Los Angeles herald., 1891-01-20
THE ALLIANCE.
THE FARMERS APPEAR TO MEAN
BUSINESS NOW.
What President Cannon Has to Say of
Their Plans and Prospects As Matters
Stand Now.

President Marion Cannon OF th'
Farmers Alliance in California, came il
from his home in Ventura county yes
terday, and took rooms at the Natick
A HERALD reporter found him there
about 10 O'Clock last night. and had {
chat of fifteen minutes with him. HI
stated that this visit is to instruct the
officers of the organization in some new
work for the meetings. The national
Z assembly at Ocala, Florida, made many
changes in the ritual, and he is giving
this work to the officers. Two meetingf
were held, one in the afternoon and one
at night. Today he gees to Santa Ana
to do the same work there.
The reporter asked him why their
meetings were in the nature of secret
organization, and with a knowing twin
kle OF the eye he replied that there are
good reasons for keeping their purposes
to themselves for the present, and that
of course these reasons cannot be made
public. He went on to say that while
the organization is purely non-partisan.
that its aims are pOlitical-that is, its
purpose is to get such legislation passed
as will guard the interests of the farm
ers. 1t is not the purpose to form q
separate political party at present, nor
at any time If their aims can be reached
through either Of the two great national
parties. For instance, the national
government and that of the state
of California are now in the hands
OF the Republican party. The Alliance
will ask for certain legislation at the
hands OF those in office. II this ia OBJ
tanned the Alliance will be content; but
if this is refused few farmers will remain
Republicans any longer. A change of
parties will be effected by the farmer
vote.
The reporter asked what was the ma
ture of tho relief demanded at this time.
Mr.. Cannon replied that the farmers ask
relief in three directions. The first
is in the tariff schedule. 1t discrimin-
ates against the farmers interests as at
present arranged.
The reporter at this point interrupt
ted to ask what party the speaker
was Of, and being told that he was
Democrat the reporter reminded the
granger that the farmers voted very gen.
orally the Republican ticket two years
ago, when the tariff was the main issue.
He replied that he was quite aware of
that, but said he was speaking now not
as Q Democrat but as an Alliance man.
The farmers have learned better than
they knew two years ago. They are al
most all low tariff men now. 1t does
not much matter what party man had
been of, he is now for low tariff if he is
farmer.
The next measure of relief that the far.
mers want is the passage of a free coinage
bill. They want larger measure OF circu-
lating medium than there is
now, and they demand the priv
ilege of coming all the gold
and silver mined in the country. Ii
the Republican house of representatives
defeat the senate bill, or if Harrison
vetoesit, the Republican party will be
responsible. Next year another attempt
will be made to pass such a bill through
congress, and Mr.. Harrison will have to
veto it again. Then in 1892 there will
be reckoning had. If one party will
not stand fairly by the farmers inter-
ests, an appeal will be made to the other.
If both prove false, the farmers will
know what to do in 1892.
Mr.. Cannon pointed to the vote of
last fall in such states as Michigan and
Minnesota as instances of the independ-
.ence and power of the farmer vote. He
pointed out the fact that if the election
OF president should be thrown into the
house in 1893, that the vote of Mime
sofa would be three Democrats to two
Republicans.
The reporter asked if the alliance men
in Kansas were going to elect Ingalls, to
the senate. He said by no meane
would they. He had letter last week
from the vice-president Of the National
Alliance, which said that any alliance
man who should vote for Ingalls, would
have to leave Kansas. The letter went
on to say that there were eleven
Democrats in the lower house
who would all vote for ingalls,. The
Republican national committee is said
to be ready with half q million dollars te
secure the reelection of Ingalls,.
The third measure OF relief demanded
by the farmers is the regulation of rail
roads in such way as to reach the enc
in view. 1t does q farmer little good Il
raise $lO,0 worth of beans, or wheat
or barley. if the railroad charges $4,000
to haul the stuff to market.
Another feature of the Alliance is
business one. The farmers propose t.
meetand learn how much Of any crop they
will have. They will then send word tt
dealers where the goods may be oh
tanned, and proceed to get fair pric'
for their crops. They will buy farm i'm
plements direct from the makers, bu
they will not 60 into general lnerchan
dizing in the country tewns.
There are now 1000 and upwards
members of the alliance in this state
and by October there will be 30, 900
Oregon and other northwestern state
are clamoriDg to come in, and will b
organized in the summer. There is
social side to the meetings that is YER
pleasant, and all the farmers Of th
whole country are sure to join.
a Woud a rfn1 MachSne