The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1892-11-03
NEED OF A NEW PARTY.
LABOR ROBBED OF THE FRUIT
OF ITS TOLL.
4 DeplOrable state Of y fI:s r. That Has
Sprung Into Existence During tho
lsciEn OF Ono the Other OF the Old
Parties,
Calls for y Change.

strength TO enforce by arms that hlch |
they covet, they resort to cunningly |
devised laws, and it is thus the crafty |
few are enabled to obtain dominion |
Ovor the unthinking many.
Shylock with his money bags and
the ambitious soldier with his drawn
sword have for years kept the world in
subjection..
So long as avarice and ambi ion ex-
lists. so long will there be unequal and
unjust laws-and it follows as a matter
of course that inasmuch as avarice and
ambition are unborn in the human
breast. the conquest for pelf and power
will continue forever.
But when the laws become 90 Op-
pressive as to become uncomfortable,
there comes reaction and the masses
assert their natural rights. These nat
ural rights which have been usurped
can be regained only in two ways by
n peaceahle change Of the laws or by
general revolt against the enacted laws.
A peaceable change Of the laws by the
people is generally accomplished
through the instrumentality of poli.i-
cal parties. This constitutes, there
fore, one cause for the existence of po-
litical parties.
Again, the civilized world. by COM
mon consent, has formed itself into
huge society. agreeing to be governed
by the laws of.that society. The differ
eht interests and wants OF society are
generally settled by political parties.
These differences can only he al
jus.cd by duly enacted laws. These
<,1o !, al
sides in political contest to settle the
matter.
The theory of our government is
that the people rule. The fact, how
ever. is palpable that ambitious and
avaricious men have managed SO to
shape the course of legislation in the
past as to unjustly usurp power and
acquire en- undue proportion of the
wealth of the country.
Labor has been robbed of the fruits
of its toll by various devices of schem-
ing and avaricious men; by banking
institutions, by boards of trade, by
monopolies of TRANSPORTATION lines.
coal fields and oil lands, by govern
ment contracts, by purchase of gov
rrnment bonds. by evading the pay
ment of taxes. by obtaining subsidies
of ofgovernment lands, and by numerous
other schemes.
This state of affairs has sprung into
existence during the reign Of one or
the other of the two great political
,arties of the country.
And the question now is: Is there
any hope or prospect that the evils
complained of will be corrected by
either the Democratic or Republican
parties?
BY appealing to the passions and
prejudices of the people fierce parti-
Han hatred has been engendered, so
that to be o Democrat is to hate the
Republican rar:y. and to be Repub-
lican is to hate the Democratic party.
No appeal is made to principle; no sac
ritices are made in behalf Of justice and
integrity.
In the meantime combination has
naturally arisen between the lords OF
accumulated wealth (the moneyed men
and the prominent leaders (the ambi-
tious poll of both the Demo
cratic and Republican parties whereby
the former assist the latter into Office
the latter discharging their obligations
by the enactment of laws that will en-.
able the former to perpetrate thei,
schemes Of plumber.
The political leaders quarrel in theil
public speeches and through the press
about "the issues of the day" (Which
src usually imma:erial--the real issue.
i'eing purposely igncredl the same a.
two pettifogging lawyers enter into ,
war of words in the presence of theil
clients and then go out to themselves
and drink and have a jolly good time
together.
Party lines have been 80 long un
broken that these political leader.
have obtained absolute control of tn,
affairs and destinies of the nation.
1s there monopoly Of transporta
ton to oppose?
The leaders of neither party dare d,
it through fear of losing the supror
of the managers of monopoly.
Is there an inquitous bond system I,
overthrow?
The leaders of neither party dar
take up the fight through fear of tn
usurious coupon clippers.
Is there o system of grain specula
tion, whereby both the producer On,
consumer of breadstuffs are robbed, +
be legislated out of existence?
The leaders Of neither party dar
open their mouths upon the subjec
lest they may lose the support of tn
wealthy robbers-politely called boar
of trade operators.
Is there q pernicious banking syster
to be abolished?
The leaders Of neither party dar
raise the issue through fear of the 81
gantic power which these banking in
stitutions WELD in the community.
Is there o huge monopoly Of an
kind or description to strangle?
The leaders of neither party have III
courage to raise their hands against il
because, directly or indirectly. the
themselves are interested in the pei
pctuation of the monopoly.
Is there duty to demand of certai
corporations the surrender of forfei:e
government lands granted in time
past to railroads?
The leaders of neither party dal
cmhody such q demand in their rart
platform through fear of offending til
land robbers, or perhaps because the
themselves are part owners of til
s.olen bonds.
For these reasons o new polite,
party is needed, whose chosen standar
bearers come from among the peopl
elected to Office upon distinctive pril
ciples which are to he carried out whe
the new party wins.
There is no hope of reform by an
other method. These evils havin
arisen during the reign of the old pa
ties it IS folly to expect reform fro
either. A stream cannot rise high,
than its source.
Reformers, seeing and understan
ing the many existing evils, ha,
formed new party, which has becon
known as the Peoples party.
This party demands certain things.
certain peaceable changes in prese1
a. "a r