Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1891-08-27
ALLIANCE NOTES.
NEWs OF THE ORDER AND les
MEMBERS
What is Rcing Done in the variou,
Scctions for the Advancement
af tlee Great Organization

tended article under the above interoga-
cave heading from watch we reproduce
acw extracts. The Times saws: sit is
growing more and more uncertain what
the real basis of the third party move
ment is to be by the time the national
campaign of next year opens. 1t has
Deen supposed that such a movement, if
1t IS to acquire any considerable volume,
would proceed from the Farmers ALI
ance, but it is difficult to say what the
distinctive issue of that organization is.
It has declared itself ON great variety
OF things, and has adopted two or three
platforms; but a new party. in order to
gain vitality and strength, must be
devoted to some well-defined object upon
which large number of people are
agreed, The most distinctive feature
of what is known as the Ocala plat
form was the Sub-Treasury scheme,
but scheme of that kind is not and can
not be made political issue. The ALI
ance is overloaded with schemes. Be.
sides the Sub Treasury plan for Govern
rnent loans on security of non perishable
products and the plan for loans on land,
there is vague project for system Of
cooperative stores and exchanges for the
benefit of the Alliances, and that is quite
rs lmpracticable as the other as basis
for political cohesion. Already the AL
lance is seriously divided on the Sub
Treasury question. In South Carolina
Gov. Tilman is leading the opposition to
that scheme, and in Texas recently
there was an anti Sub-Treasury State AL
aiance convention, which issued call for
a national convention to be held at st.
Louis in September. In Virginia
the Farmers Alliance appears to
he devotiug itself mainly to
the railroad question. 1t demands the
creation of State railroad commission,
with power to regulate rates for trans
portation, and proposes to pledge candi-
dates for the legislature on that question.
We hear from time to time that the
Farmers Alliance of the west and north
west are laying great stress upon the free
coinage of silver, but no national third
party can sustain itself as a separate Or
ganization on that issue. The obvious
fact will be recognized that whatever So
luton the silver problem is to have it
must be reached through the action
of the regular parties, and an
attempt to draw off a
third party upon this question will not
greatly aid in its settlement and will not
give that party any power as separate
organization. The one great national
issue In which the farmers of the coun-
try have the greatest interest is reform
of the tariff, but that certainly is not to
be the basis of third party for it is the
main issue between the regular political
organizations. The Farmers Alliance
has been strangely chary of giving prom
inence to this great question in its plat
forms, and that may be due to CON
seriousness that there is no possibility of
third party in it. And yet it is really
he great issue for the farmers, and if
they realize that fact the most effective
way for them to aid in its settlement is
to giyS, their support to the party which
favors the policy that is con
ducive to their best interests.
Thus far there have been many expe-
dients for uniting the malcontents; many
schemes for holding them together, but
no real issue such as can give life to
new party. In fact, the Farmers ALI
ance is not yet agreed upon the advisa-
bility of third party movement at all.
Many of its members and of its State and
local organizations are opposed to it,
while others are hot for it. Such divi-
such a movement The fact seems to be
that there is no vital issue with which
new political party can be inspired
and upon which it can gather to itself
power enough to become formidable. A
third party there will doubtless be in the
next national campaign, as there always
is, but when the real agitations of the
canvas have begun the heterogeneous ele-
ments of the Farmers Alliance are likely
TO fall apart and be drawn away to the
twoNchief parties in the contest, leaving
a force to struggle for the separate ticket.
Present predictions of the strength of
the third party are of little value, for
Presidential canvass is powerful solvent
of such cohesion as now seems to exist"
~
THE PROPAGANDA FUND.
The National Economist, in its issue of
last week, says The propaganda fund
is one of the best moves recently made by
the officers of the National Alliance. 1t
is popular in every section of the coun-
try, and every day brings letters from
brethren showing their approval and fire.
quently containing donations TO assist in
the cause This fund is under the con-
troll of the propaganda committee, which
is composed of the national president, the
national secretary, aud the national exec
utive board, five in all. Every dollar
that is received is properly credited, ard
sxx o@t, nrfc mil