The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-15
THE GREEN DRAGON OF POLITICS.

Colonel Polk complacently announces
that Civilized history furnishes nothing
to parallel the general rapid spread of the
Farmers Alliance" If this were true it
would be only another illustration of the
fact that coarse weeds multiply more rap
idly than edible vegetables or flowers that
are priced for their beauty; that rotten
potato in dark, noisome cellar displays a
ranker growth than plants that are the
flower of pure air and full sunlight; that
stupid error and falsehood will march a
league while truth is putting on its boots.
That the contemptibly stupid decisions
and shallow demagogy upon which are
founded the faith of the Farmers Alliance
should flourish is not remarkable. because
bold and hard-faced humbug is the suc.
cessful hero quite as often in society, busi-
ness and politics as sincere, straightfor-
ward, manly and upright methods and
conduct.
The numbers of the Farmers Alliance
do not recommend them to respect. for
pagans today outnumber the Christians.
even when the pagans have been given
a choice between Christ and anti-Christ.
The most tawdry dime novel has more
readers than Holy Writ. Human slavery
had more sincere friends than enemies dur
ing the first half of our national life; but
that did not make it respectable or right
eous to the civilized world. We search out
and prove the truth; we do not settle the
worth of every new political nostrum by
simply counting the number OF persons
who are willing TO shut their eyes and
swallow it. 1t would be about as reason
able TO join church impulsively on
the strength of its success in revival work.
without caring whether its creed was
reasonable rather than bottomed on SUI
perstition and instinct with bigotry and
intolerance.
The Farmers Alliance will dissolve as
fast as it CONCEALED, and its leader is sure
TO wear the willows of defeat upon the
captivating crown of his ripened cocoa
nut, for before the election of 1892 the Or
der will die under the blows Of discussion.
1t is beginning to crack in spots already.
The various schemes which propose that
TIC government Snoulu leTu every thrift
less or pocket-pinched farmer money at
per cent. upon the security of land or farm
products is losing its friends rapidly at the
South. Senator George, of Mississippi, re-
fuses to accept the sub-tressury, the land
currency scheme and governmental con-
troll ofrailroads. The Augusta (Ga. Chron-
icle publishes letter from a sturdy farmer
who inquiries:
What business has the government to sub
sdiRe any class or cailingf Why should it favor
one interest 10 the exclusion OF others or at the
expense of othersG Why should the govern
ment use the public credit for private interest
or why should any business hone 10 live bv
class legislaiiong We must not EXPECT the gov.
eminent TO do for the citizen what the citizen
can do for himself.
The Farmers Alliance of Texas ia
sharply divided upon the sub-treasury
scheme, and Mississippi farmer, member
ofan alliance in that state, points out that it
would be in the power of speculator hay-
ing 10000 in cash TO buy and hold $500
oo0 worth of cotton under the government
warehouse scheme simply by reinvesting
his 10 per cent. advances, and in this way
1t would require only 500, 10000 of active
capital TO control the entire cotton crop