davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-05-22
A Roast for Dana.

The Southern Alliance Farmer, official
organ of the state Alliance of Georgia,
is bitter in its denunciation of Charles
A. Dana, of the New York Sun, who
jumped on the Alliance in a recently
published interview. Editorially The
Farmer, in recent issue, says:
In the first place, Mr.. Dana knows
nothing of the Alliance save what he
reads in the partisan press. He lives in
the city of New York, and we doubt if
he ever spoke to a genuine farmer in his
life, much less freely mingled with this
honored class, that he could study their
needs and inform himself on their polit-
ical views. Dana is without doubt edi-
tor Of the most disreputable daily paper
in New York or the whole country. He
depends for his patronage upon hood
lCms and toughs Of that city, and it is
his business to pander to their venal and
depraved literary taste. He is as treach-
erous as an Indian, and will knife alike
party or friend if his personal pique or
interest dictates. The paper that Mr..
Dana edits is a fit representative of that
great city. He is devoid of either soul
or principle, and reeks with corruption
of the sewerage on which he feeds and
fattens.
The editor of The Sun is as change
able as chameleon, and is true to moth
ing but his vile passions and unreason-
able prejudices. Abuse from such ipsis
the highest encomium that our organ.
iZatiOn can receive. and let us saw if
there is an Alliance man in Georgia
taking the New York Sun he should at
once discontinue the vile and SANDER
GUS sheet, for it is edited by journal
istic thug
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-05-22
The Alliance on the Kauawha.


A Wheeling travelling man, who Wis
its or has correspondents in every county
and nearly all the principal towns in
West Virginia, has for some weeks been
endeavoring to ascertain the strength of
the Farmers Alliance in the state. His
reports show a membership of $1,000, or
nearly II per cent. of the total vote of
1888. Of this the Republicans contribute
II per cent, the Democrats per cent.
and the Prohibitionists and Greenback-
ers per cent.
This man claims that 40 per cent. of
the Democrats and 8 per cent. Of
the Republicans favor the Alliance, but
decline to agree to join the order or vote
the ticket.
If the association increases in strength
as rapidly within the next year as it has
increased during the past six months it
will in 1892 be stronger than either the
Republican or Democratic parties
Special to New York World.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-05-22
The Condition in California.

The mortgages on farm lands are in
creaslng in numbers at a very rapid rate
throughout the United States. and Cali
fornia is not better than the rest of the
Union in this respect. During the last
two years the mortgages upon the real
estate of California, outside OF San Fran
cisco, increased about $21 ,000,0 900, while
the improvements, such as the erection
of buildings, fences, etc., made upon the
same real estate amounted in value to
about s., 100000. 1t is plain, therefore,
that, while the people of the country dis
tricts of this state have borrowed $751;
600, 900, they have spent only $4,000, 600
in such improvements as we have men
toned. What have they done with the
rest of the money they borrowed. We
think it probable that this question can
be truly answered by saying that the
farmers, being unable to make living
for themselves and their families by their
labor, are compelled to live on their
capital.
1t is said that the average annual in
come of the American farmer is only
$500. This represents not only the
fruits of his own labor, but that of his
wife and family as we'll. It is said, Also
that while the farmers are paying from
to 10 per cent. for the use of money,
their average profits do not amount to
more than per cent. on the capital in
vested. 1t can easily be seen that, if a
farmer pays out per cent. every year,
and takes in only per cent, he must in
crease the principal which he owes to
the money lender by mortgaging his
land for more and more money, until he
loses it altogether.-San Francisco Argo-
uaut.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-05-22
The Alliance in New England.

The Alliance In New England.
The Boston Advertiser thinks it sssome-
what of novel happening for the repre-
sentatives of the Farmers Alliance to go
proselyting in New England, as they are
now doing" Our contemporary says that
the advent of Mr.. Jerry Simpson. who is
now preaching the gospel of the farmers
to the staid New Englanders, ''seems in
congruors."
Perhaps it does. But the fact remains
that Mr.. Simpson and his followers are
making Roadway with the New England
voters. They have literally captured the
country, and compelled the recognition
which has been so stubbornly denied
them by the press of that section.
The Boston Advertiser has ridiculed
the farmers movement and refused toI
recognize its strength and Importance.
It has made light of the Alliance in the
south and west, and predicted that the
order would not result in good to the
country. The Alliance has seemed al
small affair to our contemporary, I'M
worthy of more than passing note. But
now that it has entered the gates of New
England it seems formidable affair,
which will not down at the bidding of a
newspaper, but threatens to become cpl
demic on quarantined ground. 1t has
gained the recognition it deserves, and
here it is in the Advertisers own words:
No one will deny that the gentlemen who
have seen fit to inaugurate the Farmers ALI
ance movement in New England are men Of
considerable mental power and men who are
thoroughly in earnest. They are at least en-
titled to a respectful hearing, and can speak
for themselves. They represent an Important
factor in American politics of today, and their
influence in the next congress will be evident,
in the legislation which that congress enacts.
Their visit to New England therefore. is GER
tainly an event worthy of notice, whatever
may be its results. However much the east
may condemn the Objectionable propaganda of
the Farmers Alliance, it will not do to depend
upon ignoring or ridiculing those doctrines.
They must be met fairly as living issues, and
must be defeated by argument and common
effort.
1t is ndisputable that the coming congress
is much more friendly toward the Alliance
than was it's predecessor, and it is
still an open question whether the Fifty-third
congress will not adopt that programme 1t is
very evident, therefore, that the gentlemen
who spoke yesterday at Concord, N. H., as
of the Farmers Alliance move
menC represent no cOntemptlb bic or insignificant
party. They are neither fools nor madmen,
but are shrewd. capable and prominent in
their party.
1t is no wonder that The Boston Ad-
vertiser and other New England news
papers are veering round and wonder-l
ing what the outcome will be. If the.
Alliance accomplishes nothing else, it
will have gained recognition in the
camps of the enemy, where it's leaders
have planted their standard and hadE
their claims allowed -Atlanta Consti-
tution
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-05-22
Avoiding Taxation,

The following is taken from letter
written by an officer of the Alliance in
Ohio: We do not want to bring on a
fight between the farmer and the manu-
facturer. We should be CO workers. We
have supported the manufacturer in the
years that are gone; we have made him
a great deal more wealthy than we are
ourselves; we have given him some of
our noblest sons, but the time has come
when he certainly must do the fair thing
and submit to be taxed equally with the
farmer. The idea of him working all
year in making different parts of ma
chinery and then going to work after
Jan. setting them up and finishing
them until his shops and warerooms are
crowded with the finished products, and
he 60 free of taxation on all this wealth!
It was a specimen Of supreme impu-
dence.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-05-22
Against the Cincinnati Conference.

The National Economist is opposed to
the conference called for May 10, and
predicts its utter failure. Among other
things on the subject recent issue con-
tanned the following:
What organizations are behind it?
What element of the reform movement
does it represent, and why is it demand
ed? Let every member of the K. of l..
Farmers Alliance, white or colored, Cit
liens Alliance, or any other true reform
er, ask and answer for himself these
questions before he goes into spasms
over this proposed meeting. The
time for hurrah conferences is
at an end. They have cursed the
people long enough. It is not agita-
ton the people want, it is education on
correct lines. What will be the result of
this meeting? Of what will the SUBJ
stance consist when the froth and en-
thusiasm have blown off? Who will be
there that represent organized labor?
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-05-22
THE MORTGAGE.

] he bought in 1865 a farm of stumps and stones
His name was God-Be Glorified. his surname i
was Jones.
He put a mortgage on the farm, and then il
conscious pride,
I'm twenty years I'll pay it up" said Cobb
Glorified.
The mortgage had a hungry nav that swal
lowed corn and wheat;
He toiled with patience night and day to lie
the monster eat;
HE slowly worked himself to death, and on tn,
calm hillside
They laid beyond the monsters reach root
God-Be Glorified.
And the farm with all its membranes O.
mortgages, stumps and stones,
It fell to young Melchizedek Paul Adonirau
Melchizedek was likely youth, a holy godly
man,
And he vowed to raise that mortgage like q
noble Puritan.
And he went forth every morning to the rug.
ged mountain side,
And he dug, as dug before him poor old God
Be Glorifed.
He raised pumpkins and potatoes down the
monsters throat to pour;
He gulped them down and smacked his jaws
andcalmly asked for more.
He worked until his back was bent, until his
hair was gray;
On the hillside through snowdrift they dug
his grave one day!
His first born son, Eliphalet, had no timc to
weep and brood,
For the monster by his doorstep growled for
ever for his food.
He fed him on his garden truck, he stuffed his
ribs with hay.
And he fed him eggs and butter, but he would
not go away:
And Eliphalet he staggered with the burden,
and then died.
And slept with old Melchizedek and God-Be
Glorifed.
Then the farm it fell to Thomas and from
Thomas fell to John.
Then from John to Eleazur, but the mortgage
still lived on.
Then it fell to Ralph and Peter. Eli. Absalom
and Paul:
Down through all the generations. but the
mortgage killed them all!
About a score of years ago the farm came
down to Jim,
And Jim called in the mortgage and gave the
farm to him.
There's no human heart SO empty that it has
no ray of hope,
So jim gave up the ancient farm and went to
making soap.
He grew fifty millionaire, bloated. pamper-
ed nature;
He owned ten railroads, twenty mines and the
whole state Legislatures;
And thousands did his gruff commands and
lived upon his bounty;
And he came home, bought back the farm and
the entire county.
IS. w. Foss in Yankee Blade,
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-05-22
Where They Disagreed.

After accepting the resignation of The
Mississippian as official organ the full
committee of the Alliance signed the fol-
lowing: In accepting the above resig-
nation by majority of the committee
it is distinctly understood by each and
every member of the state Alliance ex-
ecutive committee that the only differ
ence of opinion between the editors of
The Mississippian and said committee is
solely and exclusively in reference to the
sub treasury plan, and not for want of
fealty to white supremacy on the part
of said committee.-Jackson (Miss. Dis
patch.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-05-22
The Kind OF Men They Are.

The Alliance state convention in this
city was remarkable in many respects.
Creston is the metropolis of the blue
grass region of southwest Iowa, which
has always been stronghold of anti
monopoly. There was very little adj
vertising of the convention, and very
few of the citizens of Creston knew that
they were being honored with their first
state convention. Yet there was large
attendance, and three days session Of
profound interest to all the participants.
To those who closely observed the charac-
ter of the men who attended this con-
vention there was a revelation of the
secret of the strength of the Alliance
movement. They were representative
farmers of influence and strength.
Every delegate was man whose face
showed not only intelligence but reso-
lutte earnestness of purpose. One of the
most gni6cant features about these men
was the fact that they were men of
means-the business men of the agri-
cultural classes. Not one Of them was
rich, as that term is now understood,
but they had obtained success in farming
by their own talents and energy, despite
the obstacles which class legislation has
thrown across their paths. Another
characteristic of the men in attendance
upon the Creston convention is worthy
of note. Four-ffths of them stopped at
cheap hotels and boarding houses, and
not one of them patronized the numer-
GUS drinking resorts which abound in
this progressive city. Frugality and
temperance are the rule of life among
the leaders of the Farmers Alliance.
These we'll to do farmers who practice
frugality and temperance and who are
the leaders of this great movement are
personally unselfish men who have con-
secrated ''their lives, their fortunes and
their sacred honor" to the cause of their
less fortunate brethren. Their leaders
are not Office seeking demagogues, as
has often been charged. At the very in
ception of the movement these would be
leaders were shelved as back numbers,
and are only used occasionally for refer
Cor. Chicago Herald.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-05-22

ports and tonnage of the empirewere
more than doubled in that period"
Mhe United States from 1861 to
1879 had not a dollar of gold and
silver in circulation and during the
decade from 1860 to 1870 while en-
gagged in the greatest war in the
worlds history the people of the
United States built more furnaces,
rolling mills, factories, vessels, and
more miles OF railroad and telegraph
than in all the years of it's existence
before that time.
How silly in view of these historical
facts for men to say that money
without intrinsic" value whatever
that may mean Injuries business or
threatens the safety of a country?
The panic of 1873 in the United
States was caused by theeontraction
of the currency under the plea of re-
sumption and the same thing took
place in England. Doubleday says
in his Financial History of England:
GAS the memorable LIST of Nav,
1928, drew near, the country bankers
as well as the bank of England, nat
urally prepared themselves by a
gradual narrowing of their ecircula-
ton, for the dreaded hour of gold and
silver payments 'on demand, and the
withdrawal of the small notes. We
have already seen the fall in prices
produced by this universal narrowing
OF the paper circulation.
The distress, ruin and bankruptcy
which now took place were universal,
affecting both the great interests OF
land and trade, but among the land
lords whose estates were burdened Dy
mortgages, jointures, settlements,
legacies, etc., the effects were most
marked and out OF the ordinary
course. In hundreds of cases, from
the tremendous reduction in the price
OF land which now took place, the es-
tates barely sold for as much as
would pay off the mortgages; and
hence the owners were strip ped of all
and made beggars. Robert Schil-
ling.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-05-22
The Great Cincinnati Conference
1900 Representatives Of the Bone
and Sinew Of tho Nation
Gather Together.
Hon. Ignatius Donnelly Elected
Chairman of the Committee
on Resolutions.

CINCINNATI, May 10, Especial. 1.-The
great conference assembled in Music
hall at 2p.m. The convention opened
with the singing of America. After
prayer by Rev. D. T. Foster, Capt. c.
A. Powers read the call and the vari-
Gus organizations rose to their feet
as they were called, applause greeting
the appearance OF the ex-Federal and
Confederate soldiers, also the Far
mers' Alliance, which showed great
strength. Next came the Citizens
Alliance and the K. OF L.. Charles
Cunningham, of Arkansas, was intro
duced as temporary chairman, and
0. B. Jones, OF Missouri, was chosen
temporary secretary. Delegates from
Ohio, Tennessee, California, Louis
ana, Kansas, Illinois and Minnesota
favor the third party movement.
The Minnesota delegates were unani-
nous in their action. Miss Eva
Mcdonald was declared not eligible
as a delegate, twenty-five to one, hav-
ing; been appointed by the defunct
campaign committee, of which Car
rington Phelps was chairman and
Albert Warren, secretary. Said cam
paign committee was unanimously
denounced.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-05-22

Nobody except a few cunning bene-
ficiaries knew of the act till long af-
terward. There was no public dis
cussion of the ques ton, for nobody
knew of it. There was no honest
reason for passing it.
President Grant, who signed the
bill, did not know he was approving
an act that demonetized silver. The
Speaker of the House did not know
it. 1t is not certain that any mem
Der OF the House except Mr.. Hooper,
of Massachusetts,, who had charge OF
the bill. and possibly one or two
others of the committee, knew that
it demonetized silver, and it is pretty
well settled that no one in the Senate
but Mr.. SHERMAN, who had charge of
the bill in that body, knew that the
bill changed the money standard OF
the United States from gold and sill
yer to gold alone.
The act was undoubtedly a foreign
device. 1t came from Lombard
Street, and whatever London advises
Wall Street accepts, and Congress, if
it relates to the finances, usually car
ries out.
But whoever is responsible for the
act, it was fraud upon the people
an act which at one stroke increased
enormously the public debt and
changed every contract involving
the payment OF money in the United
States. 1t was an act that no more
admits of justification than spolia
ton or piracy.
Somebody ought to be held respon-
sible. Mr.. Hooper, of Massachusetts,
Mr.. Sherman, of Ohio, Director Lin
derholm, and John Jay Knox, of
New York, seem thus far to be the
only ones who knew just what was
going on in Congress. Were these
representatives of the people dupes
of cunning, far-seeing spectators, or
did they themselves comprehend the
true economic significance of the plum
dering scheme they ioiste.l on the
country? This is for them to answer.
The people have themselves to
blame for submitting as long as they
have to the great wrong thus perpe-
trated npon them.-Robert Schilling.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-05-22

A proposition to directly increase
the bonded debt of the United States,
or any other debts, would have been
too bare faced a fraud to be made by
any one. Nor would any one have
dared to propose an increase in the
weight of coins as a means Ofincreas-
ing debts, but if one of the money
metals could be dropped out the
effect on the other and on debts
would be the same as if the weight of
coins had been increased. Hence the
device to demonetize silver and in
that way to increase the value of
money, and with it all debts, was
brought forward and clandestinely
put through Congress.
The following was given in an Ad-
dress at Easton Lodge, England,
October 4, 1889:
The national debts of Europe had
all been contracted in silver and
could have been properly liquidated
in silver. Suddenly, and without a
word of warning, every contract in
Europe was violated by the closure
of every mint to silver. Still, it is
only when We pass on to the dead
done at Washington that the silver
question fairly energies as the big
gest and the best planned financial
coup of the century. The whole affair
was vast lob" and believe that
any grand jury would find true bill
on the evidence that comes. to us
from America. MORETON FREwEN.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
Nobody publicly petitioned for
such a change in the money standard.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1891-03-10

THE state-house affairs at Topeka
are being investigated, and it has
been ascertained that many thou
sands of dollars of the peoples
money have been wasted-stolen-
by the rotten state house ring that
has had charge of the construction
of the building. There is doubt
that number of those leeches have
made snug fortunes out of it, at the
expense Of the taxpayers OF the
state. Bear in mind, reader, that
this was all done under Republican
rule, and Republican leaders have
put their hands into your pockets
and stolen your money. While the
farmer tolls in the field, and lives
economically in order scrape togeth-
er money enough to pay his taxes,
these thieving nabobs sit back in
their easy-chairs and absorb the
peoples hard-earned money.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1891-03-10
AN old farmer said to us, yester-

AN old farmer said to us, yester-
day: II see it claimed by some Of
the papers that free coinage would
cause foreigners to bring their silver
to this country and get the benfit OF
the law-speculate on foreign silver
to the detriment of this country.
No doubt they might do SO, in a
degree, but if a silver dollar con-
tanned a hundred cents worth OF
silver, the dollar would be worth no
more to them than it's weight in
bullion. This would certainly pre-
vent the speculation prated about
by the enemies of free coinage"
The old farmer is right about it.
And if the fellows who howl so
loudly about a "gold standard"
"fiat money" etc., are right, the
silver dollar should have hundred
cents worth of silver in it to bring
it up to their professed standard Of
"honest money"
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1891-03-10

The Republican senate OF this
state is a barrier to any financial
or transportation legislation that
will relieve the people. They will
defeat any measure that will reduce
interest, punish usury, or compel
money-loaners to pay their portion
of the taxes. The national Repub-
lican and Democratic parties abso-
lutely refuse to give the country a
larger volume Of currency, and they
will continue to do so until the
bond-holders and money-loaners get
possession of all the lands, farms
and homes, unless the people who
have produced the wealth of this
country, fought it's battles and
earned every dollar that the million
aires NOW possess, refuse to sup
port subsidized newspapers, and to
vote for either Of the two old par
ties.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1891-03-10
CLEVELAND, O., March l, '91.


At a conference held to-day at
Bland & Heller's Hall, by delegates
from twenty-five labor organic
atoms to confer as to the policy to
be adopted by organized labor for
the coming spring campaign the
following action was taken and
ordered submitted to the various
organizations
WHEREAS, The evils and oppres-
sions under which the common
people are grooming are due to class
legislation enacted by the agents of
the classes organized as Democratic
and Republican machines, and
WHEREAS, There is no hope Of
wrestling these political machines
from the plutocrats who own and
run them for their own profit, except
by organizing party of and for
the masses and voting both these
old machines out of Office,
Resolved, That we recommend
that the wealth-producing classes Of
Cleveland strike unitedly at the
ballot-box, as the farmers of Kansas
have, to make the municipal admin
istration of this city an administra-
ton Of and for the people, instead
of, of and for and by railroad boss
es, contractors and other parasites
on the body polite.
Those of you who endorse the
above action are requested to send
delegates with credentials to Sec
ond conference to be held at room
80, Bland & Heller's block, No. 374
Ontario St., March IS, at 3 p. m.,.
to arrange for the calling of con-
vention to nominate full independ-
ent ticket to put before the voters
Of Cleveland at the coming election.
JOHN KIRCHER, Pres't.
J. j. DEAN, Sec'y.
"a Pelton Ave.