Dakota farmers' leader., November 28, 1890, Image 4

About Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
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—PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY-
FARMERS' PUBLISHING COMPANY,
—INCORPORATE!*—
A. J. WIMPLE, PRESIDENT
JERE GEHON, VICE PltESIDBlflT
E. W. OWENS, SECRETARY
JOHN ISACKSON, TREASURER.
J. P. COOLEY, EDITOR AND MANAGER.
Entered at the postofflce in Canton as secohd
Class mail matter.
THE FARMERS' LEADER IS owned by a com
pany composed of nearly 400 of the most
progressive farmers of southeastern South Da
kota. It is a fearless advocate of the rights of
the farmer, mechanic, day laborer and artisan
and as such it will use its best influence toward
the upbuilding of the Farmers' Alliance, the
JCnlgnts of Labor and kindred organizations,
Bnd, incidentally, toward the support of the
principles of the independent party.
The paper is conducted under the direction
«f aboard of directors composes of the follow
ing named gentlemen: A. J. Wimple, Jere
'Gehon, E. w. Owens, John Isackson, Henry
Bradshaw, Ole Byre. Nels Larson, Ole Hoken
•tad, A. T. Sundvold.
TERMS OP StmscRipnoNi—Three months, 25
cents six months, 50 cents one year, Si. Pay
ments for subscriptions to the paper may be
remitted direotly to the publication office or to
any officer or member of the board of directors.
CORRESPONDENCE is desired from every town,
Village, township and post office In Lincoln
bounty. Correspondents should write their man
uscripts as plainly as possible and write on one
tide of the paper, and should at all times con
fine themselves to the news. It is also impor
tant that a correspondents' name should be at
tached to a communication in order to secure
admittance to the columns of the paper. No
attention will be paid to anonymous communi
cations of any kind. Intelligent contributions
on economy, finance, tarrfil, transportation,
land, and other important questions of the day,
ore invited from all parts of the country. Con
tributors are requested, however, to make their
communications as brief as possible.
Communications of any kind, must be in on or
before Tuesday evening in order to secure
publication the same week.
Address THE FARMERS' LEADER, Canton,
Bouth Dakota.
A BLUE MARK.
Opposite this paragraph indicates that your
Bubscription has expired and if no instructions
Me received to the contrary, it is understood
that you want the paper to be sent you as
heretofore a red mark indicates that the paper
will be discontinued unless orders are given to
have it continued.
A blue mark opposite this poragraph indi
cates that the paper is sent you as a sample
copy and that you are hereby invited to become
& regular subscriber.
A blue mark opposite this paragraph means
that your subscrption has been paid by a
friend a red mark, that the paper is sent oa
trial for a short time.
THE DEADLY COIL.
The following extract was taken from
an article in the Progressive Farmer. It
demonstrates how the deadly coil of the
capitalistic anaconda is slowly but surely
fastening its destructive grip around the
necks of the producing classes of Amer
ica:
There "is nothing new under the sun"
is an old and true saying. We learn
from an exchange that nearly a dozen of
the loading manufacturing firms of De
troit in co-operation with other concerns
in tin larger cities of Michigan have
taken steps to form a gigantic alliance of
capital, having for its object the entire
subjugation of organized labor. This
combination will be of an entirely secret
character, and will regulate the wages of
the respective employes, with reference to
their right or demands. The trust was
formed in New York less than four weeks
ago, and since that time has spread with
lightning rapidity through Buffalo, Ro
chester, Syracuse and Albany, Massillon,
O., Zanesville, Columbus and Springfield
which cities are stirring themselves in the
same direction. A number of the largest
manufacturing companies and corpora
tions of Pittsburg have followed suit, in
cluding Carnegie's rolling mills and steel
works, the Westinghouse company and
all the large firms doing business below
Pittsburg on the Alleghany river. The
Colt Anns company, the Yale Lock com
pany. and the liraome Elevator works in
Connecticut have all a share in this im
mense combination, and it is the inten
tion of the promoters to extend the sys
tem from end to end of the United States.
The avowed object is to crush the labor or
ganization, and to decminate the various
trades unions of the country by refusing
in a body to employ union labor. It is
claimed that by thoroughly concerted ac
tion and the refusal to acknowledge col
lective effort on the part of the employes
that the power of labor as a body can
easily be broken by taking one city or
district at a time, and utterly paralyzing
the workers by a contribution of capital
sufficient to starve the laboring class into
a submission to the terms of the capitalis
tic league. They will then refuse to ac
knowledge any protest or petition which
is not personal or individual. The scale
of wages will be fixed by the league, as
will all other important matters as to
hours, etc. Should the employes of one
firm demand as a body any change or
amelioration of their condition such ac
tion is to be viewed in the light of a
strike. Work is to be suspended, and
the firm thus involved, together with all
other firms engaged in a similar business
shall close down until the dissatisfied
workers shall have submitted to the terms
dictated by the league.
HOW THE ALLIANCE PROGRES
SES.
The Ohio State Journal, published at
Columbus, in a recent issue contained an
interesting interview with Col L. L. Polk,
president of the National Farmers Alli
ance and Industrial Union, which illus
trates how wonderfully the progress of
the orgazination is moving forward in all
parts of the country. The following is
the principal portion of the interview:
Hon. L. L. Polk, President of the Na
tional Farmers' Alliance and Industrial
Union, arrived in this city yesterday after
noon for the purpose of addressing the
county Alliance this afternoon, Seated
in front of a sociable grate fire in a modest
room at the United States hotel, sur
rounded by a score of well known citizens
of the county, he was found.bv a reporter
last night. ITe Was engaged in an earnest
talk to his auditors who were listening
with impressive attention. "When through
he slated that de was on his way home
from an extended visit to the Alliance in
the states of Kansas, Nebraska, Misouri,
Iowa and Illinois. He had heard such
encouraging reports from Ohio that he
concluded to spend a few days in the
Buckeye state. The growth of the Alli
ance is remarkable, and particularly
so in the states I have just visited. The
enthusiasm displayed by the farmers in
joining the organization is demonstrated
by the fact that in December, 1889, when
the Alliance was organized in the state of
Kansas, the scattering Alliances contain
ed only 35,000 members and to day it has
over 146,000. In the northwest we have
a rapidly growing organization, and in
Michigan we have a model Alliance. "We
have now Alliances organized in thirty
states, from the Atlantec to the Pacific
and Canada to the gulf. We have over
34,000 Alliances, containing nearly a
membership of 2,000,000. In a year We
will have over 2,500,000."
"What do you think of the progress of
the Alliance in Ohio?"
"It is remarkable, but it is the same
in every state. I find that the Alliances
in Ohio are larger than in any state I
have yet visited. The result here is en
couraging and you need not be surprised
to see 1,200 Alliances the state next
October, with a membership of 150,000."
"Is it not one of the objects of the
Alliance to seek a confederation of all
other farmers' organizations in the coun
try?"
"It is. There is now another organiza
tion known under the name of the Alli
ance. which is a strong and powerful
factor among the farmers of the western
states, particularly in Nebraska. The
objects of this and our organization arc
practically the same. We have a mutual
understanding, and it will not be long
until the two are confederated. We
want to get all the organizations of the
farmers together and are not attempting
to do so by absorption, but by uniting
with them."
"The Alliance appears to be causing
the two prominent political parties some
fright in particular sections of the coun
try?"
"Yes but the local Alliances are res
ponsible for this. The chief principles of
the Alliance are non-partisanship and
non-sectionalism, when a man enters
the lodge-room he leaves his party and
religion behind him. The Alliance is
united by ties of financial and home in
terests. We want to labor for the educa
tion of the agricultural classes in the
science of economic government in a non
partisan spirit to develop a better state,
mentally, socially and financially, and to
suppress personal, local, sectional and
national prejudices."
MINNESOTA MOR TGA
GES.
Some six months ago the Great West,
of St. Paul, alleged that 700 mortgages
had been foreclosed in one county in
that State in the past twelve months.
Many of the papers made light of the
statement. Since that the Great West
went to the trouble of getting the exact
figures and published them in the last
issue of that paper. They find that the
county has bonds outstanding. for rail
road facilities to the amount of $300,000.
The total number of real estate mortgages
that have been recorded since the county
was organized is 13,810. Of this number
7,272 have been satisfied or foreclosed,
leaving 0,547 still in force. The total
mortgage in debtudness since the county
was organized has been $7,132,003.08. Of
this amount, $3,494,081.80 have been
paid up or foreclosed. This leaves the
vast sum of $3,037,081.22 unpaid. The
county has a population of about 30,000
people. It has 02 townships, so each
township has an average of 100 mort
gages amounting to $58,002. The great
west finds that the average price of
wheat in the country for the past twelve
months lias been about 50 cents per
bushel. Now how long will it take these
people to pay these debts with 50 cent
wheat? That is not all. Nearly all the
personal property in the county is under
chattel mortgages. On the real estate
mortages above they have to pay $300,000
annually in interest. Add to this the
$140,000 annual interest on the railroad"
bonds and other indebitedness and the
total sum for interest is $500,000 each
year.
The above are facts. There is no guess
work about it. Can there be any further
doubt about the sincerity of the north
western farmers in the great Alliance
movement? The history of this one
county is just a sample of tli awful con
dition of things in that fertile region. Yet
every body except the farmers and labor
ers are prospering as they never did be
fore. How long will this republic last at
this rate.
0
VERNMENT RAILROADS.
The Farmer's Yaice, of Chicago con
tains some valuable information on the
question of government ownership of rail
roads, some of which TIIE LEADER is
pleased to submit in the following extract
from that excellent paper:
The government railroads of Russia
are paying great and fast growing profits
into the treasury of that Empire. In
1880 the net surplus was $17,000,000. In
1888 it is said to have been $77,500,000.
Taking this as a basis, our railroads,
if they were operated by the government,
pay all taxes, National, State and munici
pal.
India lias more than 10,000 miles of
railroad and magnificent depots, iron
telegraph poles, and the lowest fares in
the world.
Now the poor, degraded paupers of
India can earn but seven cents a day and
board themselves. But the fare for this
class of passengers is only one seven
teenth of a cent per mile, or for one day's
labor the common laborer of India can
ride on the government roads of that
country 119 miles.
The common laborer of the United
States will not earn more than $1,50 per
day, on an average, and board himself,
but a three cents per mile he can only
ride fifty miles for the price of one day's
labor—an advantage in favor of the poor
pauper of India of sixty nine miles for
one day's labor, or 25,186 miles further
than a pauper can ride in a year than the
great and free independent American
citizen.
One of the best papers in the west, in
an issue dated April 12, 1889, states of
John I. Blair, who was one of the build
ers of the Sioux City & Pacific Railroad:
"The business was so shrewdly man
aged that for every dollar, expended the
incorporators received back five dollars
in securities."
This is a fair sample of corporation
railroading. What does it mean? It
means that if the Sioux City & Pacific
have paid five per cent interest its mort
gage indebtedness it was equivalent to 25
per cent on the cost of construction. And
as it charges no higher rate than any
other roads, it means that if we are charg
ed 15 cents per bushel freight from the
Missouri river to Chicago on grain, a
road built and run on the cost of con
struction could make the same profit at
one fifth that price, or three cents per
bushel.
It means the same with all other pro
ducts—wheat, cattle^ hogs, etc.
It means the same thing of goods as we
all must buy and pay corporations high
freight on them from eastern factories.
It means more.
It means while our farms are now only
worth $20 per acre, that is only one fifth
the actual value of our land.
You all know that the value of your
farm depends on the nearness of your
farm to the market, or in other words the
cost of freight on a farmer's products
regulates the value of his land and the
amount ofproflts he is to make.
It means that the Missouri valley farms
would be worth more when the govern
ment shall own the railroads than Mis
sissippi valley farms are worth now, be
cause it costs us five times too much
freight.
The Worthing correspondent of THE
LEADER imparts the information that the
issue of this paper of Nov. 8, did not
reach that place, at least not the sub
scribers—and wants to know if the
paper was issued that week. There is no
eason why the paper should not have
reached the subscribers at Worthing that
week as well as every other week,
The paper was issued as usual and left
this office on the day of publication. It
it did dot reach the subscribers at Wor
thing, some one in the mail service is to
blame. It is not the first time that THE
LEADER has had complaint from the
Worthing office and it is not more than
prebable if the sleepy headed outfit which
inhabits the Worthing postoffice would
get the sand out cf their eyes the LEADER
subscribers would would have little if
any trouble in getting their papers. There
afce several other offices in the county
that will have the pleasure'of entertain
ing unwelcome guests unless they reform
in their conduct toward this paper.
One of the most hopeful signs of the
present time is the fact that farmers are
everywhere organizing for their improve
ment and protection. This movement is
neither local nor spasmodic. It does not
aim at the mere relief of present pressure,
or the removal of some burden that bears
hard for the time, but the improvement
of the farmer in his profession, the bet
terment of his social life and the effective
use of the ballot. It means simply that
the farmer will hereafter be a dominating
and controlling force in American politi
cal affairs and that his interests must be
the study of the statesman. When the
owners of the soil of America once deter
mine to be heard in behalf of their own
interests, the soil itself takes on an added
value. Statesmen will make haste to
remedy any grievance which so numerous
and powerful a class may have whenever
that class begin to study in real earnest
the bearings of public measures on the
farm interest.—Dell Rapids Times.
Now that there is likely to be war
among the great packers, the Chicago
stock yards monopoly and the transport
ation companies, perhaps there may be
some solution of the venerable mystery
as to how it is that notwithstanding the
immense reductions in the price of
fat hogs and cattle there has been no
material reduction in the price of meats
to the consumer. It might be worth a
good many millions of dollars to have
that mystery cleared up. It would be a
good deal of satisfaction even if it didn't
effect a copper of saving,—Sioux City
Journal.
Thanksgiving day was quiet and pleas
ant and the day was appropriately ob
served by the people of Canton and the
country surrounding. Union services
were held in the Church of God in the
morning and the festive turkey gobbler
gobbled as pityfuily as usual in every
palace and hovel, while THE LEADER
family pastured on one of Wm. Haw's
big roosters. Business was pratically
suspended and the air of a legal holiday
prevailed throughout town and county,
indicating that the people of Lincoln
county gave thanks with old-time pro
priety.
THE PUBLIC QUESTION BUREAU,
Under this heading THE FARMERS' LEADER
will publish answers to all reasonable questions
that may be asked by its subscribers or regular
correspondents. All communications for this
department must be made in writing on or
before Monday of the week in whih they are in
tended to be published. Available space for
the use of the department is limited to half a
column per week and all matter received in ex
cess of this amount will be carried over and
given precedence, the following week. No
attention will be paid to questions coming from
others than regular subscribers or correspon
dents nor from parties who do not give their
names. Neither will it knowingly decide bets
or impart information concerning lotteries, gift
or other gambling concerns:
Give me, through your question department,
a short sketch of Rip Van Winkle.
D. C. B.
Answer: Kip Van Winkle is the character of
one of Washington Irving's works. The story
was dramatized by Bion Boucicault and the
part of Ein Van Winkle played by Joe Jefferson
at a prominent theater in London in 1865.
Please give the meaning of the term "Nihi
list." O, P.
Answer: A Nihilist is one who advocates the
principle of nihilism, which holds that nothing
can be positively and deflnately known that
it is skepticism carried to the denial of all
knowledge and all reality. The term is applied
to the Russian Communistic agitators because
they advocate the idea of abigating all gov
ernment.
Please answer me the following question
through THE LEADER and oblige: 1. Can
soverign states be sued. 3. In case of the
election of a president of the United States,
if there fails to be a majority for any con
dition in the electoral college, what action is
taken? 3, How many members will there be in
the next house of representatives of the United
States in case the present congress changes
the apportionment? Subscriber.
Answer: 1, No, a state can not be sued direct
ly. 3, The constitution provides that the elec
toral college must chose a president by a
majority vote but if it fails to do so the elec
tion falls upon the house of represent atives. 3,
The membership of the house will be the same
as it is now until changed by an election held
under the new apportionment.
Two of your infant readers would like to
know of some familiar quotations that are
comprehensive and forcible in expression.
Can the editor of THE LEADER help us out.
M. & E.
Answer: Yes, we can help you out a little
but as "Time is money" and "Brevity is the
soul of wit," we hope to be excused from
monopolizing space:
"An Apt quotation is as good as an original
remark."
"Delays have dangerous ends."
"Make hay while the sun shines."
"Smooth is the water where the brook runs
deep."
The upright man sleeps well."
"The ripest fruit falls first."
"Never put too fine a point toyourwit it
may get blunted.
"Better late than never."
"At Christmas play and make good cheer,
For Christmas comes but once a year,"
"A rolling stone gathers no moss."
"Man proposes and God disposes."
"Of two evils ohoose the least."
"The tree of liberty grows when watered by
the blood of tyrants."
"All men are created free and equal."
Man wants but little here below, nor wants
that little long."
Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no
lies."
"A mole hill of action is worth a mountain of
consideration."
"As the twig is bent, so's the tree inclin
ed."
THE KNIGHTS OP LAB0B.
Following are the principles of the
orgnazition of the Knights of Labor of
America:
To the public: The alarming development
and the aggressiveness of the power of great
capitalists and corporations under the present
industrial system will inevitably lead to the
pauperization and hopeless degradation of the
toiling masses. It is imperative, if we desire
to enjoy the full blessings of life, that unjust
accumulation and this power for evil of aggre
gated wealth shall be prevented. This much
desired object can be accomplished only by the
united efforts of those who obey the divine in
junction "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou
eat bread." Therefore we have formed the
Order of the Knights of Lalor for the purpose
of organizing, educating, and directing the
power of the Industral masses.
It is not a political party, it is more,—for in
it are crystallized sentiments and measures for
the benefit of the whole people but it should
be born in mind, when exercising the right of
suffrage, that the most of the objects herein set
forth can only be obtained through legislation,
and that it is the duty regardless of party, of
all to assist in nominating and supporting with
their votes such candidates as will support
these measures. No one shall, however, be
compelled to vote with the majority.
Calling upon all who believe in securing "the
greatest good to the greatest number" to join
and assist us, we declare to the world that our
aims are:—
I. To make industrial and moral worth, not
wealth, the true standard of individual and
National greatness.
II. To secure to the workers the full enjoy
ment of the wealth they create: sufflicient
leisure in which to develop their intellectual,
moral and social faculties all of the benefits*
recreations, and pleasures of association in a
word, to enable them to share in gains and
honors of advancing civilization,
In order to secure these results, we demand
at the hands of the law-making power of State
and Nation
III. The establishment of Bureaus of Labor
Statistics, that we may arrive at a correct
knowledge of the educational, moral, and
financial condition of the laboring masses.
IV. That the pubic lands, the heritage of
the people, be reserved for actual settlers,—
not another acre for railroad or other specula
tors. or alien landlords and that alt lands now
held for speculative purposes be taxed to their
full value
V. The abrogation of all laws that do not
bear equally upon capitalists and laborers, and
the removal of unjust technicalities, delays,
and discriminations in the administration of
justice.
VI. The adoption of measures providing for
the health and safty of those engaged in min
ing, manufacturing, and building industries,
and forjldnemniflcation to
thase engaged therein
for injuries received through lack of necessary
safeguards.
VII. The recognition, by incorporation, of
order and other associations organized by the
workers to improve their condition and protect
their rights.
VIII. The enactment of laws to compel
corporptions to pay their employes weekly, in
lawful money, for the labor of the preceeding
week, and giving mechanics and laborers a
first lien upon the product of their labor to the
extent of their full wages.
IX. The abolition of the contract system on
National, State, and Municipal works.
X. The enactment of laws providing for
arbitration between employers and employed,
and to enforce the decision of the arbitrators.
XI. The prohibition, by law, of the employ
ment of children under fifteen years of age.
XII. To prohibit the hiring out of convict
labor.
XIII. That a gratuted income tax be levied.
XIV. The establishment of a National
monetary system, in which a circulating medi
um in necessary quantity shall issue directly
to the people, without the interrention of
banks that all the National issue shal be fnll
legal tender In payment of all debts, public and
private and that the Government shall not
guarantee or recognize any private banks or
create any banking corperation.
XV. That interest- bearing bonds, bills of
er edit, or notes shall never be issued by the
Government but that, when need arises the
emergency shall be met by issue of legal
tender, non-interest-bearing money.
XVI. That the importation of foreign labor
under contract be prohibited.
XVII. That, in connection with the post
offlce. the Government shall organize financial
exahanges, safe deposits, and facilities for de
posits of savings of the people in small sums.
XVIII. That the Government shall obtain
posession, by purchase, under the right of
eminent domain, of all telegraphs, telephones,
and railroads: and that hereafter no charter
or license be issued to any corporation for con
struction or operation of any means of trans
porting intelligence, passengers, or freight.
And while making the foregoing demands
upon the State and National Government, we
will endeavor to associate our own labors:—
XIX. To establish co-operative institutions
such as will tend to supersede the wage system,
by the introduction of a co-operative industrial
system.
XX. To secure for both sexes equal pay for
equal work.
XXI. To gain some of the benefits of labor
saving machinery by a gradual reduction of the
hours of labor to eight per day.
XXII. To persuade employers to agree to
arbitrate all difference* which may arise be
tween them and their employes, in order that
the bonds of sympathy between them may be
strengthened and that strikes may be rendered
unnecessary.
Have
f7 *f
The Boom Still Onf
Although my competitors are doing all
in their power to destroy my credit by re
porting to the public that I am buying
Unlimited Quantities of grain
and paying AWAY ABOVE
VALUE and
GIVING flWfly GOODS
Less Than Cost.
I am still prepared to take
All the Grain
Offered at the same old rate,
And as for Goods,
just brought in a car load andean
sell Felt boots and Overs for $1.50 per set.
Overshoes for
White bed blankets for
Pretty dress Prints for
Coats thread for
Are away down.
Granulated sugar, 14 lbs. for
Pure Java coffee for 25 cents a pound.
Pure Maple Syrup from the barrel at
95 cents a gallon.
Nothing fine, but good warm goods cheap.
Cliristmas Goods.
The largest supply ever offered. 100 djl
ferent styles of albums alone just look]
and see.
MD NOW ABOUT JEWELRY.
I have decided to close out my Post office
Jewelry store and will give you
WATCHES, RINGS, SILVERWARE, Etc,
Cheaper than you ever thought of buying.
Pretty New Clocks,
Just drop in and ask for prices. But I must
close with,
L.25 per pair.
4 l-2c a yai
4 cents a
ing in your drain
Boy pr goods.
D. J. 6ARPENTER
a.
75 cents.
*N
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