The Southern Mercury, Texas Farmers' Alliance Advocate. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 8, 1891 Page: 1 of 8
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OfHoial Journal or tlie Farmers Stat© -A.llian.oe of Texas
.... ——• —► ■ ■ •—— 1 ruyMr 'i •1 ■
ORGANIZE, EDUCATE AND CO-OPBRATE
LIBERTY, JUSTICH AND ■QUALITY.**
VOL. X, NO. 2
DALLAS, TEXAS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 8,1891
WHOLE NO. 464
mu
I;
I ~A
l %
h
11
i
CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE
Bro. JohnBon Collins says: "I ara
encouraged when I read of Huch meet-
ings as has just been held at Ocala."
v
Sister Faunie AVilliams says: "Our
Alliance is in better condition now than
it has been for some time. I think it
the duty of every sister to attend all
meetings, when possible."
■ ■*
at
Bro. W. S. White, of Beeville, writes;
"I am fully in accord with the Alliance
platform, and believe that our only
hope of success is to elect representa-
tives, state and national, that stand
square upon it."
• *
Bro. J. G. Dancer, of Valley Springs,
writes: "Our Alliance has determined
to build a hall. We have some of the
right kind of material. We have enlist-
ed for the war, and our watchword is
victory or death."
* *
A sister from Buzzard Prairie, who
fails to give her name, says: "Woman
does not propose to usurp man's place
in the Alliance, but intends to assist in
the great work, because she understands
and loves Alliance principles."
is
it
Bro. Eckols writes from Luling: "At
a regular meeting, our Alliance dis-
cussed Bro. Waldrip's proposition as to
method of paying the Commercial
Agency debt, and by a unanimous vote
we decided to pay our fifty dollars."
.
Bro. "Stump" Ashby .writes: "The
Alliance is moving up at this time, is on
the high road to success in Texas. Ev-
erywhere I go I find the brotherhood
strong in the faith, 'not loud but deep'
in their expressions of determined re-
sistance to wrong."
Bro. R. L. Taylor, of Goldthwaite,
says: "Wo are becoming more thor-
oughly organized and bettor educated
in the princeples of tha order. ... It
is an axiom us true as if it were capable
of matliecatical demonstration, that,
"The vitalizing power of labor produces
all wealth." How, then, is it possible
for ono man to accumulate, honestly,
one, ten, twenty, or one hundred million
dollars?"
' A Great Way to Make Money.
Mr. Editob:—Tho "help or the talents" jilun
of raising money for mission work was now to
me, but our Mission Bund caeli agreed to Invest
$3. Some always make wonderful investments,
but I felt sure I could not even double my "tal-
ent" During the week while reading your pa-
per, I concluded to buy n Plater. I sent S3 to
W. H. Griffith & Co., Zanesvllle, Ohio, got a
Plfttor and went to work plating spoons, knives,
forks and jewelry, and in a month I had cleared
•116.4(1 and dono all the work after school; in
three months, I cleared Í-Í06. This Is certainly
a rare chance to niako money with caso and
rapidity. Mary Iíritteíí.
General News.
R. G. Pun & Co. report 10,907 business
failures for 1890.
There aro 900 tons of silver in the U.
S. Treasury at present.
There is an exodus of negroes from
the south into Oklahoma.
Gen. Spinner, U. S. ex-treasurer, died
at his home in Florida last week.
$2,000,000 worth of property waB de-
stroyed by fire in London last week.
It is reported that 10,000 faruiliee in
Nebraska are suflering from hunger and
cold.
Senator Hoar's speech on the election
bill was a very bitter tirade on the
South.
Senator Stanford has renewed his re-
quest that the government loan the
farmers $ 100,000,000 at 2 per cent inter-
est.
A trust, involving millions of dollars,
has been formed in Georgia to control
the world's supply of long-leaf yellow
pine.
Captain Georgo Wallace was killed
last week in an encounter with the Big
Foot Indians, near tho Fine Ridge
Agency.
The president of Mexico has approved
tho bill passed by the Mexican congress,
admitting corn from tho United States
free of duty.
The governors of the South Atlantic
states have been invited to attend a di-
rect trade convention at Atlanta, Jan.
14th, for the purpose of effecting direct
trade with Liverpool.
When answering advertisements please mon-
tlon Southern Mercury.
1 j. j,
THE QUEEN'S LATEST OFFER.
A Free Education orOne Year'sTrav-
el in Europe.
In The Queen's "Word Coutest," which the
publishers of that magazine announce as tho
last one they will ever offer, A Free Edu-
cation, consisting of a Three Years' Courso in
any Canadian or American Leminary or College,
lu(flUdlng all expenses, tuition and board, to bo
paid by tho publishers of Tho Queen, or Ono
Year Abroad, consisting of One Entire Year's
Travel in Europe, all expenses to be paid, will
bo given to the person sending them tho largest
list of words made from tho text which it an-
nounced in tho last issue of The Queen. A spe-
cial dopposit of $750 hus been mudo in Tho Do-
miniou Bank of Canada, to carry out this offer.
Many other useful and vnluublo prizes will bo
awarded in order of merit The publishers of
Tho Queen have made their popular family
magazine famous throughout both Canada and
tho United States by tho liberal prizes glvan in
theii previous competitions, and as this will
positively be the last one offered, thoy in-
tend to make it excel all others as regards tho
vnluo of tho prizes. Send six two cent U. H.
stamps for copy of The Queen containing thu
text, completo rules and list of prizes. Address
Tiie Canadian Queen, Toronto, Canada.
Í
R* ■■
Chas. A. Townsend,
President
HOME
Georoe h. Ritley,
Vice-President,
Ijfe Itysurapee ^ompapy,
Georoe E. Ide,
Secretary.
NEW YORK.
wm. a. marsiiall,
Actuary.
assets held by th< following companies for cv-!
•ry 1100,00 of liability on January 1st, 189 J.
HOME. N. Y..
$126.21
ORGANIZED I860.
As3«ts. $6,708,448.96; Liasiliti Ja, $5,304,071.45; Surplus. $1,404.377.51.
ííTT^?ií'Ífe are issued which are as liberal as those of the
HOME, —its Policies being from date of issue entirely unrestricted as to resi-
dence or travel, add after two years absolutely indisputable.
.Specimen Policies Will bs Furnished on Application,
The Homo Life Insurance Co. was
recommended to the Brotherhood on
Jan. 11th, 18S9, by the State Executive
committee; at the .State meeting in Aug.,
1889, a committe was appointed to in-
vestigate the different life insurance
companies, and report to the state
meeting in Aug., 1800; on the report of
that committee the State Alliance, Aug.
22d, 1890, endorsed tho Home Life In-
surance Co., of N. Y., especially recom-
mending it to tha members of tho Al-
liance, believing it to bo the best com-
pany in whichto insure for their pro-
tection.
tar Any information in regard to premium
ratos, or agency work. Address, or call on,
H. M. LEONARD, Oon'l Agent,
909 Main HU, Dallas, Texas.
WAn Agent wanted in every county lu Texas.
Ktjuitablo, N. Y
Northwestern, Wis
New York Life, N. Y
tale Mutual, Mats
'rovident Life A Trust, Pa
'reveler's Conn
n Mutual, Ta
•w England Mutual, Mass
nlted fílatela N. Y
Junecticut Mutual, Conn
anhatton. N. Y
assachusetts Mutuhl, Masi
ormauia, N. Y
"utual Benefit, N. J
lutual Life, N. Y
nion Central, Ohio
'nlon Mutua'. Mo
ashlngton. N. Y
Average, omitting the Home, 112.85.
125 00
117 Bit
117 63
117 07
110 75
118 72
118 86
113 72
111 05
110 82
1(11) 76
10Í <v>
108 67
10X lft
1U7 -18
107 2# ,
10'. 44 1
103 60
Ike dividend-paying ability in the future."—In-
1 «trance Spectator.
A. H. PEACOCK,
dealer
AMERICAN
* WATCHES.-:-
AND
SETH THOMAS
y. CLOCKS.:-:
lline of Gold, Silver and Steal Spectacle ,
tirlag in all 1U branches, and vork guar-
• DALLAS, TEX.
■In* adrertUoauaU please mea-
iJUnwji
The Formers Alliance people of Kan-
sas having elected a man to be judge
who is not a lawyer, the fact is treated
in many newspapers as a grotesque
blunder. But is it? The thing is nei-
ther new nor absurd. Neither reason
nor experience suggests that a technical
familiarity with the law is a necessary
equipment for the successful adminis-
tration of juB tice .—.North Texas Fanner.
STATE NEWS.
Denton is preparing to bore an arte-
sian well.
A mattress factory is to be established
at Palestine.
"Work will bo commenced at onco on
the Beaumont car works.
Eight car-loads of pecans have been
shipped from San Angelo.
A $0,000 pavillion will be erected in
Magnolia park, at Houston.
Twenty-seven families from Arkansas
settled at Hempstead last week.
The new federal building at San An-
tonio is about ready for occupancy.
Kaufman has received this year 9,000
bales of cotton, against 5,800 last year.
A new labor journal, The Industrial
Educator, has just been started at Fort
Worth.
Steps are being taken at Cisco toward
placing a dam across the canyon at that
place.
Twenty-six now buildings will bo
erected at Hale City by the opening of
spring.
Van Alstyne has averaged 400 bales
of cotton per day since the season
opened.
Forty thousand bushels of wheat was
received at tho Harold elevator up to
Nov. 20.
Corsicana cotton receipts have been
quite large, 21,00 bales having been al-
ready received.
The Farmers & Mechanics National
bank at Fort Worth has increased its
capítol to ?1,000,000.
Gov. Ross has ordered a strict quar-
antine for the stato against all places
infected with small-pox.
An immense derrick which will be
used for boring for oil has been placed
in position at Brownwood.
The number of Texas cattle received
in Chicago from May 1, 1890, to Decem-
ber 1, 1S90, were 211,054 cars.
The Avenue Hotel at Corsicana, was
destroyed by lire last week, and four
people perished in the iiames.
The two salt works of Colorado are
crowded with orders and are now turn-
ing out about four car loads a day.
A company of capitalists have pur-
chased 10,000 acres of land at Vista and
will make of it ono, immense wh«at
field.
Erath county has turned out 25,000
bales of hotton this year—over a bale
for every mau, woman and child in tho
county.
Surveyors are now in tho field, and
Llano is hopeful of the early extension
of the Fort Worth and Rio Grande from
Comanche.
A gang of twelvo counfeitcrs who
have been making and passing $20 bills
were captured at Canton by U. S. secret
service officers.
Work on tho new hotel at Grown wood
will begin within thirty days. The
building will be 75x185 feet und contain
about forty well ventilated rooms.
Large deposits of plastic clay are said
to have been found near Dallas. This
clay is used in the manufacture of terra
cotta, sewer-pipe earthenware, etc.
The new national bank at San Anto-
nio will be ready for business about
January 1. The capital stock—$250,000
—is held by San Antonio and Brenbarn
parties.
Prominent citizens of Brazoria and
Harris counties offer 20,000 acres of
land as a contribution to secure a rail-
road from Houston to the mouth of the
Brazos.
Texas ranks ninth in the census list
of iron producing states. Her output
in the census year 1890 was 8950 tons of
pig iron. In 1880 she ranked twentieth
with an output of 1400.
The Pecos Valley News says: There
are still 282,240 acres of the public do-
main in Reeves county unappropriated;
this includes both school land and home-
stead land, the latter can be had free of
cost. There are 84,800 acres of similar,
lands in Ward county, opposite Pecos,
subject to settlement ia the sane man-
ner.
When answering adverU*cacal pleM« «co-
tias geuUuun
11
REFORM PRESS.
The Farmers Alliance occupies more
space and attention in tho newspapers
now than anybody ever supposed it
would. The newspapers are quicker
than the politicians to recognize what
is fally a movement and what amero
fraud.—Waco Day.
V
Tho Alliance as an organization has
mado mistukes. Individual members
have made mistakes ami have been
guilty of wrong doing, just as human
beings have and always will continue
to do. But it is an educator, has saved
thousands of dollars to its members
w-iihout destroying any other legitimate
business.—Watchman.
* *
To show the power of usury to con
céntrate capital into the hands of the
few to the impoverishment of tho many,
K'ipposo that some one of our ancestors
a'^the commencement of tho Christian
era had been so thoughtful as to leave
Oj,+3 of us, now thirty years of ago, a
ct ppor cent to accumulate at the rate of
C pel' cent per annum, compound inter-
est, how many dolhirs would that per-
son receievc, and where would ho find
room enough to store away tho amount
in gold?
,
*
Being quite certain that all the gold
brought from the land of Ophir in the
days of Solomon, all tho Pactolhui
streams that over enriched Croesus, all
tho wealth of I'lutus' mines, all tho gold
ever seen by mortal eye, all tho hidden
treasures yet to bo discovered, will be
but a drop in tho ocean, compared with
t) is vast sum. Let us try to form some
idea of tho quantity required by bor
rawing tho philosopher's stone and
changing tho wholo world into one solid
mass of virgin gold, and then see if wo
should havo enough for our purpose.
■4 ■*
tfl
Estimating puro gold to ho worth $16
an ounce, a moderate estimation in
theso days of speculation and lijgh pre-
miums, a cubic foot of tho precious
metal will bo worth $280,000. This fact
being ascertained, the vuluoof any given
quantity of gold may readily bo com-
puted, aufl tho world is found to ho
worth $10,700,000,000,000,000,000,000,-
000,000. 1 f tho reader will now comparo
tho value of our golden globo with the
amount of interest derived from the
little, insignificant cent, ho will find that
42,000,000,000 of golden worlds will be
necessary to satisfy our demands.—
Advocate, Blrmiugbiun, Ala.
V
Money at 0 per cent per annum, com-
pound interest, doubles itself in a trifle
less than twelve years. For the sake of
convenience, aud to keep within tho
limits of this calculation, wo will say
twelvo years. Then tho principal, one
cent, will bo doubled ono hundred and
fifty times in eighteen hundred and six-
ty years. This increase is found, by
laborious calculation, to reach the enor-
mous sum of $450,000,000,000,000,000,-
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 — four
hundred and fifty-six tredecillion dol-
lars, an amount so inconceivably great
as to require for its expression a lino of
forty-liso places of figures.
« «
*
We heartily endorso tho resolutions
adopted by tho Oeala convention, ask-
ing the World's Fair directors to close
the fair on Sunday. Let the nation's
representatives that will be there from
all parts of tho civilized world know and
realize that we are what wo protend to
be—a Christian nation. Then let the
city during tho fair close all tho saloons
and beer gardens and gambling resorts
in tho city on the Sabbath, and arrango
some plan whereby all laborers in tho
city can havo Saturday, or at least a
part of it, as a holiday to visit the fair
whilo in progress. This will show our
enlightenment and Christianity.—Ex.
Under a government based on popular
suffrage the ultimate responsibility for
every abuse hosts with the individual
citizen.' It is neither just nor reasona-
ble for workingmen to blame employers,
capitalists or legislators for the system
nnder which labor is robbed of its ear-
nings, unless they themselves are doinff
their utmost to change that sytfcm. I<
is especially unfair to charge tho politi-
cians with maintaining unjust laws,
While continuing to .vote for (he parties
whose creatines the politicians are.
There is no sense In bltftning the repre-
sentatives of tfee people fat doing ex
actly what they are elected to do. The
existing purtios do not wish to reform
deep-seated abuses or to alter the rela-
tions between capitalism and labor. Bo
long as workingmen choose to stand on
their platforms and voto for their candi-
datos, it is both illogical and impudent
for them afterward to turn around and
find fault with politicians who are only
carrying out the mandate of their con-
stituents. If tho masses of the people
would only be true to themselves, they
would vory soon mako an end of usury(
rent, profit and all other forms of ex-
ploitation. But it is useless to rail at
the despoiling classes and thoir agents
for maintaining the system, until they
themselves have the courage of their
convictions.—Knights of Labor Journal
(Pliila.).
V
Wo hear a great doal in some papers
recently about the abomination of
classes in politics. Tho farmer is chewed
up and spit out in disgust by some one
of our loading dailies, because, as it
charges, ho is stirring up cluss feeling.
In the next breath the most lurid ap-
peals aro triado in bohalf of some man,
because of his soldierly bearing and
warliko record—because lie belonged to
tho cavalry aud artillery—because, in
short, ho belonging to a certain class.
If our mentors could get the beam out
of their own eye, perhaps they might
have some toleruiiuo for tho moat in our
eye; and wo might hoar them with some
degree of patience.—Cotton Plant.
V
The New York Tribune is greatly ex-
ercised over tho "Alliance folly" ia de-
manding more money through the op-
eration of tho sub-treasury plan. In its
strictures upon that measure it discloses
tho usual facts,in such cases, an abso-
lute ignoranco of its provisions or prin-
ciples. It is not aware that every doc-
ument sent to congress at this session
touching finance recognizes the main
feature of this bill its sound and practi-
cable. It lias forgotten that tho recent
silver legislation, for which it contended
so earnestly, coi^ainu tho warehousing
or, as it pleases to call it, the "pawn
shop" features of tho sub-treasury plan.
Tho Tribuno would do well to exchange
with some reliable Alliance paper, and
keep posted upon current matters relat-
ing to the order.-—National Economist,
•<,*
The financial jugglers of the money
centers continue to inform the country
tbat all danger of a panic is over, that
money is "easy," and tbat good times
and good busidess is just ahead of us.
And yet failures are daily reported, mills
are closing, and all kinds of improve
monts ure ata stand still. These things
show that the danger is not passed
Fortunately the business world, always
conservativo and cautious, has had
timely notice of the impending trouble,
and every nerve has boen strained to its
utmost tension, to avoid disaster. But
this of itself muy produce trouble. Tho
withdrawal of money from circulation,
and holding up to meet possible omor-
gencies; the withdrawal of many small
deposits, tends to cripple trade and de-
stroys confidence. The supply of mon-
ey is greatly inadequate to do the busi-
ness of tho country anyway, and being
thus lessened, may produce that which
it is sought to avoid.—Sherman Courier-
V
It will not be long until every intelli-
gent stutesrnan will be admitting the
correctness of tho theories brought to
tho front by the Alliance on tho great
economic questions of the day—money,
land and transportation. As proof of
this fact, it is yet fresh in the minds of
the people bow the Allianco so persist-
cutly claimed that the volume of cur-
rency wus not equal to the demands of
trade, and that this was especially the
case during a part of tho year, when the
bulk of the crops wero being moved to
market, and with equal persistence did
the enemies of the Alliance deny the
above and claimed at all times there
was plenty ef money in circulation.
Now see what a humiliating backdown
they are making. The secretary of the
treasury said, in regard to this money
question, a few days ago: "Tha demand
for money in this country Is s irregular
that an amount of circulation, which
will be ample during ten months of the
year will frequently provo so deficient
¡during the other two months aa tocauae
stringency and commercial dntbter.
The crops ofthe country have reached
proportions so immense that their
¿novewent to naffest ia -August **d
December, annually causes a dangerous
absorption of money." Is this not an
admission that tho Alliance was right
aud is it not an argument in favor of
the sub-trei aury scheme, which seeks
to remedy the very conditions that tha
secretary fears? Then again, the secre-
tary endorses the statement set forth
by the Allianco in favor of an elastic
currency to remedy these conditions.
He says: "In' my judgment tho graves!
defect of our present financial system ia
its lack of elasticity." Now lodlk for a
moment at this statement in regard to
tho national banking system, made by
tho comptroller of the currency. Ia
speaking of the necessity of revising tho
national banking laws, he says: "16
should receive such wise and just treat*
ment as will result in a hearty growth,
or else provision should bo immediately
mado for the inauguration of some new
system more completely adapted, if pos
sible, to the wants of tho people." These
statements indicute how rapidly these
so-called statesuieu can change theii
minds when they see which way the
wind blows, and prove that the poopla
are on the right track.—Industrial Free
Press.
# 0
%
Some of the big capitalists who have
boon squeezing the little fellows to death
during the past fow weeks agrie with
President Harrison that the country ia
enjoying exceptional prosperity. Un-
doubtedly the natural conditions are fa-
vorable, but how about the artifloial
conditions? The volume of business is
swelling, but there is not enough ready
cash to carry it on. Crops and other1
products are ready to enter into eon*
sumption, but where is the money? It
fa no use to say that there is plenty of
money somewhere in the country,
is hoarded by a few, in the hands <
speculative monopolists, And the people
sco very little of it. PractiCálly there if
hardly any cash in active circulation,
and even if our entire currency, $22 pet
capita, changed hands briskly, still there
would not bb éiioügh to meet the do?
mauds of business. Under these cir-
cumstances the men who have obtained
absolute control of our financial system
come to thu front and say that we do
not need more money, but more confi-
dence. They say that with a feeling of
confidence pervading business circlos,
credit would be so good that dollars
would no longor be needed between buy*
ers and sellers. But the trouble is that
the basis of confidence is lacking.
Without integrity and stability theri
can be no confidence. The men who
control tho money of the country are
unscrupulous schemers, and they make
our financial system unstable whenever
it suits their purposes. They have
shaped tlie tarín to work to their inte
ests. When a man buys a manufac-
tured article or builds a house it costs
hi15 per cent more than it did a few
months ago, and he finds the money
harder to got. The tariff is protecting
stone andiron and wool, but ft does not
protect men. The majority of men aro
laborers, and ne greater blow could bo
dealt them than to increase the cost of
living without increasing wages. The
speculators and McKialeyitea ai male.
fí
I'll
■m
ftp
üt
y develop an industry?
telling when the government will stnas!
There is a*
ish
ing everything unstable and unreliable.
Wo I
ng when the gc
it. Why toil hard to produce cotton in
tho South and grain in the West? ©ur
musters, the plutocrats, will see to it
that the crops shall be saerifioed.
Squeeze! That is the word. The great
generals of finance have given this or-
der, and it runs all along the line. Ev-
t-jy conscienceless speculator who is able
to crowd somebody to the wall dots it,
and loots his pocket in a purely legiti-
mate way. The people hava boea
squeezed so often that they have no con-
fidence in the squeozers, and the squéea-
ers have no confidence in each other.
In the panicky state of affalra tha Wall
street jugglers who are responsible ft*
it all calmly advise the people tado
without cash, and exist on confidence.
Having robbed the people of a goodly
portion of their hard earnings, they aow
appsal to their victims to hold up that*
hands until the job ef.spoliation fseosa-
plotedl Confidence! ft is a word to
conjure with. Hit if
in tne shape of an nc
sust havo i
ioncst tariff,
basis
and a
financial system devised to meet the
business wafita of the people—a system
providing for a stajfle and exaahsive
currency that will not be controlled, by
a dozen Shylocka in great cities. Give
us such a reform, and there will be no
lack ef coafideace and cash. Aad we
are going to han it. Tketbsae is joined
between (he aJhhoed ef many and the
dity ef the U/Wi
" ir power to
<m the
cupidity a
it i their
putlloffoi JH
plutocrat classes, and tny hrfve m
up their aalnds te de H ac any eost.
a Mvemvoat ef the «peale, wr the pea-
pie, and y the peop$ there should lo%
no room for a plutocracyAtlaaU(Ua.)
CeasUtutian,
\T
'
lija
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The Southern Mercury, Texas Farmers' Alliance Advocate. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 8, 1891, newspaper, January 8, 1891; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth186169/m1/1/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .