The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-03-28
THE GRANGE AND THE ALLIANcE

1t is with no intention of drawing any
invidious comparison between the
grange and the farmers alliance that we
venture to express the opinion that the
former has within it certain elements of
strength, stability and usefulness that
will secure it's vigorous endurance when
the latter shall have attained the period
of decrepitude aud decay. The grange
is not strictly a political organization
and herein lies much of its strength and
promise for continued usefulness. The
mem bers of the grange are free to fol-
low their own party preferences, while
the constant discussion, in their ordinary
grange meetings and councils of such
matters as relate to the common inter
ests of the farming classes has tended to
make them intelligently and practically
united. The grange has always been
wisely conservative. AS result it has
quietly achieved and is still capable of
achieving an immense amount of practi-
cal good. Just because it has wisely
steered clear of mere partisan politics it
has been the less afflicted with design
ing politicians. Just because it has lit
tie or nothing to offer to the political
demagogue, it has been the less troubled
with this social parasite. Its principles
have bravely stood the test of passing
years and today it numbers forty states
and territorial organizations in as many
states and territories. During the past
two or three years it has taken a new
lease of life and a new and frmer hold
on the steady conservative element of
our farming population.
The farmers alliance, on the other
hand has flashed into existence like
meteor. For the moment it threatens to
carry everything before it. But it is
political organization, and its very sue
cess is its weakness There is no mis-
taking the fact that it is infested with
mere political demagogues, whose only
object is to use it as stepping stone to
place and power, and it's tens of thous-
ands of honest adherents are simply be-
ing used as tools to accomplish this DUR
pose. The old parties are in manv
states slobbering and SHINING the alli-
ance all over, preparatory to swallowing
1T at one gulp. 1t is with no unfriendly
spirit we say so but rather, if possible,
as warning to society with many of
whose objects we have the warmest
sympathy. 1t is with very great regret
that we notice within it the elements of
disintrigation and decay. We believe
many of its schemes are wholly i'm
practicable and visionary and that at no
great distance of time from the present,
the members themselves, many of them,
will see them to be so. The society
undertakes too much. Some of its
measures of reform belong rather to the
church and the school room than to the
political arena. Its financial reform is
financial retrogression. Its clamor for
usury laws and unequal taxation of
money can have but the one effect of
driving capital out of every state that is
foolish enough to pass such laws. tide
nounces. class legislation while it de-
mands in another form the very thing it
denounces. 1t would suppress the
national banking system without pro-
Viding any adequate substitute. It's
~'Jo0Shl VI uoc COluhSo OF silver, Dy
which a silver miner or bullion dealer
can take a quantity of silver for which
he cannot get more than 80 cents in any
market in the world, and have it coined
into dollar is simply a species of the
worst form of class legislation,
The United States has no more
right to create a market for
the silver miner and dealer in bullion
than in has to create a market for any,
thing else. We take issue with the
alliance movement on these matters
with very great regret. We would not
be true to our convictions if we did not
do so. In everything that tends towards
a sound moral reformation of our cor
rupt political methods the alliance has
and will always have our cordial sup
port. We are none the less friend to
the movement because we venture to
offer a friendly criticism. Many of its
warmest adherents have no faith in the
wisdom of the measures we have ventured
to disapprove and the friends of the
alliance will do will to heed the ad-
vice of friendly criticism, lest by a plat
form burdened by impracticble meas
ures they imperil the success of a
movement otherwise fraught with much
hope to the people and to the nation.