Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-09-25
FARMERS ALLIANCE COLUMN.
Abandoned Lands.

be abandoned, according to the
Boston Herald, in Massachusetts, no
less than in Vermont and New Hamp-
shire. The Herald recommends a
commission to look these lands up
and advertise them, with the hope
that they will be taken up again by
native New Englanders who would
again make them attractive homes.
1t is said that the cause of the aban
donment of New England farms is
the eager desire of New England fami-
lies to make money. Why, then. are
not these farms taken up by others,
as fast as abandoned. who will be
satisfied with comfortable homes and
livings i'm return for frugal industry
and economy rs Of yore? 1t is in vain
to extenuate the matter. The truth
can not be hid. New England farms
no longer yield living even to an in
dustIious. skilled. and economical
cultivator There they have pro
agriculture perishing? and why are
their protected industries being trans
planted to the South? And yet,
again, why are her people unable to
see that false craftsmanship is desc
lating their fair land and destroying
| the homes of the people? Their
policy has created class of gold
barons; usurers, with their creatures,
living in splendid cities, whose inferior
quarters are overcrowded with their
industrial slaves, whose ration is
brought from the Far West, the
product of the toll OF other slaves,
while the surrounding farms and gar
dens and orchards are lying waste
and ruinous. 1t is Fl ON plutocratic
slavery that the sons of the Puritans
lave fled. And the daughters Of the
far-famed Puritan maidens, where are
they? Whittier have they fled from
the slavery ut home? Without re-
versal of such policy catastrophe
of some sort can not long be delayed.
The craftsmanship which seeks a
remedy for such state of affairs in
force bills, and Harrison, and election
plots, and the manipulation Of tariff
schedules, is lamentably and criminal
" fatuous and blind. Such funda-
mental industrial conditions must be
permanently established as will
eaualize the burdens of life upon the
basis of equal rights for all, special
privileges for none, or the social fab
rio will collapse, with what attendant
horrors no man can foretell.
The people have ascertained that
the existence of nine million mort
cages on the homes of our citizens is
the result of a union OF the financial
and political powers; the people also
perceive that the increase Of the vol
ume of money $37 per capita means a
reduction Of their Indebtedness S37 per
capita or, in other words, Offering a
premium Of 1886 for each vote for the
land loan plank In the sub-treasury
plan. They are convinced that the
plank referring to non-perishable
farm products will produce stability
Of prices, which is equivalent to pre-
MUM of 500 for every vote for that
plank. Is it reasonable to suppose
that sensible people will neg lect to
vote for such reasonable reforms
Sound reason teaches the people that
the Alliance sub-treasury plan will
| take the control of the volume Of
money out of the hands of politicians
and designing tinanciers, and place
| it under the control of productive
labor: in short, it will make corn
wheat, oats, cotton and tobacco the
masters of money, and the producers
of these products free men. The
people also see clearly that the adop-
| ton Of the sub-treasury plan will
make nearly every county manu-
featuring and financial center, and
that then, and not until then, can we
have local lf-government. Con-
gressmen and others who oppose the
sub treasury plan are unable to meet
the arguments of its dvocates or to
offer any plan Of their own. They
are forced to demagogue around and
play on sectional prejudices; the
people, seeing it, are rapidly becom-
ing Disguised with them and are de-
terrnined to retire them, and send
men to Congress who will legislate for
the people, instead of for Wall and
Lombar I'd stree .-Ertract from Harry
Tracys letter in Southern Mercury