Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-01-22
THE FARMERS ALLIANCE
1t Has a Firm Foothold in
Delaware,
AND is LIKELY TO INCREASE
How 1t May Affect the Next
State Election.
fhe Men in the Movement Say They
Mean Business and Will Work for the
Interest of the Farmers--A Legislator
Who Returned His Railroad Pass.
stan Correspondence Of Gazette and rourra

uOunCeHenl OF inc 1OfmatlOn mere oil d
local branch of the Farmers Alliance
was somewhat of surprise to the gen.
eral public, an investigation reveals the
fact that the order has had foothold in
Delaware for nearly q year and has
good prospects of spreading rapidly in
the near future. The branch organized
In Dover this week started with ID
members, all good, solid, substantial
farmers, and was Differed as follows
President, ]. Alexander Fulton; Vice
president, Robert Raughley; Secretary
Andrew Slaughter; Treasurer, George A.
Millington.
"Yes, sir, the Alliance is here and has
come to stay" remarked a prominent
member OF the Dover Alliance to the
GAZETT's correspondent yesterday.
And then he proceeded to detail III
length the objects and prospects of the
new and influential organization of
farmers. Its principal object, he said,
IS to better the condition of the farmer,
which is now poor enough, in all con
science, as far as the average agricultur-
ct is concerned. 1t includes all the
beneficial features of the grange and the
farmers institutes, combined with a
number of other very attractive fea-
lures. Its political attitude, he
held, was q matter of secondary con-
sideration, although if occasion demands
the Alliance will not hesitate to take a
hand in Delaware politics as it has
already so successfully done in South
Carolina, Kansas and other states. 1t is
asocial, protective organization, opposed
to monopolies, beneficial, and trimming
tstth ~
and symbols by which members can
recognize each other the world over
With its attractive principles and its
firm, unalterable intention to take adj
vantage of every opportunity to advance
the interests of the farmers, it is ex-
pected that the Alliance will prove popu-
lar in Delaware, especially at this time,
when the agricultural interests
are suffering from combination
of adverse circumstances that
have continued uninterruptedly for
more than two years. "The farmers
of Delaware as a Glass; continued my
informant, "have not only made no
money for several years, but they have
been positively getting poorer, until now
their condition is little short of DIES.
perate. The Alliance may not make
them richer, but it will not hurt them
by any means. 1t is an organization of
the agricultural interests for mutual pro-
lection, the same as other business in
erests organize, and will probably be
attended with like beneficial results.
The farming interest is the greatest in
the country, and there is no reason why
it should not be organized for self-pro-
lection"
us there any intention to make the
Alliance in this county mere political
organization Of Salisbury Democrats :"
was pointedly asked.
mo, sir" was the emphatic response,
lit is Farmers Alliance organization,
as earnest and sincere as any that exist
in Democratic South Carolina or Repub-
lican Kansas. II means business for the
farmers, first, last and all the time.'
HOW IT HAS SPREAD.
from another prominent member
some points were CLEANED about the
origin and spread of the order in this
State. 1t reached over into Delaware
from the Maryland counties along the
state line, and the first organization in
Kent county was made at Vernon, Mis-
.pillion hundred, in May, 1890 Mispil-
lion hundred now has four Alliances,
with 135 members, and the organization
at Dover makes the five which are
necessary to authorize a county organi-
cation. The Mispillion hundred branches
are located at Vernon, Masten's Corners,
Pennington and Marshy Hope. The
county. organization will probably be
effected III a few weeks. There are
four local branches in Sussex county
and when one more is started
county organization will be
formed, after which Kent and Sussex
Will unite in State organization. Ar
rangements are now under way to push
the movement into New Castle county,
and it is hoped to soon have farmers
from all parts of the State interested in
the new movement. The objects of the
order, my informant stated, are to better
the condition of the farmers and espec-
tally to oppose the exactions of monopo-
lies and to equally distribute the burden
of taxation. AS to politics, he said the
membership was open to members of all
political parties. Thus far a majority
of the Mispillion hundred members are
Democrats, simply because that hundred
Us Democratic by large majority.
lext State election ?" was asked.
swell, yes, it is, to some extent" was
the reply. "By that time | think the
Alliance will be strong enough to hold
the balance Of power between the two
leading political parties. 1t may not
take a hand by nominating distinctive
Alliance candidates for the various
Offices, but il will at least be in posi-
ton to insist upon the nomination, by
both OF the great political parties, of
men who will see that justice is melted
out to the farming interests of tho State.
And II 1t becomes necessary he CON
tinued, with impressive significance,
"the Alliance will not only put ticket
in the field, but will elect it,
This gentleman, by the way, although
l am not at liberty TO mention his name
in this connection, is man who has
been a leader in Democratic politics
for years, and has carried his hundred |
with him time and again. The political |
efforts of the Alliance, he said, il they
were exerted at all, would be directed |
more particularly to county than to
State nominations, as the farmers are
more interested in the levy courts, which
Impose county taxes, than in the Legis-
lature, which imposes no State tax on
real estate. Still, the Alliance will keep
an eye on the men nominated for the |
Legislature, as State legislation has
material bearing upon the interests of
the agricultural classes.
IN speaking of the objects and prin-
clpies OF the Alliance, my informant said
tnat' tne wild cat sub-treasury scheme
was not included among them. 1t was
popular with members in the south and |
West pun was not included in the tenets
OF the order. He did not think the sub
in Delaware.