The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-10-02
DECLINE OF THE FARMERS PARTY.

One of the unmistakable signs of the
times is the decadence of the Farmers Al
lance, as a party Much of this, we think,
is due to the popular Remuneration OF the
sub-treasury loan scheme. The conviction
that the adoption of the scheme would lead
to a wild clamor for credit, and would be
marked by Partially and unfairness, and
that it could not be worked practically,
has no doubt helped largely to bring this
about. No little effect has been produced
by The lucky conjunction Of enormous crops
and an unusually large foreign demand,
which have TENDED to quiet uneasiness rel
alive 10 debts and mortgages. 1t would
seem that the more the farmers reflect on
the subject the more clearly they discover
that what they need is not favors from the
government, but fair play; notloans of the
nations money; not special class privil-
eyes, but redemption from taxes TO main
tain the special privileges Of other classes.
The American farmer could get along
very we'll if he were not compelled to carry
the American manufacturer on his should
ers. Western farmers feel this burden. 1t
gals them. They do not need the benefits
Of protective tariff, and even if they
did they could not get them, since the
crops they raise more than supply the
home market, and the supplies must be
exported TO be sold abroad where our tariff
does not apply. But they do need relief
from the high protective taxes they have
been paying for a quarter of century, and
are still paying, to favored manufacturers
of the northeast. IL is these taxes that
weigh so heavily upon them and cause it to
/ be so difficult to make both ends meet. In
plain words. the increasing tributes TO pro-
tected manufacturers which tho farmer
pays on mis- lumber, fencing wire, imple-
meuts, tools, hardware, binding Irvine,
clothing, furniturs, carpets, glassware,
earthenware, tinware, pins and needles
thread, buttons, ribbons and similar
articles, amount to more than the annual
taxes he pays for the support OF national
and local governments.
The decided stand the Democratic party
Of the union has taken On the subject OF
the tariff, is another reason for the deca-
dence Of tho Alliance, and most poten
one it is, too. Very early the Republicans
saw in the Alliance movement dangerous
advance upon their citadel 1t has engaged
a great part of their hostile fire, and the
yiciousness of the sorties has driven the
advancing forces into unexpected places
There is no common ground of concord be-
tween the Republican party and the ALI
ance. So far from this, they repel on,
another at every point, and for good ree
sons. Republicanism assumes the right t.
govern the country because it assumes +
own it. The farmers grievances hav
grown up under Republican rule, and ar
the products of Republican policies. Tn
protective system; suspension of silve
coinage; treasury fayors to New Yorl
money lenders; trusts, combines and syn
dicates-these and similar perversions o
the national power-haye developed int
vast and oppressive evils under Republican
domination and encouragement. The sign
are that the Alliance is turning as instict
lively to the Democratic party as j
turns naturally from the Republicans
The farmers can best serve their cause b
supporting the party which has stood u
for their rights and interests in the pas
and if they and the Democracy spontant
ously harmonize it is simply because the
are both engaged in fighting a commo
enemy.