The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-04-19


ing farming. Men are monopolists
when they can keep others out of
their business, and where they can
fix the price of what they buv or
sell.
Grain buying is a monopoly be-
cause the railroad companies have
the power to prevent competition
in buying, by restricting the build
ing of warehouses along the track.
The protective tariff is a gov
ernment-fostered-monopoly because
it compels one class of our citizens
to deal with another class, On the
terms of the seller, without giving
the buyer the chance to trade else
where.
All these evils the old Grange
thought to cure by waging war on
his groceryman, and thereby get
another pound of sugar more for a
dollar. Mrs. Darlington" trying
to drive the Atlantic ocean back
with her mop was a hopeful task to
that.
The organizers of the Farmers
Alliance took more compre-
hensive view Of the situation, and
struck right at the root of
monopoly by throwing their hats
right into the s'arena" of politics,
and jumping in after them. So far
the Alliance was on the right track,
but being willing to fight and know
ing how are two different things.
The first mistake Alliance men
made was in thinking they could
bring about all the needed reforms
by purifying their own particular.
political party; and it was found
that when Alliance men were sent
to the legislature they neutralized
one anothers votes and influence
by being drawn into their old party
liIes. In this matter they might
have taken good lesson from
the ''Irish home rulers" who
have always shown a solid front
Their motto has been what that of
Alliance men ought to be, "They
who are not against us are for us. I"
Another thing they might learn of
the Irish leaders is "concentra-
tion," zone thing at time" The
Irish made up their minds what to
ask for, and those who would help
them to get it were their friends,
and those VINO hindered, their enc
mics. This ought to have been the
policy of the Alliance. Suppose,
for instance, when the Alliance was
first organized, it had thrown its
whole power into bringing the rail
roads under state control; it could
have done it at that time. Look
at the millions of dollars
it would have put into
the pockets of the farmers
saving thousands of them f ON los
ing their homes under mortgage,
and thus preventing few from get
ting more wealth than they need by
leaving the many we'll enough off to
live comfortably and happy. 1t
ought to be considered in this con-
nection that it is always a calamity
to the manufacturers and merchants
of a nation when yeoman farmer
is reduced to the ranks" for
family who have the whole produce
of their farm to live on are worth
double to the trade" what renter
is who only has half. We shall not
want many Minneapolises and ST.
Pauls in the United States to
manufacture and handle the wooden
clogs and sheepskin breeches' of
our farmers. When they are re-
duced to that condition, which
seems to be the object of the mo-
nopolists. our maps will be like
those of Russia, maps of magni-
fcent distances," not as they are
now, with villages every six or
seven miles. Will our farmers ever
measure their prosperity by their
opportunities and not by the neces-
stiles of European farmers? Can
the leaders of the Alliance make
an army of the disorganized mob
that j: now is? Can it make a steel
cable out of a rope of sand? If
they do, it will be by concentrating
their forces on one issue; let the
others bide their time. Getting con-
troll of the common carriers
would be glory enough for one
campaign. SETH BOTTORNLEY.