Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-08-27


Our alliance friends are fast learning
that party politicians are not safe custo-
dians Of alliance principles. A large
number OF men have been elected 10 Of
fee within year on pledges OF symDa-
thy with our doctrines, yet, as far as we
have been able to ascertain. none Of
them are firm believers In the measures
which we regard as vital. The first Of
the seven demands adopted al ST. Louis
IN December, 1880 condemns national
banks Of issue, and fayors the substilu-
tion OF treasury notes for bank notes -
the money TO be issued TO the people di-
rectly without the Intervention Of any
sort Of intercst-charging agency. What
one among the distinguished men who
have recently been taken out OF the old
party ranks and put in prominent places
OF public trust has ever publicly in
| dorsed this, our first demand? Gov
ernor Tillman Of South Carolina, was a
democrat when elected, and he isa dem
ocrat now. Democrats are not opposed
10 national banks. and they have never
announced themselves In favor Of gov
eminent paper issues as a permanent
currency Gen. Gordon, recently elected
10 the senate BY alliance votes, now
announces that he has no intention OF
adopting any views other Than those Of
his party. General Palmer, elected 10
the senate by the aid Of two f. NJ, B. a..
men, declared himself IN direct oppo-
sltiOn TO the alliance idea Of cheap
| money. Similar cases are reported in
other quarters, and we may expect 10
sear of them continually as long as we
support men who think more Of their
parties than they do Of the alliance.
The alliance is righto IL is wrong. II
10 IS right, whatever is in conflict With
il Is wrong. II follows logically that il
we prefer to be right rather than 10 be
in accord with a party, We will follow
The alliance lead If we believe il 70 be
right No man can serve two masters.
We cannot serve the alliance
and either of the great parties,
because they differ about impor-
tant matters Both OF the parties
approve existing financial meth ,ds, and
the alliance not only does not approve
them, but opposes them and believes
them to be both wrong and vicious. As
alliance men we charge that congress
has legislated 81 wheat into 81 wheat;
l0-ceut corn into 6e-cent corn; l5-cent
cotton into 7-cent cotton; and that the
Legislation which brought about those
results effected equally damaging
changes in the market values OF other
products Now we favor reversal Of
legislation which has thus diminished
our ability TO pay our debts. We would
legislate prices up to whore they We're
when our debts were contracted so
that we may be placed as nearly as pos
sibie in the same relation with our
creditors that we enjoyed when we
borrowed the money Let US change
91-cent corn into 45-cent corn So beef
into s. beef: SO pork into Sc pork; 81
wages into sl.50 wages, and so on.
This viii even things up TO the level OF
seven or eight years ago, and it can be
done BY revising our financial methods
SO as to favor the debtor equally with
the creditor But who among the dis
tinguished men above mentioned or re-
ferred to believe with US touching these
matters?
The time has come 10 act upon the
advice given IN these columns more
than nine years ago-to raise mp new
party il the old ones will not give US
what we are entitled to. The differ
euces between the demands Of the alli-
ance and the platform declarations Of
parties are radical, and they cannot be
made 10 harmonic. One or the other
must be abandoned. II alliance people
would incorporate their principles into
Law they must not intrust the work TO
men who think more OF their party
than they do OF their principles. kan
sas Farmer