The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-01-12
AN ADDRESS.
To al citizens of the United States.

40 az CELSGSftS ~ tue CRtt6O OCULCS.
GREETIEG:-the undersigned have
been appointed a committee to issue an
address setting forth the objects and
purposes of the great conference Of pro
0uceTS which hAs been called to con
vene in St. Louis, on the 22nd day of
February, 1899.
The call fOrsaid conference originated
with the National Farmers Alliance
and Industrial Union at Ocala., Fla
in December, 1890. as follows: This
body gives it's sanction and call for a
meeting to be held about F~ebruarg,
1899. to be composed Of delegates from
ali organizations Of producers upon a
fair basis of representation, for the
purpose Of q general and thorough con
ference upon the demands of each, and
to the end hal all may agree upon a
joint set of demands just prior to the
next national campaign, and agree
upon the proper methods for enforcing
such demands If the people, by dele
gates coming from them direct, agree
that q third party move Is necessary,
IL need not be feared. That the next
session of this Supreme COunCll elect
delegates from this Order 10 represent
it IN said national conference of pro
duCtlve organizations for political pur-
poses" Committees from the National
Farmers Alliance and Industrial
Union, the Knights Of Labor, the Ma
tiOual Citizens Alliance, and the Col
Ored National Farmers Alliance and
Co operative Union met in Washing
ton, D. c., January "a, 1891, and chose
a national executive committee, and
fixed the time for the coming conference
at February 22d, 1892, and instructed
their executive committee to decide on
the place of meeting and the basis of
representation. The call for the great
labor conference has since been ratified
and accepted by practically all farmers
and labOrers' organizations. The ma
tiOnal executive committee met at In
dianapolis, Ind, on the 18th day Of
November, and fixed the basis Of rep
resentatiOn, and appointed a committee
to choose the place of meeting.
This shows the call to be regular, and
to be supported by millions of people
scattered throughout every section of
this broad land. A movement of such
great extent and popularity involves
great forces and must WELD great
power; its causes, objects, purposes
and methods, therefore, are important
subjects Of consideration.
The causes are many and depend on
cOIlDilldUlCI lis OIL circumstances GlldG
have been transporting for years; many
of them are today unnOtICed, and to
attempt even a list Of the causes would
be almost an endless task, but prOmi
nent among the causes for this great
movement, causes which should fill
with alarm and concern every loyal citi-
zen of this government, are: The rapid
accumulation Of the wealth of the ma
tiOn in the hands Of a few, and the gen
eral impoverishment aud discomfort of
the masses; a financial syatem hat
furnishes a volume of money which at
one season of the year Is SO redundant
that money is worth i'll the metropolis
only 1 per cent. On call, while at an
other season it is SO inadequate that
money ranges as high as 1875 per cent.
on call, thereby entailing great hard
ship and distress upon all classes as a
result of instability of prices. The gen
9ral and widespread belief on the part
Of the masses that the government is
administered in the interest of favored
class whether this be true or not, the
fact that such belief exists is a matter
of public %cOncern) in spite of the wise
and just provisions Of the Constitution.
Boss rule methods and the distribution
of millions of corruption money by pc
lltlcal organizations; the depressed
condition of all productive pursuits,
the menace to free government in
volved in the shameful abuses of ag-
gregated wealth, using combinations of
transportation companies to control
le legislative and judicial proceedings,
the foreign invasion which IS received
and allowed to exact tribute on account
OF the unavailability of American
wealth in business, the plainly visible
wide separation between the govern
ment and the people who seem to feel
that they are pushed aside for the poll
tician and lose a proper interest in gov
eminent affairs, that monster, the
mortgage, which is rapidly devouring
the liberties and the independence Of
the grandeSt and best people the sun
ever hOwnupOn, and whose conscience
less exactiOns must soon bring on a
climax of violence unless wise councils
shall prevail and the cause of Justice
assert itself. These among the many
cause are sufficient to enlist the sup
port of all patriotic citizens in any
laudable effort to wrest American in
situations from such abuses and restore
them to the foundations laid by the
signers of the Declaration of Indepen-
ln~AA