St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-26
THE DANGER OF FAT.

There may be good many stains on
the Farmers Alliance movement. but
at least its English is undefiled. If the
platform which was adopted the other
day at st. Louis is fair sample of its
ordinary rhetoric. Rotund sentences
do not win battles in these days, even
when they come hot from orators
mouths; and in declaration of princi-
pies at political convention, so dis
couragingly prompt an oblivion awaits
them that perhaps it had been just as
well for them had they never been born.
The rules of procedure on such occa-
sions, however, require that this feature
should not be omitted from the pro-
gramme, and if the thing has to be done
at all. it had better be done well. This
is the way the farmers have done it,
and it is hard to see how even a juSter
cause could have been more skillfully
pleaded.
If anybody doubts this, he has only
to take up again his yesterdays GLOBE,
and, putting on his spectacles, read the
fine print in the third column of its first
page. which he has probably carefully
skipped. He will find the condition of
contemporary society pictured in these
glowing, all-embracing words:
We meet in the midst of a nation brought
to the verge of moral, political and material
ruin. Corruption dominates the ballot box,
she Legislatures. the congress. and touches
even the ermine of the bench. The people
are demoralized. The newspapers are sub
sidized or muzzied; public opinion silenced:
business prostrated; our homes covered with
mortgages: labor Impoverished and the land
concentrating in the hands of capitalists.
The urban workmen are denied the right of
organization for self-protection; imported
pauperized labor beats down their wages; a
hireling standing army unrecognized by our
laws is established to shoot them down, and
they are rapidly degenerating to European
conditions. The fruits OF the toll of millions
is boldly stolen to build up colossal for
tunes unprecedented in the history of the
world, while their possessors despise the re-
public and endanger liberty. From the same
prolific womb of governmental injustice we
breed two great ciasses-paupers and million
aires. The national power 10 create money
is appropriated to enrich bondholders. A
vast conspiracy against mankind has been
organized on two continents, and is taking
possession of the world. II not met and
overthrown at once it forebodes terrible So
cial commissions the destruction of civiliza-
ton or the establishment of an absolute des-
potism. In this crisis of human affairs the
intelligent working people, producers of the
United States, have come together in the
name of peace, order and society to defend
liberty. prosperity and happiness. We de-
clare our union and independence. We as
sert our purpose to vote with that political
nj wi nrin
ciples.
Did the hell-dwelling DANTE in his
most grilling mood ever produce any,
thing hotter than this? The GLOBE trowS
not. And it is good, too.
But the trouble with it is that it is all
lie. Mankind is not On the brink of
ruin, and corruption does not stalk the
street at monday. There are some
criminals at large, as there have been
ever since CAIN took his famous trip to
the land of Nod. but that is only be-
cause the penitentiaries are too full to
accommodate them. In general, how
ever, God is still in heaven, and ALPS
well with the world. If the Alliance
gentlemen would get out In the fresh
air little more, they would think so,
too. Bat they will not do this. They
prefer to sit about convention halls and
spend their time moaning over the
works of the dead, drafting resolutions,
and probably smoking too much to-
bacco. The GLOBE knows that Mime
sota's representative farmer reformer,
lGNATIUs DONNELLY, would never have
taken so gloomy a view of things if it
were not for his advancing years and
increasing ayoirdupois. When he was
young and Simmer, he was cheerful
and hopeful. He was interested in great
public enterprises, and ever aspired to
be the attorney for a railroad or two.
No doubt fat and fiabby muscles have a
great deal to do also with the moral
idiocyncrasies of his associates. 1t is a
dangerous experience for nation when
its politicians get shy On physical exer.
else. Their literary capacity does not
fail them, but they develop a morbid ap.
petite for unhappy themes. This is
what is the matter with the Alliance.