The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-11-27

capita. in Kansas s15 in Illinois 500. and
| everywhere the farmer Is overburdened
with debt The gross Inequalities and dis
examinations against the farmer have caused
a rapid decline of agriculture, "that art of
| all arts, that science of all Sciences" and
that, too. in c period of wonderful develop
ment. 1t is therefore that the farmer is now
| appealing to the supreme tribunal of public
opinion and asks inst decision through the
| ballot box.
President Polk then took up the de-
mands of the farmers, on which he
spoke at great length He first gave
the history of the reform bill intro
duced into the last congress by the
members of the alliance, and con-
| tinued:
| This received no consideration by the
| billion dollar congress except in the way of
| denunciation. In the light of history 1t Is
the imperative duty of the people to arrest
the evident and alarming tendency to CEN
tralize the money power of the country.
/ This was one of the great purposes of that
| bill 1t would have supplanted the iniquit-
ously unjust and oppressive national bank
| system by securing to the people an ade-
Quate amount OF money direct from the gov
| eminent at a low rate of interest to meet the
| legitimate demands OF the country. But in
| Justification of the silent contempt which
=
| assaults vehement and persistent. have
been made on its minutest details instead of
giving manly arguments on the underlying
principle Despite these assaults the sub
| treasury idea has grown until it is the senti-
ment of the order in thirty four states.
The constitution declares that congress-
shall have power to regulate commerce
among the states. Money, transportation
and transmission of intelligence are the
sential elements in commerce Does con-
gress regulate these? Organized capital has
demanded of congress and obtained control
of the volume of currency. This has
suited in fearful augmentation of central
| lied money power to the impoyerishment
and robbery of honest industries. In 1855
the amount of currency was 50 10000 900,
with 81, 10000 population. To- day with g.
| O0l,O 0 OF people the volume of currency has
been reduced to 5000, 600 900, resulting in high
priced money and low priced articles. en-
failing distress, poverty, suffering and ruin.
Government control OF railroads is one OF
the essential demands of the alliance: also
the retent on of the public domain for our
own people; also the prohibition of gam
bling in futures: also the free coinage of sill
yer; also that no class legislation be en-
acted. also that the United States senators
be elected by the popular vote; also that a
graduated tax on incomes be levied; but the
greatest demand of all is that the national
banking system be abolished and the peo-
pies money be issued direct by the govern
ment to the people
The supreme question before the people is
that of financial reform. The two great par
ties have evidently sounded a truce and. as
in the past, this question of financ al reform
shall continue to be regarded as neutral
ground" between them. In this crisis it is
the duty of every true member of the alIi-
ance to stand firmly by our principles and to
demand of all aspirantS for our SURFACES an
unequivocal definition of their position on
these great principles.
President Polk next took up the sub
ject of the organization, its progress
and condition He said that it had
steadily enlarged its territory and was
thoroughly harmonious. Since the last
meeting of the council the states of
New York, Ohio. Iowa, Wisconsin,
Delaware, Oregon, Washington and
New Jersey had been added to the rolls.
1t was the duty of the alliance to con-
tinue its work of educating the
people and no more potent agency
existed for the purpose than the dis
semination of literature. The recon-
mendation was made that conference
be had with the reform press associa-
ton to discuss the most available means
of thus preaching the doctrines 1t
was also recommended that fund be
instituted to aid in the work. The
most powerful auxiliary force to the
service of the reform literature was to
found in well regulated lecture sys-
tenn The demand for speakers was so
great that it was impossible to supply
it
The speaker closed with remarks
upon the duty politically of the alli-
ance. He said the organization must
be kept free from ENHANCEMENT with
any party, declaring: 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 membership above the arrogant
domination of party mandate. the hour
for its decay, dissolution and death will
have come"