The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-05-19
PRESIDENT POLK TALKS TO
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE
FARMERS ALLIANCE.
The Free and Unlimited Coinage of
Silver will Be Demanded Cleve-
land will Be Opposed to
the End.
ATLANTA constitutional

Since his last visit here he has or
ganized a State Alliance in New York,
and has visited several of the North
western States. He talked freely for
the Constitution on the progress of the
order, it's aims, hopes and achieved re-
suits. He was earnest in manner, and
entirely frank in all that he said. He
said he recognized the Constitution as
being n of the ablest papers in the
union, and that it's advocacy of the
peoples interests was known and ap-
preciated.
"What is the progress of the move
ment in those States in which you have
just organized?"
1.-The State organizations, which we
have effected in Iowa, Ohio and New
York, have Deer made up of the very
best material, and as an Indication of
the spirit which actuates those people,
the State Alliance of Iowa, before it
adjourned, commissioned and equipped
b~etweenforty and fifty men, and started
them out from the city of Creston into
the field. In New York [ found the
same spirit. That organization was
made up of first-class and very en-
thusiastic material. find among them
the same complaint that I find all
over the Countrywide scarcity of
money, which gives them no price for
their products"
1.-The theory of diversifying crops in
those localities that are tributary to
large markets and easy of access, with
an idea to making it profitable, is
exploded, as is proven by the aban-
doned farms of Massachusetts, and
other portions of New England, and
the mortgaged farms of New York.
New Jersey ought to be the richest.
State IL America to-day, and yet land
all over that State has deprecated
from 80 to so per cent. in the last few
years. In Ohio, when was there not
long since. Governor Campbell said
that the lands of Ohio had deprecated
in value S., 600, 900 in the past ten
years.
How will the Alliance effect the
political. relations of the agricultural
classes"
I'm my judgement this movement
ought to eclipse all others with the
farmers. 1 think that if the farmer is
true to himself, to his country and to
his family, he ought to subordinate all
other political questions to this move
ment.
"What will be the effect of a failure
to agree to the farmers demands"
"That will be the great prOpelling
power which will drive the farmer into
the third party. If their just claims
and Just demands for simply nothing
more than their just rights be ignored
by other parties, no power on earth
can keep the farmer out of the third
party. That is my judgement. They
have reached a point where they must
have relief, and I think that they have
determined hat they will have it. [
think that it was unfortunate that the
present parties did not pay more at
tention to the appeals of the American
farmers in the fifty-frst Congress.
W. are hoping for something from the
~ffty-second. My observation is that
the average Congressman of these latter
days subordinates everything to party
success, and the chief end of the
average Congressman, when he gets
to Washington, seems to be what can
he do for the next campaign, and not
what he can do for the country.
"What is the most pressing question
before the people ?"
1--WE want the next Congress to
devise some system, and to so change
the present financial system of this
government, as to furnish the country
with an abundance of currency to
supply the legitimate demands of the
business of the country, which we
cannot get SO long as the currency of
the country is controlled by a few men.
I think that this is the paramount
question.
"Silver legislation would be a step
in the right direction, but we do not
believe that free and unlimited coinage
would give us all that is needed. We
want it, however, and are going to de-
mand it. We are solid for that, and |
do not believe that there is a man be-
longing to the industrial classes of the
country who will support any ticket
mat does not stand solidly on the plat
FORM OF unlimited free silver coinage"
Ii Mr. Cleveland should be the next
IyHInOrnNT1n - I IL