The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1891-10-24
The Truth about the Farmers.
Louisville Courier Journal.

ment of the Farmers Home Journal
discusses in the current number Of
that paper 1.-THE True Province Of
the Alliance" He thinks that
province is that of an educator, or
ganizer and co-operator. The ALI
ance is not, he says, and can not be
Il political party. though it may
WELD a great influence over all par
ties.
In this non-partisan view of the
Alliance the Journal is unquestiona
bly, right. The plan of combining
all the farmers of the United States
into one political party is visionary
to the last degree. There is too
much divergence of views; too great
conflict of interests. The notion
that persons engaged in the same
business will think alike on matters
pertaining to their occupation, or on
any other subject, is altogether
baseless. Nearly every farmer be-
lieves that half of his neighbors are
incompetent to conduct their bust
ness to the best advantage, and as to
being controlled by their judgment
in politics, religion, educational in
terests, or other matters of impor
lance to him, he has no such thought.
And even if all the farmers could be
mustered into one political party,
they would still be a minority OF
the voters of the country. More
over, the majority against them is
continually Increasing, as the drift
of population is to the towns and
cities. There was time when the
agriculturists could have controlled
the country in their own interest;
but that time is past.
Thus, if the farmers of the Unit
cd States desired to take possession
of the Government and conduct it in
their own exclusive interest, they
would find the task beyond their
powers. Justice to them demands
that they do not desire to do any
thing of the kind. Some over san
guine enthusiasts among them have
had dreams of that sort, but the ma
jority of the farmers know that a
great country like ours can not be
controlled by men ofone occupation,
and that it ought not to be. They
are content to be on an equality
with others of their fellow country
men. and if they complain it is be-
couse they believe themselves the
victims of unjust discrimination
not because they are not in posi-
tion unjustly to discriminate against
others.
The short experience of the Alli-
ance shows that persistence in the
attempt to use it as political agency
will result in its going to pieces.
BY its constitution it is non pollti-
cal, or, at least, non. partisan or
ganization, and when this provision
is eliminated, if the politicians prove
strong enough to eliminate it, a
large part of the members will go
with it.
As an educational agency the Al
lance might be made very effective.
The demand for intelligent methods
Of culture is already pressing and as
the natural fertility of our soil suf
fers further exhaustion it becomes
more and more imperative. By
promoting interchange OF views,
stimulating inquiry, and bringing
the results of individual experience
and experiment into a common fund
for the benefit of all, farmers Or
ganization may do much to advance
the interests of its members. In the
matter of cooperation it may also
do something if kept within practi-
cable limits. The experience of
other organizations conduces to show
that it is easy to devise cooperative
projects that are too ambitious, and
that it is not possible for any set of
men to combine advantageously all
departments of human industry.
Subject, however, to reasonable limi-
tations, and profiting by the lesson
of former failures, an organization
of the tillers of the soil might derive
from cooperation great many bene-
fits.
1t is not for the farmers of the
country to mix their business with
politics, Nevertheless they are
largely interested in political mat
tiers, and should study the effect of
public measures upon their interests
and those OF the rest of the country.
If they find themselves the victims
of unjust laws they should cooper
ate, as individuals, with that party
that is seeking to redress their griev-
ances and to secure equal rights to
all. Whenever they go into scram-
BILE for exclusive privileges for them
selves, they will not only fail to OBJ
tain them, but will put themselves
at a disadvantage in their struggle
for justice and equality.
Serious Danger
Threatens every man, woman OF
child living in region of country
where fever and ague is prevalent