The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-09
THE ALLIED FARMERS
Strength of Their Organization
i'm This State.
MONEY LoANERs AS LEADERS"
Democratic wire-PuIIers Trying to
Hoodwink the AIliance-sketches
OF Prominent Members.


The prevailing discomfort among the
farmers of Eastern Washington has spoiled
the accuracy of political calculations wher-
ever the agricultural vote is a factor, the
Farmers Alliance party being the discord-
ant element. In Whitman county this
organization has forty-eight lodges and
total membership of not less than S,JVo.
Spokane is second, with twenty-three
lodges, Lincoln supports twenty-five, Jar
field seventeen, Walla Walla fourteen, Col
unbia twelve, Klickitat nine, Stevens SIX,
Adams five, Yakima four, and kittitas,
Asotin, Douglas and Franklin three each.
The average enrolment of the lodges is
about fifty members, which places the en-
tire strength of the Alliance east of the
mountains at $500 But the order is con-
tinually growing organizers are constantly
canvassing the state and instituting new
lodges, and the grangers are more deter
mined every day that their only salvation
can be found in the success of the principles
they advocate, chief among which is the
sub-treasury plan and the regulation
of freight rates. OF course nobody
knows how much Importance the new
party will attain, but the situation makes
the future look gloomy for some practical
politicians. The leaders of the Alliance
are the ones whose star is in the ascendant,
If present indications count for anything.
Naturally enough, there are good many
faithful Alliance workers who never per-
formed days manual labor. who don't
know whether potatoes should be planted
on Christmas or the Fourth of July; but
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some day to find themselves called from
the pillow to the gubernatorial chair or
place in congress. Those men, however,
are the exceptions; the majority have en-
tered the work believing it to be their duty
rs patriots.
G. ID. Sutton is president of the state
Alliance, but not the most influential its
members. His residence is at Spokane
In politics he has affiliated with the Dem
ocratic party, and still boldly asserts that
he is Democrat of the purest dye, which
he always intends TO remain. When he
was elevated to that position last fall he
began Immediately to flood the columns of
Democratic papers with articles devoted TO
abusing the Mckinley tariff law, and to
explain 10 the public that he knew what
he was talking about, be invariably sub
scribed himself President of the Wash
ington State Alliance" His articles went
unnoticed for q while, but soon after the
wheat blockade he poured out another
series of communications condemning the
Republican party for allowing such con-
dition of things as existed, and calling
upon the farmers to unite with the Demo
cratic party in overthrowing "ring rule"
again attaching his title, President of the
Washington State Alliance" That was
regarded as bold move. and Republican
farmers accused the distinguished gentle
man of trying TO lift himself into political
power, using the Alliance as a lever Not
many weeks went by until the Garfield
lodge requested Mr.. Sutton to resign; an
other seconded the resolution and an
other, till finally IL became a part of the
regular programme for each lodge to ask
the president TO vacate his office; but he
held to it without word in defense of his
actions. A few weeks ago the state AlIi-
ance in convention adopted resolution
that "the interests of the Farmers ALI
ance of this state demand the resignation
of g. ID. Sutton as president.
He hasn't resigned though, and the
next move is likely to be impeachment.
So it is evident that the president of the
state Alliance is a figurehead as far as in
fiuence is concerned. He is not recognized
as a member of the Alliance, but more as
political adventurer.
The vice president, f. B. Williams, who
lives on a farm near Garfield. has been
more fortunate in retaining the confidence
of the Alliance and is looked upon as the
leader of the organization. Mr.. Williams
is an unassuming gentleman, about 30
years old, and wealthy enough to live con-
tentedly the rest of his life He served in
the Union ranks during the civil war and
identified himself with the Republican
party until in the last campaign, when he
threw off the Republican robe and an
peared upon the lecture platform in the
capacity of a Farmers Alliance stumper
he Is popu lar fellow, though his oratory
is not very polished nor his gestures as
perfect as they might be- But his argu
menis are convincing because they are
spoken with all the earnestness of
his honest nature. Not many wears AGO
he tried TO get the Republican nomination
for representative in the legislature. but
failed, and has never taken much interest
in politics since. His friends insist that
he will be the next Alliance candidate for
governor.
Probably the most popular member of
the granger party is Senator Z. c. Nc
Croskey, whose Democracy is so dyed in
the wool that he cannot surrender himself
Internationally TO the causes Of the Farm
ers' Alliance. But he was the Alliance
candidate for senator last fall. having first
secured the Democratic nomination. and
made 8 gallant race. The farmers have a
large grain warehouse at Garfield. of which
the senator is manager. Dividends of 81
per cent have just been declared on last
years work, Mr.. McCroskey getting the
credit of placing ii on a paying basis. The
remarkable success of that warehouse has
induced other lodges To follow the ey-
ample of the Garfield farmers, which prac-
ticany means that they will pro6t
by taking Senator McCroskey's al.
vice, fer he it was who built the
granary at Garfield. And another thing
which adds to his popularity is his record
in the legislature. especially his work in
drafting the WATSON bill and PASSING il
through both houses. But aside from the
good work he has accomplished for his
rural friends, be is one of the most uuhIic-
spirited men in the state. His personal
magnetism is very strong. On short ae.
quaintance ne usually passes for a third
rate politician, an impression that soon
ladies' away under the sunlight of his genial
nature, His appearance would condemn
an ordinary individual TO life imprison-
ment. The senator is not above the
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