Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-20

WHEN AND HOW IT WAS ORGANIZED.
AIMS AND OBJECTS
Its Platform Outlined and Its Aims and
Aspirations Stated Quite
FuI1y.
TO he Editor ofas Dispatch.

The following extracts from q speech
delivered at Pen Hook. Va. December IL,
1890. by County-Lecturer I. j. Stone and
published by the unanimous request Of
the Pen-Hook Alliance in the Alliance
| Fdr7ner. and Rural Messenger OF January Sd
seem to answer our correspondent:
| Objects of the Alliance.
While am not a sectional man. while in
| the Administration of this Government l
would know no North. no South, no East,
and West. still / cannot but love the place
of my birth, the Sunny South" Therefore,
lam happy TO say that this grand organiza-
ton. which bids fair 10 restore to our OPP
pressed country the inallenable rights OF
| man, was born in southern cline; Its
birthplace was in Texas.
In 1879 the first alliance was organized in
Parker county, Texas. The first state
meeting was held in Cleburn, Johnson
county, in the same State. on August 6,
1899. In this meeting eghty-tour counties
were represented.
| Alliance met at Shreveport IN January,
1893, in which ten States were represented.
In less than three years this organization
| has spread from State TO State. end to-day
has membership of nearly 100000. fully
| equipped and organized, extending from
| the Atlantic on the east TO the Pacific on
| the west from the lakes of the North to
the Gulf of Mexico on the South.
WHY TIE ALLIANCE WAS FORMED.
The causes which have led to the forma-
ton and rapid growth of the Farmers Al
| lance may be briefly stated as venal and
| iniqutOus legislation. both State and ma
tional, legislation which has oppressed al
most beyond human endurance the agri-
| cultural classes. For the truth Of this we
| need only to open our eyes andlook around
| upon the condition of the agricultural
classes throughout the United States.
Since the war the cotton States have near
ly doubled the annual crop of cotton; but
still the planters are generally poor and
burdened with debt.
Why is this? Because they are lazy?
MOI Their large crops attest their indus
| try. Is il because they are extravagant!
No! Their simple fare and plain clothing
are proofs Of their strict economy.
The grain-gTowers and pork-producers Of
the Northwest are in no better condition
financially than the cotton-planters OF the
South. They, too, are burdened with debt.
| There are more mortgages on real estate
in Ohio, Indiana, and Kansas than in States
of the same size in the South. All this Is
the result of ill-advlsed and iniquitous
gislation-legislation which has from
time to time contracted this volume of cur
rency, created artificial channels OF sup
ply and demand, and tostered monopolles,
trusts, and combines to the great injury of
the agricultural classes.
vENAL LEGISLATION.
To some of this venal and corrupt legis-
lation | now invite your attention. First,
| will notice some of the legislation we
have had respecting the public debt, and
the disastrous results OF that legislation
- 1,p N
States.
| The capitalists, especially the brokers
and bankers of New York, rejoiced greatly
when the civil war began between the
North and South.
They knew it would be long and tear-
full conflict, and that millions of their
money would be needed TO carry It on.
Little did they care how many brave
youths, how many gallant men, fell in the
intestine shock and furious close of civil
| butchery, being assured that the CORY bat
tle-helds would Weld to them a bountiful
| harvest of glittering wealth. At first the
Government disappointed them by issuing
greenbacks to the amount of 10000 900,
making them O legal-tender for all debts
both public and private.
| FATTED CALF.
| But the willy bankers soon manipulated
| Congress, and had it TO pass the exception
| act of 1862, which stipulated that green
backs should be a legal tender for all debts
except duties on imports and interest on
| the public debt. This act created q de-
| mand for their gold. As the southern
ports were blockaded sugar and cotton
| had to be imported from foreign countries,
and gold rose TO q premium of 2S5 per cent.
As the brokers and bankers held the gold
this act furnished for them a "fatted
calf"
Again, from 1863 to 1857 bonds had been
| sold amounting TO 81 ,429, $4,000. These
| bonds were paid for in Greenbacks, which
were worth only S9i5,25l go, leaving a
difference of $4Si ,141 $50. After this Con
gress again legislated for the bondholder
and made these bonds payable III coin.
| Hence by this iniquitous act S4S4, 14l, $50
were taken out of the pockets of the peO-
pie and put into the pockets OF the bond
holders.
Again. in April, 1906, Congress passed the
contracting act" turning greenbacks
| into 81 600 bonds, which were not a circu-
lating medium, but which drew interest,
while every bond retired 81 900 of the peo-
pies currency from circulation. This con-
traction was followed by the most disas-
trous results. In the year 1873 there was a
failure of 5.lS3 business firms, with loss
of 1928, 900, and 100000 men were
thrown out of employment. In this way
|
hand and paupers on the other. In 1850
there were two miIlonaires, now there are
! 81 900. Then there were no tramps, now
about 100000.
Now three fifths of the entire wealth OF
the United States is owned by 3l,0G0 per-
sons. Dir. Vander0ilt's weatlhis estimated
at $20l 100000, and there are fourteen
States which separately Teturn less pro-
perty, real and personal, than this one for
tune.
SILVER DEMoSETIzED.
Again Congress has legislated for the
| bankers and brokers, and against the In
terest of the common peple by demone-
| tiZing silver.
The free coinage of silver has been
stopped. in the good old Bible days silver
as well "a gold was good enoughtor money,
good enough for klng Solomon in all bis
glory.
When the Constitution of the American
republic was made silver as we'll as gold
wac good enough Tor money-yes; good
| enough for the patriots of the Revolution.
But now silver Is not good enough for the
| bondholders, for the money-klngs of Wall
| street. Gold only. nothing but gold IS
| good enough for them. Gold Is their god.
On their coins should be stamped . In gold
we trust" instead Of the shameful Ito " In
God we trust"
| But further, Congress mas injured ana
oppressed the people by perpetuating the
internal-revenue laws. These are by far
| more oppressive tbaa the stamp tax i'm
posed By Great Britain upon the colonies
before thewar OF the Revolution, against
which our forefathors rebollod.
What can be more Ubiquitous and OPP
pressiye than TO tax any product more than
its market value?
TOBACCO.
The tax on tobacco is still sixty cents
per round, which is more than common
tobacco has averaged during the pas. iye
years.
| Both political parties have promised the
dear people 10 repeal this tax, but they
! have failed to keep their word.
Ask the Democracy why this has not
been done. and they will tell you the Re-
! publicans hindered us, and you will have
TO wait till we get all the raseals out OF
fCongress." =,
On the other hand, the Republicans will
tell you that the Democrats are 20 blame,
that by their flibustering they have
stopped all needful legislation, and no
thing can be done till they get the rascals
For long time the people have served