The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-09

ance and Industrial union convened III
this city yesterday and will be in scs-
sion until the close of the week. The
county commissioners granted the use
Of the arbitration room for the ses-
sions, but on account of the noise Of
repairing going on it was Impossible
for the members of the alliance to
transact their business there, and
Mayor Bailey gave permission to occu-
py the common council chamber.
The aim and object of the alliance is
the advancement of agriculture In this
state, principally done by working to-
ward the enactment of legislation that
will foster this great industry. During
| the past presidential compaign the al
lance was heart and hand in favor or
the issue of free silver and the Chicago
platform in general.
Twenty-one counties Of the state
have sent delegates here, and more are
expected to arrive today. Many pat
rons Of husbandry in this county are
interested in the state council and
they attended the sessions yesterday.
The Westminster hotel is headquarters
for the visiting delegates. The list as
presented by the committee on creden-
tials is as follows:
Lackawanna county, A. l.. Weidman;
Wayne county, l.. A. Curtis and Grace
Tewksbury; Crawford county, Andrew
story; Susquehanna county A. T.. stock
holm and W. =! Kilmer; Wyoming county,
+. II. Pinder; Sullivan county, James IL.
keefe, Northumberland county, John "A.
Hile: Monroe county, l. B. Meiizler; Lu, int
county, Asher Newl and Charles Brels-
ford; Erie county, NJ. d. Hull; Union coun-
ty. Miss e. +. Brown, A. G. Brown and e.
F. Dennis: Berks county, William m H.
erset county, william Zufall; Carbon
county, Mathew Ziemmerman: Indiana
county, +. n. Richey; Cameron county, +.
NJ. Fairchild; Mercer county, F. NJ. hoD,
N. ID. Hunsicker; Franklin county, George
Nj. Banthauer.
OFFICERS OF ALLIANCE.
The officers of the alliance are: w. A.
Gardner, president, Andrews settlement;
A. T. Copenhaver, Vice-president, Sun
bury; w. L. Bricker secretary and Il. A..
Cogan Station; Andrew Story, Treasurer,
Pettis. Lecturers-Helen $. Johnson.
Cory; Etiie j., vanGorder, Scott Center;
board-W A. Gardner, chairman. An
drews' settlement; G. W. Kilmer, secreta-
ry, Towanda; Jacob ]. Miller. Waynes-
bore; o. F. Berger ShartlesyiLe; RrinEs a; T.; e.
organizer, COgan Station.
They were all present and after the
session was called to order the follow
ing resolution was unanimously passed.
Resolved. That we, assembled as state
officers and delegates to the State Farm
ers' Alliance and Industrial union. do eX-
tent to the mayor and council OF the city
of Scranton, also to the county commits
sioners of Lackawanna county, our most
sincere thanks for the use Of their beauti-
full council hall and the court house dur
ing our session. A. Il. COpenhaver, l..
A. Curtis and ID. NJ. Omwake, committee.
President Gardner then delivered his
annual address. 1t was as follows:
President Gardner said that this state
council is forced to meet the great ma
tional depression which has hung like
dark pail over the Industries and
has laden the market with extremely
low prices of labor products.
In speaking of the presidential cam
paign just passed he referred to it as
the most aggressive ever fought on
American soil. If the gold standard,
he said had been shOrn of the immense
money power, the country would now
be looking forward to the installation
of national officers who would meet the
demands of the farmers. If the silver
side had won it would mean to them
the achievement of almost an ideal re-
ward.
PRESS AND PLATFORM.
One of the most practicable means to
carry out the educational part of the
work, which he denOminated as the
most prominent feature and chief cor
ner stone of the alliance, Is the lecture
system and the reform press. To
strengthen each as far as possible
should be the effort of the council.
He said We are confronted by organ
soaI ,.fe ho t.,1fn /,
law making bodies. and are absorbing
the fruits of our labor with cruel and
relentless hands; and we can do no bet
ter work in the council than to recon-
mend to incoming legislators an equal
iZatiOn of taxes on the corporation
wealths of the state, and an equal
amount appropriated in the interest of
agriculture that it's relative interest
bear to the wealth of the state: and
to protest emphatically against the
continuation and formation of depart
ments with large salaries. absorbing
| what might be applied to the proposed
cash road tax.
The subject of fire insurance was
touched upon briefly.
In the year past the president met
with an accident and he expressed d his
sincere thanks to the members for the
kindly interest they manifested. In
conclusion he said that to some it may
appear that the interest in the alliance
is declining, but he wished to convey
the assurance that never since the be-
ginning of the organization were there
more golden opportunities than at pres
ent. With the combines. trusts, poll
ticians ard foreign powers glowing in
their over confident grip on American
industries, the fact is revealed that
there is growing an urgent demand
for increased efforts to work as never
before. that enthroned corporations
that are by Legislative authority weld
ing. link by link, the chain that will soon
destroy every right of American citi-
zenship, may be broken.
ARMOR OF EQUAL RIGHTS.
Let us. he said buckle on the armor
of equal rights to all and special priv
ileges to none. and like the oppressed
and overburdened Egyptians appeal to
our God on bended knee. who in His
mercy hears the widows and the Or