The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-09-16
the MIDDLE OF The ROAD.

10 the Members or the Farmers Alliance
and Industrial Union.
For years we have been studying
political economy. The Science of
Govern ment from strictly non
partisan standpoint the only correct
''hod for arriving at the truth in
tics. With unparalleled unanimity
..nd enthusiasm we have united on a
SER -es of demands which have been
adopted. affirmed and reatfrmed by
our supreme council. our state coun-
ty and subordinate Alliances. Last
February. at St Louis they we're in
dorsed by twenty-one other great
labor organizations These de-
mands are the result of many years
patient study and discussion of
the labor problem. We believe they
are just and essential The time has
now arrived to test whether we are
going 10 be practical or not The
only way to secure the enactment of
these demands into law is through
political action--legislation. We ha
passed through the stages of discuss.
ion. resolutions and demanding.
These are all preliminary and neces-
sary to the final act of voting. Unless
followed up by our ballots. ali that
we have done will have been in vain.
The difficulty that now confronts us
as an organi alton is that whilst we
are unit on our demands we are
not. as to methods Of securing them
We all must agree on the common
sense proposition that the only way
OF securing them is to vote for them.
Unfortunately. our partisanship. in
some cases has proven stronger than
our allegiance TO our principles.
When we first made our political
demands. We to that extent became
a political organization. In doing so.
we did not become a political party
nor do | think we, as a class ever
should. So long as other classes and
professions remain organized as
4 ses Or professions. we too must
per- etuate and strengthen our organi-
alton. But having as an organiza-
ton. made certain political demands
we have corresponding duties to per-
form. When we requested the sew
eral political parties to adopt our
demands there was an implied
promise that if they did, we would
support them; if not, we would OPP
pose them. We have been met with
the contention that this would interfere
with our political freedom. Before
taking the obligation. we were assured
that 1t will not conflict with the
freedom of your political or religious
views" The Alliance has been an
educator. Our demands are our po-
litical views. Instead of interfering
with, we urge our members to stand
by and support and vote for their po-
litical views. 1t is the only honest
and consistent thing we can do. If
you believe any other platform of
principles of more Importance than
ours then they are your political
views. and it is your duty to support
them in preference to ours. Our de-
mands can only be crystalized into
law through the medium Of a politi-
cal party.
I lay down three common sense
propositions. First 1t is always
necessary to follow up a political
party after they have promised. to
compel them to keep their promises.
Second. 1t is very improbable that
any political party will enact our de-
mands into law unless they first
promise to do SO. al Third. 1t is utter
/ ly ridiculous to expect political
p,r'T to enact our demands into law
), long as they are fighting them.
The man who has sufficient faith to
believe that they WILL has enough to
that kind will never move a political
party. They live on and are moved
by votes. Our first duty as citizens is
to examine well the promises of all
political parties as contained in their
platform of principles, and then fol-
low it up by their record to learn
which political party is our party.
One political party having adopted
our demands it would be in direct
conflict with our obligation to ask you
to support political party that has
not done so. Worse; it would be ask
ing you 10 violate the sacred right of
| franchise which should be guarded as
the ark of our covenant AS an organ
ization we are in honor bound to
support our principles. As citizens.
it is our duty to vote our principles.
Our order is on trial We have
reached point where we are certain
to lose some members and it is wise
to consider the situation carefully.
To push on aggressively and in earn.
est. we will lose those who love their
old party bondage better than our
principles. TO be weak or vacillat-
ing at this critical time will insure
the loss of the earnest aggressive
mem bership. who are honestly advo.
eating our principles as of paramount
Importance to that of any political
party. No true Alliance man Can
hesitate which course to pursue. AID
hitting loss. which we must which
method will insure us the greatest
gam? PROFESSIONALLY. the honest.
manly consistent course of voting as
we talk resolve. demand and pledge
Experience in the state elections
where we have voted for our princf.
pies has demonstrated that our gains
have more than balanced our losses
in numbers and strengthened us i'm
mensely in prestige and influence.
A few may be led away with the