THE AMERICAN FARMERS' ALLIANCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LII, Issue 5168, 15 June 1891, Page 4

TH E AME RICAN FARME RS' ALLIANCE.

. o (By W. A. Peffer, CTnited States Senator from Kansas, in tho Cosmopolitan.) Tho great-afc overshadowing problem of the time ia money. Farmers are not repudiatora They want to pay overy dollar o£ debt they owo, and that according to tho letter and the spirit of the couitraot j but they are powerlesto help themselves, They havo no money and can get none at rates which will reliovi' them. When Wall Street needs more money, the President and JSeoretary of the Treasury supply it out of the public Treasury 5 but the farmer's appeal is not heard. G-ive ue money at rates of interest which we can afford to pay, take our lands as security, and our debts will be paid as fast as the money can be counted. But this is denied us, and ypor by year the tyrant's grip is tightened. Farmers must have money with which to pay their debts or many of them must lose their homes. And this applies to all owners of land, in town as well as in the country, foi the influence which has brought one-half of us to the verge of ruin will, if not checked, soon briug tho other half there. We ask relief from Cougreasmen, and they laugh at us ; we propose a remedy, and they call ue cranks ; we ask time and money with which to pay our debts and save our homes, and we ai-o told that it h our business to work while Btittoamen take care of the finances. We have determined to rebel, and this groat uprising of the people means simply a rebellion against the usurpation of party managers who are wedded to the power which is crushing us, who wink at our misfortunes and laugh when our calamity comes. Tbe people have concluded to take the Government into their own hands ; they are now maraballing every force for that purpose The Fanners' Alliance, thoa, meana to dethrone the money power and thus emancipate the people. 'Xhiß does not mean anarchy, it does not mean repudiation, it does not mcar war ; it means only the rule of the penpio she people will take charge of their own affairs ; they will make and issue their owi money, and chp.rge borrowers only what ths handling of it costs, just as they now do wifcl: postage stamps, with court-houses and high, ways. That is tho first and great work lo bi done. With that will come muny other re form3, for every device of villany which i> supported by the improper use of money wil full when tho props are taken away. It ii proposed to continue the organisation unti it shall ripen into a Nafional movement, ic eluding all the working forces of the country so that in the campaign of 1892 thf toilers will be in line with a National ticket in tbe field. Nothing shorl of success will satisfy tho masses, and eucoos; means Government control of transportation of money, and of every other publio function And there is a great social problem which is left for tbe Alliance to solve. It is known in politics as the " Southern question." It has been made a foot ball by politicians for party purposes, and that wil! settle nothing. It re quires broad and brotherly treatment, and that is a stranger in party politics- The farmers will eoon obliterate sectional lines, and local prejudices will give way as fast at the National sentiment grows and spreads.