Year: 1873

six hundred million dOllarS-aDOut as
much as the whole circulation medium
of the country. OF this vast amount
the farmers pay directly and indirect.
ly it Is safe to say, at least twO-thirds
and this immense strain on their re-
sources has been borne with wonder.
full patience!


We have al immense national debt
and many of the States are staggering
almost to bankruptcy under the
weight of their burdens. Counties,
cities and towns all over the Union
are carrying more indebtedness than
they are we'll able to meet; taxes are
high; produce low, and a crisis al
hand, the end of which no man can
fOretell. Add to all that the fact that
thousands and thousands of poor labor
era are thrown out of employment on
the thresh-hold Of winter, with gaunt
starvation staring them in the face,
and We have sad picture before us.


In the winter of 1867 in the great
city of London--the focal point Of inn
mense wealth and luxury-I daily
came in contact with many laborin8
men appealing for work or bread.
Right within the shadow Of the walls
of Buckingham Palace, where the
Queen mother lives in regal splendOr;
women and children daily died of
starvation, while royal dogs fattened
on crumbs that fell from the imperial
table. .


God grant that our poor may pass
through the present ordeal with less
suffering and with more charity from
the full handed.


Hitherto the people have been too
trustful of their public men. What
ever may be thought Of their political
rule, honest, faithful public servants.
Then there were no individual colossal
fortunes made out of government jobs,
or in legitimate business. Political
platforms were not "sounding brass
and. tinkling symbols" Great con-
tests were for principles of administra-
tion-not solely for the loaves and the
fishes. fE s2s


The war brought many of our worst
men into prominence; and with devil
ish ingenuity, under the guise of pa
triotism they grew fat while the ma
ton was in the throes of mortal agony.
And they have fastened themselves
like barnacles on the public service.
How well they succeeded, let ruinous
tariffs, railroad rings, whisky rings,
Indian Bureau rings, fishery rings.
Freedman Bureau rings, and hum
dred other rings answer the question.


These parasitical combinations are
not much to be wondered at after all,
since the love of money and of power,
the world over, displays itself the
more prominently when calamities be-
fal a people and great perils threaten
the very life of nation.


Patrons, have spoken too plainly?
Are the evils around us too trifling to
escape discussion? Is this the time to
take refuge behind party breastworks,
and still cling to dead issues and dead
carcases? While we are this day cele-
brating the anniversary Of our order,
does 1t not become us, nay more, is it
not our solemn duty as citizens of good
heritage, to ask ourselves the question
what our duties are and how we may
discharge them, in these "troublous
| times?u


Our order Is young in years; but
already strong. 1t is not for us to play
the braggart; but we may justly re-
jOice in the marvellous success
achieved in SO short time. We are
organized from Maine to Oregon; from
the frozen region of the north to the
Gulf of Mexico. Conscious of our in
tegrity; firmly persuaded that both
justice and policy conspire to COM
mend us to the good will of mankind,
we have no hesitation in declaring to
the world the platform on which we
stand.


Ours is a class order, composed of
members who are engaged in the diff
ferent branches of agriculture, and of
those who are identified In interest
and hearty sympathy with that indus
try. 1t excludes such as are not em-
phatically its friends. Formed solely
to promote that interest by whatever
lawful means deemed best to subserve
the ends to be attained, it would be
suicidal to admit an element into our
midst essentially at war with us.


| We claim no power or censorship
over the religious or political con-
science OF any man in or out of the or
der. On the contrary, we encourage
independence of thought in all the
great vital questions concerning which
every one has an interest.


We believe agriculture is the pri-
mary and leading interest: that as
governments are instituted to secure
the people in the enjoyment of all
those rights essential to their prosper
ity and happiness, that government
which fails to foster and protect, in
every proper way, it's leading as we'll
as its subordinate interests, Is false to
its duty.


While we have our own welfare to sub
serve, we do not propose to wage war on
any other class, business or enterprise.
We cordially recognize the right OF cap
italin Its sramificatiOns, tOjust accre-
tions; we extend to 1t O cordial greet
ing. and welcome it to honest enter
prize and liberal success. kY-


We believe that agriculture has been
and Is, the victim Of capital; that
capital has combined to control the
price of produce without regard to the
law Of supply and demand, for pur-
poses of enormous gains; that it has
combined to control and does control
all the natural and artificial channels
Of commerce and imposes unreason-
able charges for transportation; we be-
lieve that capital has combined to
control legislation, both OF the general
and State governments, by which the
people have been plundered of their
public lands and public treasure; by
which legislative Jobs have been pro.
cured through corrupt influences and
the peoples resources depleted; that 1t
has combined to procure laws and
court decisions to free itself from just
taxation for the support Of the govern
ment; that it has controlled and cor