Evening star., 1896-02-06
THE FARMERS ALLIANCE
The National Supreme Council Finishes
Its Business and Adjourna
The Subtrcasury Plank Eliminated
Set of Omcers Elected.

The National Farmers Alliance appears
to be too deeply welded to all the vagaries
1t has embraced for years to cut loose from
them in favor Of distinctive one-idea
financial platform now. For some reason or
other the silver men In the Supreme Council
Of the order, which adjourned this AFTER
loon, were unable to run things to suit
themselves. There were many who favored
putting the various other demands in the
background for the present and bringing
that of finance prominently to the front.
The opposition to this program came, 1t is
said. from western delegates. While they
are as warmly for silver as the men from
other sections. they still want the alliance
committed to fight alien and railroad owner
ship of lands, and favoring government
ownership and control of railroads, tele.
graph lines, etc. The strictly silver men
hoped to lay these questions aside, because
in the fight for silver antagonism would be
aroused In sticking to other planks.
Changes I'm 'Demnnds.1
The various demands of the alliance many
Of which have been readopted, are known to
/ the public and republication Of them would
be Of little interest. Some changes were
made this morning, however, which are OF
interest. For instance, the demand for an
Increase Of the circulating medium to s5l
per capita was stricken out.
The "subtreasury plan," to which the
alliance has stuck through thick and thin
for years, has at last gone down under the
weight of public opinion, and this morning
was eliminated altogether from the de
mands'' of the alliance.
The usual demand for "the free and un-
limited coinage of silver and gold at the
legal ratio Of 1G to T. remains.
The elimination of the subtreasury plank
leaves the financial demand of the order as
follows: I'VE demand a national currency
Inv fho
eral government only, full legal tender
for all debts and receivable for all dues:
and an equitable and efficient means of
distribution of this currency directly to the
people, at the minimum of expense and
without the intervention of banking cor
poratfons, and in sufficient volume for the
transaction of the business of the country
on a cash basis"
The foregoing plank is in precisely the
same words as that adopted by the silver
conference here about a year ago. That
conference put forward Sibley for Pres
ident.
A resolution was adopted opposing the
refunding of the Pacific railroad debt; also
one agreeing to meet at Dallas, Tex, next
year, If that place will make suitable
offers.
It's Last Kick.
The death of the "subtreasury plan, ~
killed by its own originators, is the most
interesting piece Of information Of the
meeting. For years it has been the hobby
of the alliance Of every state and the
members swore by it and fought for it.
The alliance orators upheld it against the
ridicule of the press and people Of the
country, and declared that they would
die in the bitches fighting for 1t.
Alleged Outrnges.
After three hours session the supreme
council finished its work and adjourned.
Several committees will remain in the city
to appear before congressional committees.
The committee which visited the House
committee on banking and currency yes
terday will make another visit tomorrow.
A committee was appointed this morning
to appear before the proper House commit
tees with complaints as to alleged out
RACES and murders on the Maxwell land
grant, in Colorado the Des Mones river
grant, In Iowa, and the Sierra forest grant
in California. Members of the alliance
living on these grants complained to the
National Alliance that they had been
Illegally evicted in favor of corporations
The National Alliance now proposes 10
take up the cases of the settlers and pre-
sent the matter to Congress in such shape
that it will demand attention. The al
lance committee, it is said, will adopt
some salty resolutions claiming that the
government has aided and abetted corpora
tonS in their depredationS on the rights of
the settlers.
New Officers Elected.
An entirely new set of officers has teen
elected, as follows: President Mann Page,
Virginia; vice president, H. C. Snavely,
Pennsylvania; secretary and treasurer, R.
A Southworth, Colorado; executive COM
mittee, H. L. Louck, South Dakota; W. P
Bricker, Pennsylvania; j. F. Willetts, Kan.
sas; Mann Page, Virginia.
Secretary Duncan was not reelected be.
cause it was thought best not to elect both
the president and secretary from the south
Mann Page, the new president, is a popu-
list, and a prominent silver leader While
he is believer in all the demands of the
alliance, it is thought that in the national
election this year he will not hesitate to
swing the alliance into the silver ranks
He is an adroit politician and will manage
things to suit the silver men.