The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-08-07

From Minneapolis Tribune)
Evidence of secret conspiracy, OF the
most compromising character, to corner
the wheat market and artificially force
prices way beyond the legitimate values
has come to the Tribune through one of
its correspondents in South Dakota. The
document purports to have been issued
by the Triple Alliance, with headquar-
tiers in Minneapolis, and was found on a
passenger car near Watertown, S. D. 1t
is marked Circular g." indicating that
two others have preceded it. The date of
issue is July 9, 1895.
1t gives the details Of the conspiracy
and the methods Of operation, and the
name of the general agent for the partic-
ular section to which the person ad-
dressed belonged. 1t recites that there
were 100000 farmers in the three spring
wheat states of North Dakota, South Da-
kota and Minnesota. OF these over $1,000
have already July 81 taken the pledge
And more are taking it daily, as rapidly
as 100 agents can administer oaths to
them.
Perhaps the most important fact
brought out in the circular is tina the
movement started in January in the win
ter wheat states Of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Missouri and Kansas. They had over
300 agents at work and secured about
100000 names to the pledge up to May l..
The circular states that very little work
has SO far been done north of the 47th
parallel, that is line running east and
west from Fargo. Farmers are urged to
borrow money to pay machinery bills,
Irvine bills, grocery bills, mortgages,
even, in order to prevent wheat going
upon the market. They are told that they
can afford to pay per cent a month and
still come out ahead.
There is but one weakness that may be
fatal to the circular. 1t calls for reports
on any important facts, but specifically
states that letters should not be addressed
to. the headquarters in Minneapolis, but
told by word of mouth to the general
agent in the district.
The circular is marked confidential, ,"
and signed by the Executive Commit
tee of the Triple Alliance" but the only
name on the document is that of the gen
eral agent, whose postoffice address is
not given.
The circular in full is as follows:
(Confidential)
Triple Alliance Headquarters-Circul g.
-Ainneapolis, July g. 1S95.-Dear Sir: All
that was outlined in Circular No has been
accomplished. The Triple Alliance of the
II
' is now fixed fact. But the utmose secresy
must be maintained: 1t is desired that the
and all the friends. II majority, or even
a respectable minority, of the farmers Of
themselves and keep it to themselves to
hold their wheat for dollar bushel they
will get a dollar a bushel. But if the fact
of an alliance leaks out and the wheat gam
blers get hold of it, prices will be depressed.
There are three hundred and forty odd
thousand farmers in the three states, Over
ninety thousand of them have already
taken the pledge and more are taking it
daily as rapidly as 1870 agents can admins
satisfactorily and much more rapidly than
it was done in the winter wheat states.
The movement was inaugurated there in
January and with an ultimate numper or
agents amounting to over 300 only 100000
pledges had been taken up to May L.
Hugh Thompson. but we want a half dozen
eub-agents No one can become an agent
until he takes the oath. Call on the gen
can. Our time is getting short. Not much
work has vet been done north of the attn
parallel Talk to all of your acqualntances
whom you can safely talk with, and urge
upon them to enlist. Urge them to borrow
money to pay machinery bills, twine bills.
grocery bills, mortgages and everything
thev owe. 1t will pay them in the, end
They can pay per cent month ana sui
come out ahead. . .ho
cause that YOU may learn, we beg OF you &c
communicate to us. But do not write to
q general agent, who will attend to it.
1o"rs io' EsXHECTTIVE COMMITTEE OF
THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE.
There is something "fshy' about the
circu,ar. 1t looks like the Hold Your
Wheat" movement which was engineered
by the Populist organ, The State, issued
at st. Paul several years ago, OF whlch
Rev. George H. Mueller was the editor
and man by the name of Mattilath, a
speculator on the Chamber OF Commerce,
was the prime mover and agent of sup
messed syndicate that was interested in
having wheat go up.
Ignatius Donnelly, the editor or the
REPRESENTATIVE and one of the foremost
men in the alliance movement, was asked
Yesterday whether he had ever heard OF
the Triple Alliance. He said ne mad not.
He had never heard of any concerted
movement among the farmers TO refuse
to sell their wheat until they got 81 a
bushel or any other price. Mr.. Donnelly
said:
81 do not think the circular can be gen.
nine. for if there were 10000 men in the
Northwest in movement to withhold
their wheat from sale we would have
heard something about it. The Farmers
Alliance has nothing to do with that.
No man who has any regard for his name
would take the responsibility Of advis-
ing people to withhold their products
from the market, for prices would go
down. Besides, the farmers of the North
west are too had up to be able to hold
back; they must sell In order to pay their
debts and get what they need to live