The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-03-01
F. A. s. |. u. Dept.
HOW TO ORGANIZE THE NATIONAL
EARMERS' ALLIANCE AND INDUS
TRIAL UNION AND GRAIN GROW
ERS' ASSOCIATION
(EDIrRD BY J. c. HANLEy.) J


CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
The interest manifested by the farmers
cletles known as the Farmers Alliance and
industrial Union and the Grain Growers
Association, which was intended to take UP
the matter of the AGRICULTURAL Interests and
ADVANCE and protect the same In bus
ness-llke cooperation of the farmers
throughout the country.
Owing to the enormous correspondence
that this office has received asking for
kinds of information l have deemed it =
essary to answer a few Of the most gen
erai questions that has been coming
The National Farmers Alliance and IN
dustrlal UniOn Is not the same as the old
Farmers Alliance. 1t Is a general society
OF the producers and consumers banded
together In one vast society which ex-
tends throughout the United States and is
at once a fraternal society and Insurance
the farmer what all other societies are to
the residents Of the cities and towns Of
the country.
1t is absolutely non political society,
partisan politics or sectarian discussions
shall not be permitted in its meetings. 1t
is also secret society IL the local ALI
ance SO desires. This precaution is taken
to keep out the enemies of the society and
permit the society to transact its business
IN peace and harmony without being an
annoyed by those who would seek to create
strife and discord and eventually destroy
1t is national society and has an or
ganlZat1on In nearly every state in the
Union. In many states it is so strong that
It controls the politics of the states. In
k;ansas, for instance. the president of the
Alllance Is also the governor Of the state.
feature Of the Alliance is in good shape.
and as a result of this business agency
they have been able to control the markets
on the products Of the farm and withhold
their grain and other products until the
prices are satisfactory. and when the buy
they bid for what they have got, and If
the prices are satisfactory they sell, and
tenn has made the farmers the masters Of
the situation and as a result the farmers
have paid off the farm mortgages in that
state and in most cases they have money
to loan instead Of being borrowers
In recent report Of the bank examiner
of that state he said that there was never
banks and begging for investment. with no
takers, and that the rate of interest that
rates, in some cases at and per cent.
An attempt to put this National Alliance
and M lndustrial nc Union into operation and
! response, and In some cases with opposi-
ton. because Of an idea that it was a
| swallowed up by the Peoples Party, and
some good and loyal farmers who were
alive to TT the 3 necessity of an organization
cal prejudice, and a mistaken idea of the
mission and policy of the National .Alli-
ance, held aloof from taking hold Of the
| matter. and as result it's growth was
slow.
But with the limited means at the dispo-
sal Of the officers Of the society in this
section they have kept the light of life
burning, and have champoned the cause
Of the farming interest in every way that
the treatment that the interests of agri-
culture having at the hands Of all in
and commercial. and this knowledge was
given In public manner as 1t was pos
tility Of those interests soon made
manifest by a savage onslaught on the
| ciety and it's officers who were outrageous
ly slandered and vilifed. 1t was deemed a.
crime for the representative of the farm
ers to ask that the farmers who paid the
bulk OF the taxes to support the state
ment of the state institutions and boards
which had direct connection with the In
terests Of agriculture.
This attempt of the farmers to right
their wrongs was made the basis Of a most
outrageous attack on the officers and mem
ns ort 1f the wa hss pu5 the w Ss %
outrageous treatment the farmers received
from these very same sources which per-
died out Of thousands of dollars In the
matter Of the prices charged on binding
gers. in selling the entire output of the
prison Of 100000 pounds of twine to the
jobbers and merchants of the state many
weeks before the farmers thought of Sc
curing their twine. and thus being com
PEELED to pay exorbitant prices for the
tThe when the cn was .so 9n nile,
which the grades Of the farmers grain
and terminal points by interested parties.
who were working In a systematic man
ner to rob the farmers In grades. dock
ages weights, etc. This condition was soon
made apparent when the wrath ana indis-
nation Of the farmers Of the entire north
west aroused and they turned to those
sources for relief. 1t was found that there
was not single representative farmer to
plead to but boards which were made up
T., nF a "a
lawyers and bankers, merchants and poll
ticians Little or no relief was to be Sc
| cured In this direction.
The Alliance took the matter up of pre-
senting list Of names to the governor.
who were practical and actual farmers.
without regard to their political afilia-
tions to avoid the pretext that the gov
ernor gave the officer of the Alliance. who
| called on the governor and called his at
~ here is your list Of applicants; let them
file their applications the same as Others
do and 1 will consider them.
The Alliance set about to1 this task ISL at its s
the secretary to ascertain from q list OF
names that was presented (some 5000
and by paying $1.0O In the regular way to
| become member of the society: that they
would be placed on the us list ,r OF the ALL fn,
the position which each applicant desired
A list of nearly one hundred was thus
prepared and at the recent convention, was
unanimously endorsed, and nearly the en-
tire convention called on the newly elected
governor and presented demands Of the
Alliance in the matter Of appointing repre-
sentative farmers the different state
boards and institutions, which was the frst
time in the history of the state that any
united effort was made to secure the fal
ing interest any recognition in represent
ton The policy of the past Of taxatio
without representation came to ar abrup
and awkward halt, and will lay the blam
in future with the powers that be, rather
than with the farmer.
1t was seen by the treatment above re-
ferred to that 1t would be dimcult task
to accomplish any enduring results with
out an organization, as 1t was well known
that as soon as this agitation would blow
over these same interests would soon be
hack again to their old tricks and would
make up for lost time by greater and more
greedy exactions and tributes from the
natient and helpless farmer.
II was seen that the time to strike was
| while the iron was hot, and 1t was uneni-
mously agreed by those who attended the
Farmers Alliance Convention to remove
overy obstacle in the way Of a speedy ana
nermanent organization Of the farmer1 OF
The Northwest and result they
launched the new sister society now known
Continued on Third Page.)