Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-05-04
egates as fOlloV
"The Expense of the Alliance"

ED. INDEX: Under the above caption, q
writer ''S'' in the Cresset last week, strives
very hard to show what great expense tho
farmers alliance has been and still is to its
supporters. Some of the statements made are
liable to mislead class of readers who do not
give time or consideration enough to a news
paper article to see beyond the surface of it,
but to any candid intelligent persons who will
coolly and thoughtfully consider the several
points OF arguments in said article. their utter
fallacy will be clearly apparent.
Let US see. "Ss'' first item Of great expense
is the dues Of members which he says are 81
each per year-and states it correctly. But is
81 per year a heavy tax? Is it not on the con-
trary, very small amount to pay as society
dues2 Where will you find another similar
society whose dues are 80 lowP The various
societies such a. Masons. Odd Fellows and K.
of P'e require their members to pay from two
and one-half to five times as much in dues as
the farmers alliance does. Yet who says the
dues in any of these societies are too high, or
that it doesn't pay to belong to them because
the dues are exorbitant2 Judging from tho
large number of men in this county and espe-
ciaIly in Medicine Lodge, and sensible prom
met men at that. who are members Of these
societies and who from choice keep their dues
to them, even with dues so much higher than
those Of the alliance, and in these secret socie-
ties. 80 far as the present writer is aware, q
member gets no direct money or property BEN
eft unless he is sick or disabled, and some Of
them do not pay TO members sick benefits any
more than the Alliance does. But these vari-
GUS societies teach friendship, brotherly love.
mutual aid, etc., and their members are pro-
TAD nv nd RI uQ al
dues. We have not word to say against
these societies; but why does it not also pay to
contribute dues to the Alliance which teaches
the same kind of principles, friendship, broth
erhood, mutual aid, equal rights, etc. IT'S Ia
poor rule that won't work both ways.
For item 3" of the great expense bill "S''
estimates that 70 alliance picnics are held in
Barber county each year at q cost of $40 each,
making q total Of 5000 q year for picnics.
His estimate of the number and cost is not SO
bad, but it looks like a thin thing to bring up
to prove that lit don't pay to be an alliance
man." know something Of these picnics and
know that the people generally consider the
social enjoyment and recreation they get
from them always pays them we'll for all the
time and money they cost. In fact they are
held for the purpose of having a good time,
and Of course when the people get together at
these alliance picnics they are very apt to do
as other mortals-give expression to their be-
hefs, their true sentiments and cherished doc
trines concerning the various social and POI
litical questions of the day. and this is what
hurts s." They think very little Of tho cost
To regret the cost of one of these picnics
would be like man giving aChristmAs dinner
inviting in his neighbors, lavishing upon them
the Inequalities of his home with un-
bounded good will and then, as soon as his
guests were gone beginning to begrude 1t to
them, bewailing the great expense of the din
Aer and spoil it all by exclaiming, by George!
1t cost me like thunder-thats the last meal
they'll ever get herer' Is this the kind of q
man IS" is! suppose he is not q farmer
anyhow, or he would not critIcise them for us
ing almost the only means they have, in many
parts of this county Of satisfying that natural
craving for society hich every properly con-
stitufed person hRA, and of getting together to
cultivate a neighborly feeling. 1 think he
would much better % urging the farmers to
meet and cultivat, reliability. even if it were
in no better place than republican reciproci-
ty club.
Items and 4of the great expense bill are in
reference to the contributions of alliance men
for campaign purposes, but as IS" does not
say that any member is compelled or even
pressed TO contribute anything, do not care
10 take issue with him on this point Certain
ly If man gives willingly and from choice to
further any cause there is no oppression in IL
But, Mr.. Editor. see that TO discuss the whole
of this expense bill viii make this letter too
long. IL / see this in print shall endeavor to
answer the remainder OF il next week.