be no occasion for me 10 stand
here and advise you to-day.
THE FARMERS DUTY.
He was a staunch friend of the agricnl-
tural press which had labored diligently
TO show the farmer MS duty. 10 all those
who were opposed to the Alliance and tits
methods he challenged to meet its speak
ers in debate. There was nothing uncon-
stitutional III its plans. However, he was
not welded to any plan, and II wrong he
was willing to be convinced of his error.
The day has arrived when neither ridicule
nor laugh can down us and we are deter
mined to meet the issue like men. Ii is
the duty of us clod-hoppers," with the
aid of God, TO think and work out our
own regeneration. He tined to do his duty
and was hard student and willing TO
learn. Abraham Lincoln foresaw the great
evil of this country, who, near tho
close OF the war, IN answer to the
letter of friend in Illinois, pre-
dicted the evil that would follow the aggre-
CATION Of so much wealth IN the hands OF a
few. He also quoted from Chief-Justlce
Chase on the money question twenty-five
years ago and about the monetary system
he was Instrumental in establishing, as
follows: My agency In procuring the
passage of the national banking act was
the greatest financial mistake of my life.
II has built up monopoly that effects
every interest in the country. Ii should
be repealed But before this can be ac-
complished the people will be arrayed on
one side and the banks on the other in a
contest such as we have never seen in this
country"
Does il not seem strange" said MIR.
Page. that he should have seen then
what it has taken us so long to see? The
banks are now on one side and the people
arrayed against them on the other. You
are the people"
THE NEWSPAPERS.
After correcting some errors that SEEM
ingly exist at the North. and touching on
the negro and their separate alliances, he
paid his respects 10 the newspapers and
reporters. why. only about a year ago
the newspapers in this State learned TO
spell the word alliance. and scarcely ever
printed anything about the organization.
Now they were eager TO print anything
about their body. They had just learned
to spell his name correctly, and had an
immense quantity of advice To give and
suggestions 10 make to the farmer and his
Alliance. The papers practically advised
the farmer TO make his hog and hominy'
and they would do the engineering. which
had the effect to greatly upset him. was
born and baptized III the Democratic