Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-08-22
STIRRED UP A ROW.
Kansas Alliance Leaders Don't
Seem to Agree.
MGRATH TIRES OF CALAMITY TALK

A Spirited Debate as to Whether the
Grasshopper State Changers Are Bank
rupt-Some Odious Reflections on Ag-
ricuitura! NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Adop-
ted in Favor OF Dispensing with Mid
dlemen and Buying by Cooperation
Advised to Hold Wheat
Topeka, Kan Aug. 22-Frank Nc.
Grath, president of the Farmers Alliance
Of Kansas, stirred up a big row in he
Alliance Commercial convention yester-
day. He declared that it was time for
them TO quit bowling about calamity and
talking reputation. He said his office
was besieged with letters every dag from
people in the east who wanted to know
whether the Kansas farmers are really
regulators and whether they really in
tended to confiscate everything that did
not belong 90 them. OF course he had to
write back to these inquirers that the tax
about repnd jation was ali wind or seusa-
tional lies from the newspapers of their
enemies. He thoUght it was time to al It
talking about starving farmers of Kansas
and tell the truth
Views of "CaIamityite."
Most of his remarks were directed at
Fred 5. Bailey. Alliance lecturer, who
had made the opening speech, and had
roasted the loan companies very severely.
caiamityite answered McGrath His
idea was that the mort gage men were ras-
Gals, and the Kansas people were none too
hard on that. He would place matters in
such shape the loan company could take
no advantage OF the farmers, and thought
talking calamity was all right. Bailey
said that the Alliance people were not re-
pudiators, bat they proposed TO keep even
with the loan companies. It looked for u
time rs though McCirath was getting the
worst of 1t.
Where the Nj ortgagor Was Cute"
But Hammers, of Kiowa county, came
to his rescue. and read statistics showing
that Bailey had overestimated the farm,
ers' Indebtedness. Easter, of Usage took
up McGrath's side declaring there were
Just as big rascals among the farmers
SIS here were among the moneyed men.
He told Of numerous instances where
men mOrtga"ed their farms for more than
they cost them, lived on them a long as
the mortgage would allow, let everything
so to rack ana ruin and only moved off
when the mortgage was foreclosed.
Came Near Having scrap"
At this point Noah Allen. of Wichita,
finding that McGrath was getting the bet
ter Of the fight, went for the state presi-
dent. He was not a repudiator. but if
saving the property of the mor,Cagor
debtor from the avariCe OF the money
loaner was reputation he would reputii-
ate. The row became very personal and
for few minutes il was thought Me
Grath and Bailey would engage in per
a on h., I..I
some time and during the talk, when IT
became more calm. the farmers were earn
estly advised to hold their wheat until
next May or June
The Resolutions Adopted
Finally resolutions were adopted saying
that as in the Alliance Mutual Benefit
association, the American Live Stock as
ISOLATION, the Alliance Exchange company,
the Alliance Benefit society, The Farmers
Alliance Benefit association, and the Mu-
tual Protective association we have COOP
erative organizations worthy the conf
dence and support of every good citizen.
therefore, resolved. that further enterprise
in the direction of com bined effort by the
people to transact their own business with
their own capita! in all directions in which
successful effort can be made are just and
necessary. and deserves the encou rare
ment aud CO operation of all good citi-
Zens
Devised a Cooperative Plan.
a plan was devised for forming Ma
tional Union company and. if successful,
will build up the biggest trust ever organ
lied in this country. The National Union
company has been chartered in New York.
with a capita. stock of $50. coo 600, of which
81, GJ0U0O, II j. said, Is already paid up
The plan l. to put a cooperative store IN
every town in the west and northwest
and, if possible, i'll every town in the
Union, TO be run on the same plan Is tie
Alliance exchange.
Some Further Details of the scheme.
Each town j. 10 have a resident mana
ger. who is to have charge of the store and
has a vote in the meetings of the company.
Goods are to be purchased by regular
agents in large quantities and shipped
direct from the centers OF distributing
points 10 every store The distribu, ing
points are to be New York. Chicago, Kan
sas City, New Orleans and Salt Lake or
San Francisco. Goods are 10 be sold at
the lDyEssf r,oCsibfa ffrr1pa