St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-18

him the conviction that the most sacred
functions of the government have been
usurped dy favored few to the detri
ment and ruin of the neglected millions.
What are the grievances of the
farmer? Let the records show: From
1850 to 1860 farm value Increased 101 per
cent; from 1870 to 1880 the increase was
only Q per cent. AT the same time the
aggregate wealth of the country in
creased from 1870 to 1850 over As per
cent. The ten staple crops Of the coun-
try brought in the year 1884 less than 2
per cent more than the crops in 1866.
The crops of 1867, though less than half
as large as those OF 1887, brought the
farmers S79,7l1,0 900 more.
During the last decade agricultural
bonds have decreased in value from 20
to 40 per cent. Two-thirds of the coun-
try's wealth is not assessed for taxation,
yet the farmer, possessing only % per
cent of it, pays 81 per cent of the taxes.
With all the modern facilities of trans
pOrtatiOn and improved machinery the
farmer finds himself compelled to sell
his produce at prices barely covering
the cost. Again the farm mortgages in
The agricultural states are frightfuliy
large. In Iowa the mortgage indebted
ness is Sl04 per capita; in Kansas $l65:
IN Illinois 500. and everywhere the
farmer is Overburdened with debit
President Polk then took up the de-
mands of the farmers, a subject on which
he spoke at great length. The cOnSti-
tuition declares that congress shall have
power to regulate commerce among the
states. Money, transportation and
transmission of intelligence are the es-
sential elements III commerce. Does
congress regulate these? Organized
capital has demanded of congress and
obtained control of the volume of cur
rency. This has resulted in a fearful
augmentation of centralized money
power to the impoverishment and rob-
berry of honest industry. In 1865 the
amount of currency was $4,000. 600 600
with 37,000,000 population. Today, with
63,0O0.000 population, the volume of cur
reDcy has been reduced to 1903, 090. 600,
resulting in high-prced money aud low
priced articles, entailing distress, pow
erty, suffering and ruin. Government
control of railroads is one of the essen
tial demands of the Alliance; also the
free coinage of silver; also that the
United States senators be elected by the
popular vote; also graduated tax OH
incomes be levied; but the greatest de-
mand of all is that the national banking
system be abolished and the peoples
money be issued direct by the govern
ment to the people. The supreme
question before the people," he consid-
cred, lis that of financial REFORM"
President Polk next took up the sub
Ject of the organization, its progress
and condition. he said it has steadily
enlarged its territory, and was thor
oughly harmonious. The speaker closed
with remarks upon the duty politically
of the Alliance. lie said the organize
ton must be kept free from entangIe-
mentS with any party 1T would ut
terly fail in its high purposes if it
should be degraded into a mere party
machine to be manipulated by design
ing men. When it Shall fail to elevate
its members above the arrogant domi-
nation of party mandate, the hour for
its decay, dissolution and death will
have come"