Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-01-20
OFFICIAL.
To the Brotherhood Ot the National Farm
ers' Alliance and Ia du 4trial Union.

To the Brotherhood ot the National Farm
ers' Alliance and Ia du 4trial Union.
We believe that the great principles
upon which the demands of our order
are based are correct. We believe that
these principles are founded in equity
and justice. We believe their recogni-
tion and adoption in our vernmental
policy wou conserve the highest inter
ests of the public veal. We believe
that the just equipoise between the
great industries of our country, which
is absolute y essen ial to our existence
as free people, has been destroyed
We believe that the political power and
wealth of the country are being appro-
priated and absorbed, through discrim-
mating and vicious legislation, by the
few, to the detriment and ruin of the
many. We believe that as a people we
are fast drifting away from the land
marks of the fathers of the republic.
Prompted by these painful con-
victi' ms, we have solemnly appealed to
the sense of justice and patriotism of
the American people. Ignoring past
party differences, men of all sections
and of al shades of political opinion
have magma ni'nously and patriotically
aligned themselves under the alliance
banner and espoused common
cause.-the cause of a common country,
the cause of humanity and Justice.
We expected opposition, persistent,
bitter and powerful opposition. We
expected that every expedient that
cou be devised for demoralizing and
dividing us would be employed. We
expected that the formidable evils
against WHICH we had entered battle
would intrench and fortify behind party
lines and employ the machinery and
engineer of party power against us. We
expected that our righteous demand
for an open fie d and an equal chance
in the race of life would be ignored and
spurned. We expected hat our earnest
plea for justice would not be weighed
in the scale of reason nor met
with fair and manly argum ent, but
that we would be ridicule l. maigned
and persistently m:srepresented In
all this we have not been disappointed.
Now, what is our duty as a lance
men? Plainly, it is to stand Loyalty
and manfully by our principles, vote
for no man nor party who oppose our
ship and fello vship to any man or
party who favor our PRINCIPLES. Place
measures above man. Pace country
above secti N. p ace love of home, of
family, above the Elusive and treach-
erous rewards of party service. Place
right above wrong.
Let duty-tae grandest word ever
uttered in the dialect of mortal tongue
duty ~ God, dutv t, country, duty to
home and family, be the sublime stand
ard of our action in all things devolv-
ing upon us as citizens. Let us be dill
gent and fai hful il all our duties as
alliancemen. Keep up and strengthen
the orga 1ization Encourage the wav-
ering, strengthen the weak and confirm
the strong. Continue to educate
the peop e in the great principles
of justice. equity and truth Tire
crucial test OF our manhood add
our loyalty to principle is upon
us. StupenduouS effort will be ma :e
by our enemies to 50 direct the cam
paign of 1899 as to disrupt and destr "
our organization Appeals to sectional
pride or pref ldice will be made. Let
US answer that our order knows no
north, no south, no east. no west. The
disaffection or disloyalty of an oc A.
sional traitor in our ranks will be urged
as evidence of decay. Let us answer
that no human organization that ever
had an existence was exempt from
these. Party fealty and party spirit will
be invoked to force an abandonment
of our prin ipleS Let MS answer that
we will stand bv that party that
will stand bv US, aud that we are not
so blind as to expe. relief at the haad
of anv political party that opposes our
principles AM seeks to destroy our or
ganization. Weak ness in mum bers, a nd
our disorganized condition as a politi-
cal factcr, will be paradsd to prove
our hslplessness Let us ans wer that
the old Saxon spirit and courage which
met this same base argument in two #
the mightiest revolutions of modern
times, and gave to the world this or, at
countrs, has not yet died out in the
hearts of the American peop'e.
Corporate power, centralized capital,
and all their allied political forces, viii
be held up in Formidable array to l.
timidate us. Relying on the justice II
our cause, the invinei5 .wer of right
and the favor OF God, let us meet then
with the only weapons left us-n n.
hood and ballots.
Equal rights to al and .eial palvi-
Ieges to 70 e." is ali we ask. A inst
and honorable people wou'd ask for
nothing N s.s A Just AMI henors5le
people would be content with moth ~
less. Be not deceived BIZ plausible de-
vi .es inVoiving a c mpromise of princi-
pies. CT BETRAYAL Of the high purpos ses
Of oar order Beware ef gi't-bearing
Greeks. Fra ernaily,
L. L Polk,
Pres. n. +. A sal :.