The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-04-10
Reviewed in April Cosmopolitan by
BY w. A. PETER, United States
Senator From Kansas.

different bodies, and also to tho officials
Of the Knights of Labor, and they wcro
al represented at this meeting Con-
ference committees were appointed. and
Il union for political purposes effected.
They were not all merged into one, but
virtually that was done The Object of
| this consolidation was to influence lcgis.
lation in the interests of farmers and Ia
borers generally The new body was
To be called the Farmers Alliance and
Industrial Union That is the name by
which it is now known.
1.-The Alliance is not partisan, but it is
intensely political. Primarily il is social,
out there is political feature, and this,
after all, is its most powerful force that
which moves in public affairs and though
mere was no disposition to go into poll
tics independently, it was understood
npon all sides that every possible effort
which could lcgitimaicly serve the inter
Gsts of ngrioulture and labor sl,oulsa-,ss.l
put forth. The St. Louis convention
adopted political platform which has
since been known as the 81. Louis dc.
mands. In time it became a very serious
question with members Of the Alliance
whether they should operate through the
machinery of their old parties, or whether
they should Join with other workers in Il
new and distinct movement for redress
Of grievances which were universally con
ccdcd to exist"
'What, then, does the Farmers llancG
demand as a matter of political lcSsations
.ct us first understandable conditions out Of
which this formidable power of the
'armers has grown. Agriculture is de-
pressed, labor is protiilcSs, discomfort
broods like clond over the land. The |
homes of the people are cncumbcrcd by
ali Indebtedness which it is impossible to
pay under existing conditions; they are
being sold by the thousand every year
tlaSiltt4AszGysasnEJS'i6SHy...y6 y6I6sz IS Ia @6S
.nscs, are out Of the question, because !
with falling prices security weaKons; and
while property values 90 lower and low
cr, dollar yalues go higher and higher,
and taxes, salaries and interest absorb oil
the peoples ccrnings, leaving nothing to
pay on the principal of debts. Briefly,
nearly if not quite one half of American
homes arc mortgngcd; wealth Is last
passing into the hands of few persons;
money has become II power in politics rs
II has always been in social life, and the
same influence which is draining away
the substance of the workers is under
mining the church. Look what way we
will, cncroachlncnts of the money power
nrc plainly visible. IL pollutcs our cleo.
tions, it controls our legislation, 1t dc
bauchcs our trade, it owns our homes. IL
rules the forum, the school and the chutch.
1t is king.
"Thc great oycrshadowing problem OF
the time, then is money. Farmers arc
not rcpudintors. They want I" pay every
dollar of debt they owe, and that nc
cordiug TO the letter and spirit oi the
| contract; but they arc powcrless to hc'p
themselves. They have no money and
| can get none at rates which Will relieve
! them Wh"n Wal! %::"c. ":";!i :"":,
money the President and Secretary OF the
Treasury supply it out OF the pnb'If
treasury ; but the farmers appeal is not
heard. Give us money at rates "l ihlef-
est we can afford to- pay, take our lands
as security and our debts will be pad as
| fast as the money can bc counted. But
This is denied us, and year by year, the
tyrants grip is tightcncd Farmers
must have money with which to pay ihcl'
| debts or many Of them must lose then
homes. And this applies to all "wncs&
of land in town rs well as IN country:
for the Influence which has brought one.
half Of It's to the verge OF ium VIII, II NOT
checked. soon bring the other half there
."rhc Farmers Alliance, then. means
to dethronc the money power and thus
cmancipaic the people. This does nGt
mean anarchy, it docs not mean rcpudia-
tion. it does not mean war; it means onl )
the rule of the people. The people vii
AXE charge of their own affairs; the.
will make and issue their own money
and CHARGE borrowers only what tn
houdlipp Of it costs, Just as they now a.
with poStaIc stamps, with court house
and highways. That is the first and grca
work 70 he done With that will com
many other reforms, for every device u
villainy which is supported by the I'm
proper use Of money Will iai "hch 'h
props arc taken away"
, "And there is great social proble'
. which is left for the Alliance to solve ]
, is known in politics as the 'S"uiher
: question" II has been mace a foot-ba'
by politicians for party purposes, AM
that will settle nothing. 1t require
| broad and brothcrly treatment, and tina
t is stranger in party politics. The farm
crs will soon oblitcratc sectional Inc
and local prejudiccs will give way as 'a'
! as the national sentiment grows an
Y spreads. At the Supreme Council OF tb
e Alliance held in Ocala, Florida, last o'
2 cembcr, 81 states were represented. Nj
II ! delegates from every body of organiA'
!. farmers in the country were present
n participate or to confer. The nation
=, Alliance of colored farmers was held
- the same time and place and friend
}" greetings were exchanged. The tN
bodies represented at least $500, o
voters. Every state Alliance is auth'
izcd to admit colorcd farmers TO memb
,d shin. There is no distinction of @"
ID among Kansas alliance people"
e. destroy the influence of money
q ni.l lie affairs. restore the homestead 4