Greenfield Republican, Greenfield, Hancock County, 9 August 1889 — Page 2

THE REPUBLICAN.

PuWishert by

W. S. MONTGOMERY.

GREENFIELD,

INDIANA

MASSACHUSETTS has probably a larger, as it certainly has a more picturesque, assortment of ex-Governors than any other Commonwealth. They are, taken alphabetically, Banks, Bout well, Butler, Claflin, Gardner, Gaston, Long, Rice and Robinson. All, of them, too, except Gardntr, Gaston and Rice, have a national reputation. In this big list the old Bay Scate has an affluent and diversified display of political bric-a-brac such as would have been hard to match at any time in the past in any community in this country.

THE tariff has not aided the salt magnates in the sense which it has helped the sugar refiners. There is a chance that if the duty on salt had been removed a year or two ago England and the rest of the outside world might have sent enough over here to seriously injure the domestic producer. As the domestic producer, however, has now entered into a conspiracy with England, which also has a salt trust, to corner the American market, he will get no favors from the American public.—GlobeDemocrat (high tariff.)

WASHINGTON NOTES. In response to a letter of inquiry from W. C. Coolev, chief clerk of the Postoffice Department, James N. Tyner, 1- asistant Attorney-General for the i*03toffic'j Department, wrote that when the Civil Service Commission certified three nam* 3 for appointment, and one of them was a discharged sailor or soldier, he must be selected for the place. It wag suggested in the inquiry that if the appointment power were allowed no choice in such a case, it would be useless for the commission to certify more than the one name of the ex-soldier or sailor. Mr. Tyner said as to this, that if the name of but one eligible candidate was certified, that person might become incapacitated or fail to appear, hence the convenience and desirability of having three names on the list. This opinion of Assistant Attorney-General Tyner^paa confirmed by the AttorneyGeneral, who, however, brought out more stronely the point that the appointing power still had the rigiit of judging as to the ex-soldier's capability and personal fitness before putting him in piaee. though, all things being equal, the soldier must be appointed. Tne correspondence in the case is being circulated among the heads of the divisions in the various departments for their guidance in making appointments.

Before leaving Baenos Ayres for home, United States Minister Haana wrote a short report to the State Department on immigration into the Argentine Republic. He says it is setting in from all countries of Europe, and the great number of arrivals is marvelous. They are generally assisted by the Argentine government, to the extent at least of having their passage paid from their starting point to their destination in the interior. The amount thus paid in March alone is estimated at $1,000,000. Already this va3t influx, the Minister says, is beginnining to tell on the exports of corn. Last year the country shipped 455,000 tons of^corn. Tais year it will go above 2,000,0JO tons. Mr, Hanna further Bays: "In the vast fleet of merchant ship3 and great steamers coming here to trade from every European port, the United States flag is rarely seen, but it is hoped and believed that the policy of the new administration on the subject of an encouraged steam navigation between the United States and South American ports will successfully solve this embarrassment."

The forthcoming annual report of acting Commissioner Hone, of the General Land Office, will show that during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1889, there were certified to railroad companies, under various grants, a total of 425,046 acre of land, or 404,116 less that: the total certifications of the previous fiscal year. There were pending in the General Land Office on June 30, 1889, railroad selections under former grants amounting to 29,444.251 acres, which is an increase for the year of 4,014,385 acres.

Zate

State News.

The West Baden proprietors, with the large number of guests now there, tendered his Excellency, Governor Hovey, a reception and ball, Tuesday evening, which was attended by about one thousand persons, all of whom expressed themselves as having had one of the most delightful evenings of the season.

The representative Democrats of Columbus, to the number of about fifty, called on Elder Z. T. Sweenov at his home Tuesday night and tendered him an informal reception on the eve of his departure for Constantinople, to assume his duties as consul-general to Turkey. The gathering, although remarkable for its political tendencies, was none the less pleasant. Congressman G, W. Cooper made the welcoming address.

These patents were issued Tuesday to Indiana inventors: William L. Coffin, Bloomingsport, potato planter and seed drill Theodore W. E/ersole, Garrett, soldering iron John H. Ferguson, Kokomo, running gear for vehicles Humphrey G. Griffith, Indianapolis, lantern Alfred R. Heath,Covington, car coupling Matthew R. Moore, Indianapolis, sand-molding-machine John P. Nichols, Marion, exercising-machine Lucian R. Oakes, Valparaiso, lamp burner Charles A. Olcott, North Vernon, lawn mower Samuel Smoker, Goshen, broadcast seedsower.

There was a quarrel, Thuesday night, at Madison, between Richard Cisco, son of the City Marshal, and George Schlick. but the parties were separated and neither were harmed. Afterward Schlick armed himself, and returning to the original scene, he killed Cisco by shooting him through the head, and he afterward dangerously cut Walter Cisco, a brother of the deceased, who attempt* ed his arrest. The murdered man leaves a wife and two children. In the melee Schlick also shot a man named Close, wounding him slightly, and attempted to kill Mr. Baeder. one of the

IN THE WOOLLY WEST.

Two RoVbers Despoil the Passengers of a Train at Kansas City.

Two men, evidently novices, went hrough the St. Paul car on the Wabash rain at Harlem, across the river from Kansas City, Sunday night. Their faces were concealed behind handkerchiefs, rhere were seven people in the coach— six men and a woman—and all quietly submitted and handed over $175 in money and two gold watches. The robbers then advanced toward the next car in front, but on conductor. They ordered him to hold up his hands. He supposed they were train hands disposed to practical joking. He soon changed nis opinion, however, and hit one of the robbers over the head with his lantern, breaking the glass and

The robbers th*m went to the mail car and comoe'.led II ute Agent Wo'cott to open his car. He had hid.lea all his registered matter bsxt one letter, under a sack, and turned his lights oat. The robbers got t-he one package and then opened the mail pouche3 an I scattered the contents over the fioor. After doing the wors tbey the 1 ordered the engineer to put out the tor^h a ad null out. When they left, authorities in tin neighboring counties were notified and are in pursuit.

It i3 eaid that the total ajaouut stolen is less than f2,000. The pa-sengers were badly frightened, but not one was molested in any way. Chayenne is 375 miles northwest from Fort Worth.

THE STATE CAPITAL.

Two county superintendents O! schools have made requisitions upoi the Superintendent of Public Instructioi

Some of the Republican politiciani think they have discovered that the bill passed by the last Legislature, appropriating $5,000 for a series of farmers' institutes in the various counties of the State, is to be manipulated in the interest oi the Democratic Free Trade Organization, They are led to believe this because Professor W. C. Latta, of Purdue University, who is said to be a free trader, has been appointed lecturer and general superintendent. The State Board oi Agriculture has been asked to assist in making the institute' a success, but hat refused to do anything so far, because of a dislike of the plans for the meetings —Indianapolis News. Different Patient.

Treatment

In a hospital in one of the large eities of central Franco the physician-in-chief, in the course of his round of Inspection, approached a cot and after feeling the patient's pulse, remarked: "Hum—he is doing very nicely his |julse is much better." "It is as you lay, doctor," replied the nurse "but It is not the same man. Yesterday's patient is dead, and this one has been put in his place." "Ah!" said the doctor, "different patient, eh? "Well, game treatment.'' And walked on.

A Bornean Practice.

In the Dutch portion of Borneo the natives used to adorn their huts with human heads and they were not particularly whose head it was Over 2,000 of them had tobe killed in or-

W^!^

COMMON SENSE WANTED

COMMON SENSE THE GREAT WANT OP THE WOfULD.

It is Especially Needful in Making Preparations for the Next Hitfe in the Upbuilding of Christian Character.

Rev. Dr. Talmage preached at Livingstone, M. T., Sunday. Subject, "Out-

cea towara ine next itted by the World." Text Luke xvi. the platform met the

8. He said: In the first place we want more com* mon sense in the building and conduct of churches. The idea ot adaptivenesa is always paramount in any other struct-

putting out the light. The robbers then ure. If bankers meet together and they fired upon him, but neither of the three resolve upon putting up a tank, the shots took effect. As they jumped from the train, which they did immediately, although it was running at a speed of twenty-five miles an hour,the conductor fired the remains of his lantern alter them with the same effect their shooting had upon him. The conductor, therefore, had "the last tag," showing that his early education has not come amiss. The train was soon stopped, and an eff irt made to capture[the bandits, but without success.

A Texas Robbery.

A special from Fort Worth, Texa3,

bank is adapted to banking purposes if a manufacturing company put up a building it is to be adapted to manufacturing purposes but adaptiveness is not always the question in the rearing oi churches. In many of our churches we ^ant more light, more room, more ventilation, more comfort. Vast sums of money are expended on ecclesiastical structures, and men sit down in them, and you ask a man how he likes the church. He says: "I like it very well, but I can't hear." As though a shawl

says: At 2 o'clock Sunday morning six factory were good for every thing but masked men stopped the Fort Worth & making shawls. The voice of the Denver mail express south-bound be- preacher dashes against the pillars, tween the Cheyenne water tank and Men sit down under the shadows of the Tascosa. Three men got on the locomo- Gothic arches and shiver and feel they tive, compelled the engineer to pull must be getting religion or something away from the passenger coaches, which had been detached by the robbers and left under guard of three other men.

After going half a mile they compelled the engineer to get off the engine and bring a pick to force open the door of the express car. Express Messenger Marsh closed the door and put out the lights in the car, first secretine all the express packages but three. The robbers, coming to his car, ordered him to open it and fired into it. The engineer hammered away with his pick until he gos the door partly open, when a torch was pushed into the opening and a revolver poked in and pointed at Marsh, who was told to open up or be killed. Marsh opened tin dor and thrae packages were stolen, but the Pacific Express people say very little money was secured.

eise, they feel so uncomfortable. Oh, my friends, w=s want more common sense in the rearing of churches.

There is no excuse for lack of light when the heavens are full of it, no excuse for lack of fresh air when the world Bwims in it. It ought be an expression not only of our spiritual happiness, but of our spiritual comfott when we say: •'How amiable are thy tabernacles, oh Lord God of hosti-! A day in thy courts is better than a thousand."

Again I remark: We want more common sense in obtaining religious hope. All men understand that in order to succeed in worldly directions they must concentrate. They think on that one eubj ^ct until their mind takes fire with the velocity of their own thoughts. All their acumen, all their strategy, all their wisdom,all their common sense they put in that one direction, and they succeed. But how seldom it is true in the matter of seeking after God. While no man expects to accomplish any thing for this world without concentration and enthusiasm how many there ere expecting after awhile to get iato the kingdom of God without the use of any such meang. Oh, that men were as wisa in the mttter of the soul as thev are in the matter of dollars and cents. This doctrine of God's sovereignty, how it is misquoted and spoken of as though it were au iron chain which bound us hand and foot for time and eternity, when, so far from that, in every fiber of your bodv in every faculty of your mind, in every passion of your soul you area free man. And Ais no more a matter of-free choice whetwpr you will to-morrow go abroad or stay at home than it is this moment a matter of tree choice whether you will accept Christ or reject him. In all the army of

for the new school books. The firs I banners there is not one conscript. Men order came from Fort Wayne, and wai for 1,500 oooks. The second from Wash ington, Daviess county, was for 701 books. The employes in the Stat* Superintendent's office can not under stand why the requisitions should be so small. In Fort Wayne there are 11,615 pupils, and in Washington over 2,00(3 children of school age. It will thus be iieen that the requisitions are for lesi than one-fourth enough books to supph the pupils in the two school corporations, although the Attorney Genera! holds that the requisition must be foi enough books to supply all the children of school age. The superintendent may make additional requisitions during the year, but the State Superintendent is opposing that plan because it will impose an enormous amount of unnecessary work on his office. In a circular to superintendents, just sent out, he advises that: "The requisions from the various corporations and counties be as complete in the first instance as possible." The fact that the Legislature failed to make any appropriation to meet the increased expense of the department by the school law, compels the Superintendent to meet this expense personally. Somebody seems to be responsible for the small requisitions being sent in. A circular signed by Baker & Randolph, and sent to all Superintendents advises that trustees order only about one-fourth of the books needed at this time. The firm is doing work for the Indiana School Book Company, and Mr. Baker says the order was inserted in the circular at the request of the school-book company.

are not to be dragooned into heavea. Among all the tens of thousands of the Lord's soldiery there is not one man but will tell you: ""I choose Christ I wanted Him, I desired to be in His service I am not a conscript—I am a volunteer." Oh, that men had the same common sense in the matters of religion that they have in the matters of the world— the same concentration, the same push, the same enthusiasm! In the one case a secular enthusiasm in the ot^er, a consecrated enthusiasm.

Again, I remark: We want more common sense in the building up and enlarging of our Christian character. There are men here who have for forty years been running the Christian race, and they have not run a quarter of a mile!

No business man would be willing to have his investments unaccumulative. If you invest a dollar you expect that dollar to come home bringing another dollar on its back. What would you think of a man who should invest $10,000 in a monetary institution, then go off for five years, make no inquiry in regard to the investment, then come back, step up to the cashier ot the institution ana say, "Have you kept those $10,000 safely that I lodged with you?" but asking no question about interest or dividend? Why, you would say, "That is not common sense." Neither is it, but that is the way we act in matters of the soul. We make a far more important investment than $10,000. We invest our soul. Is it accumulative? Are we growing in grace? Are we getting better? Are we getting worse? God declares many dividends, but we do not collect them, we do not ask about them, we do not want them. Oh, that in this matter of accumulation we were as wise in the matters of the soul as we are in the matters of the world!

How little common sense in the reading of the Scriptures! We get any other book and we open it and we say: "Now, what does this book mean to teach me? It is a book on astronomy it will teach me astronomy. It is a book on political economy it will teach me political economy." Taking up the Bible, do we ask ourselves what it means to teach? It means to do just one thisg: get the world converted and get us all to heaven. That is what it proposes to do. But instead of that, we go into the Bible as I botanists to pick flowers, or we go as

Vmt Qorvi« Pu2ilists to get something to fight other OUT, K.AM.9 Christians with, or we go as logicians trying to sharpen our mental faculties for a better argument and we do not like this about the Bible, and we do not like that and we do not like the other thing. What would you think of a man lost on the mountains? Night has come down he can not find his way home, and be sees a light in a mountain cabin he goes to it, he knocks at the door the mountaineer comes out and finds the traveler and says: "Well, here I have a lantern you can take it and it will guide lyou on the way home and suppose that man should say: "I don't like that lslntern, I don't like the handle of it, therpare ten or fifteen things about it I don't like if you can'tgive me a better lantern than that I won't have any:

Now God says this Bible is fo be a lamp to our feet and lantern to aar path, to guide us through the midiMffht of this world to the gates of the tity. We take hold of it in riharp

i$im

that. On. how mue\ w»r t® wortln be if by its holy iignt we tounu our waj to our everlasting home!

Then we do not read the Bible as we read other books. We read it, perhaps, four or five minutes just before we retire at night. We are weary and sleepy, so somnolent we hardiy know which end of the book is up. We drop our eye perhaps on the story of Samson and the foxes, or upon some genealogical table, important in its place, but stirring no more religious emotion than the announcement that somebody begat somebody else and he begat somebody else, instead of opening the book and saying: "Now I must read for my immortal life. My eternal destiny is involved in this book."

But I remark again: We want more common sense in doing good. How many people there are who want to do good and yet are dead failures! Why is it? They do not exercise the came tact, the same ingenuity, the same stratagem, the same common sense in the work for Christ that they do in worldly things.

Otherwise they would succeed in this direction as well as they Bucceed in the other. There are many men who have an arrogant way with ttiem, although they may not feel arroeant. Or they have a patronizing way. They talk to a man of the world in a manner which Beems to say: "Don't you wish you were as good as I am? Why, I have to look clear down before I can see you, you are so much beneath me." That manner always disgusts, always drives men away from the Kingdoai of Jesus Christ instead of bringing them in. When I was a lad I was one day in a village store, and there was a large

fickingof

jroup young men there full of roland fun, and a Christian man came in, and without any introduction of the subject, and while they were in great hilarity, said to one of them: "George what is the first step of wisdom?" George looked up *and said, "Every man to mind his own business." Well, it was a rough answer, but it was provoked. Religion had been hurled in there as though it was a bombshell. We must be adroit in the presentation of religion to the world.

Do you suppose that Mary in her conversation with Christ lost her simplicity? or that Paul,thundering f.om Mars Hill, took the pulpit tone? Why is it people can not talk as naturally in prayer meeting and on religious subjects as they do on worldly subjects? For no one ever succeeds in any kind of Christian work unless he works naturally. We want to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ, who plucked a poem from the grass of the fieid. We all want to imitate Him who talked with farmers about the man who went forth to sow, and talked with the fisherman about the drawn net that brought in fish of all sorts, and talked with the vine dresser about the idler in the vineyard, and talked with those newly affianced about the marriage supper, and talked with the man cramped in money matters about the two debtors, and talked with the woman about the yeast that leavened the whole lump, and talked with the shepherd about the lost sheep. Oh,we might gather even the stars oi the sky and twist them like forget-me-nots in the garland of Jesus. We must bring everything to H^pa—the wealth of language, the tenderness of sentiment, the delicacy of morning dew,the saffron of floating cloud, the tangled surf of the tossing sea, the bursting thunder guns of the storm's bombardment. Yes, every star must point down to Him, every heliotrope must breathe His praise, every drop in the summer shower must flash His glory, all the tree branches of the forest must thrum their music in the grand march which shall celebrate a world redeemed.

Now, all this being so, what is the common sense thing for you and for me to do? What we do I think will depend upon three great facts. Thetfirst fact is that sin has ruined us. It has blasted body, mind and soul. We want no Bible to prove that we are sinners. Any man who is not willing to acknowledge himself an imperfect and a sinful being is simply a fool and not to be argued with. We all feel that sin has disorganized our entire nature. That is one fact. Another fact is that Christ came to reconstruct, to restore, to revise, to correct, to redeem. That is a second fact. The third fact is that the only time we are sure Christ will pardon us is the present. Now, what is the common sense thing for us to do in view of these three facts? You will all agree with me to quit sin. Here are the hopes of the Gospel. We may get them now. To-morrow we may get them and we may not. Next day we may and we may not. The prospect less and less and less and less.

The only sure time now—nov. I would not talk to you in this way if I did not know that Clyist was able to save all people, and to eave thousands as easily as save one. I would not go into a hospital and tear off the bandages from the wounds if I had no balm to apply. I would not have the face to tell a man he is a sinner unless I had at the same time the authority of saying that he may be saved. Oh, man! Oh, woman! I wish to-day I could show you the burned hand of Christ—burned in plucking you out of the fire, burned in snatching you away from the flame. Aye, also the burned foot, and the burned brow, and the burned heart— burned for you. By His stripes ye are healed.

Roundabout Route.

Mrs. Gabb—"Where are yon go^ng this summer?" Mrs. Gadd (lightly) "Oh, to Newport, Saratoga, and I don't know where all. We will make the rounds, I suppose. Haven't decided yet just vvhco we will start, but I'll let you know, my dear."

Mrs. Gabb (meaningly)—"Oh, I'll be sure to hear of it when you leave, because my Cousin John is the railroad tickct agent here."

Mrs. Gadd (hastily") —"Our journey, however, will be to my do ir aunt's farm near S-iuashvillo, and I do hope she won't insist on keeping U3 all summer, as she did last year."—Nov/ York Weekly

A Boy's Chances Spoiled.

Farmer's Boy—"Father, why cannot I rise in the world tho same as other men? For instance, why cannot some day become Secretary of Agriculture P"

Old Farmer—Too late, too late, my eon, you know too much about farmin'" York Weekly*

-iX c,

mr,Z *iv

1 .f-i^jf

YICIOUS TWINE TRUST.

Combinations of Indiana Farmers Against It-- Ihe Alliance.

Indianapolis News.

The agitation which brought together the farmers of the wheat-growing States in an organized endeavor to break up the twine binder monopoly is the cause of the very serious condition of affairs existing in the agricultural district of Southwestern Indiana, and there are indications that the trouble will spread through neighboring territory until possibly a new problem of national importance may confront the country. As an outgrowth of the anti-twine trust agitation the Farmers' Alliance was formed, and the organisation was extended from one school district to anothev until it reached down into this Indiana agricultural district, where the rallying cry brought together the tillers of the soil in the largest and strongest association that has ever been formed among this class. In the original purpose of the organization they found merely a suggestion as to what they might attempt, and now the twine trust has been lost tight of entirely, or at least little is heard about it, while the agitation that is being carried on is more far-reaching in purpose and scope. The counties in which the Alliance flourishes as a reigning power are Warrick, Gibson, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Perry and Knox, while in adjacentterritory, extending even into Illinois and Kentucky, the membership is large and is rapidly increasing. From Tennessee, and even as far south as Mississippi, reports of the spread of the organization are being received. The plantation negroes of the South are especially enthusiastic over it.

Enlarging upon the idea of the twine trust agitation the Alliance has undertaken to establish its own mediums of trade in a way that shuts out mercantile competition and has most effectually stopped the activity in business which enabled many competitors to thrive in the small agricultural towns. A fair instance of what has been done and the effects of it, is found in the town of Boonville, although in Petersburg, Mt. Yernon, Rockport, Princeton and fifteen or twenty other places the same condi tions exist. Boonville has a population of 2,5C0, and is simply a trade center entirely dependent upon its agricultural surroundings for the prosperity it has long enjoyed. Six months ago it had in its midst about half a dozen dry goods stores,eight grocery stores,three harness manufactories, five or six blacksmiths and several other business places embracing hardware, boot and shoe and furniture stores. The agitators made the farmers believe that all of these business men were thriving simply because they were exacting exorbitant profits from their agricultural customers. They were told that the storekeepers lived with ease off the hard earnings of the farmers, and that it was all radically wrong. The farmers could have stores of their own, and by co-operation could save to each other the profits that had been going into the pockets of the storekeepers. In consequence, the Alliance determined to have a store of its own. The storekeepers were notified of the resolution, and were invited to submit proposals to take charge of the business on a stipulated profit for every article sold. Members of the organization agreed to buy their supplies from the merchant or grocer submitting the acceptable proposition. None but members of the Alliance should have the benefit of these reduced prices, and they should make themselves known a3 being entitled to the advantages by passwords. A dealer favored by the Alliance was required to enter into an agreement to furnish the organization duplicates of all bills of goods, so that it could be seen that he was not charging more than the stipulated prices. The merchants of the town, eager ior a monopoly of the business, all submitted bids. The lowest proposal was to sell all goods at a profit of 10 per cent. The proposition was accepted, and within a week the trade of the county was thrown almost entirely into the hands of the Alliance storekeeper, in front of who?e place of business on Saturday, the principal trade day of the farmers, a procession of hundreds of customers stood waiting their chance to buy. The only customers of other dealers were the town people. It is now five months since this system was inaugurated.*' The trade of Boonville runs in a narrow channel. The Alliance store epers have a monopoly of it. Several of the other dealers, after holding out as long as they could afford to, have been forced to close their doors. Business is paralyzed as nobody believed it could be, and Boonville is today the deadest town of its size in Indiana. Everything that the farmers need they purchase through their own mediums, including harness, hardware, boots and shoes, milling and smithing service, and even coffins are bought under Alliance contracts.

What the ultimate result of the movement will be, it's a question that is gravely troubling those affected by it. There is some bitterneES of feeling between the town and country people. The former are loud in their denunciations of the latter, and retaliatory movements have been threatened. The farme/s are in the flash of triumph and are 1 having their own way about things,

t&l&S-

-4."

tri-'"^^

'"vS"". ***,

to make further use of their power, and it seems inevitable that an attempt will be made to control local politics through the organization. Many believe that it will end its own existence, that it is pursuing a course inevitably suicidal, and that the history of the old Grange movement is simply repeating history in this new organization. In the meantime the hundreds of people who are affected by it are troubled and uneasy, and everybody seems discouraged in the towns of the region in Indiana known as "the Pocket."

THE NEW ORG Ax ZATIC

Editorial iu same paper.

K'.

The co-operative purchasing movement inaugurated by the farmers oi southwestern Indiana.about which some interesting information was given in yesterday's News, is fraught with importance, and has various phases. The organization seems to have its origin in the agitation which united the farmers of the wheat growing States in an endeavor to break up the twine binder monopoly, but. instead of confining their co-operative efforts wholly to the work of smashing the Twine Trust, they have enlarged the scope of their purposes into a great general self-helping scheme, which may or may not be beneficial. The movement began in Indiana five or six months ago, and has risen with mighty power. It has necessarily been disastrous to some interests of the local community, more directly the storekeepers and middlemen through whom the farmers have for years been doing their trading, and indirectly the town people, who are affected by the activity of local trade or the prosperity of the home business man.

Everything commonly needed is now purchased by the farmers, under a contract made by their organization, known as the Alliance, at a stipulated profit for the storekeeper

of about

per cent. The system extends

milling,

blacksmithing and harness mending service, and includes even the purchase of coffins. In short, there seems to be no kind of town buf3:nees that the Alliance,within the short period of its existence, has not already attempted to control for the benefit of its farmers. The result has been the suspension of busines-3 by many storekeepers who find themselves without customers, while cthera have moved to places where competition is still free. In effect, the movement presents at this time two phases—the curtailment of local trade prosperity on one side, and on the other the benefits derived Irom the new system by the farming classes who hitherto contributed most to that prosperity.

Co-operative buying by farmers has never been made permanently successful. Eighteen years aeo it was attempted in the Northwest and flourished for a time, but soon discrepancies in the accounts of the store-keepers were Jitcovered, the farmers found that price3 were increasing, while weights and measurements were decreasing and confidence in the management of the stores was destroyed, resulting in the collapse of the system. Later it was again tried by the Grange, a much more formidable movement than the Alliance, but after a few months the co-operative stores were abandoned. Again, failure resulted from management that destroyed the confidence of the farmers.

Among other classes co-operation has been successful. The most notable instance of how it may be made beneficial is to be found in the history of the Kochdale Equitable Pioneer Society ol England, which, within a period of about forty years, has accumulated over two million dollars, on beginning on $140 of capital. It controls not only stores, but mines and manufactories, and various public institutions: such as reading rooms, libraries, hospitals and schools. The most important lesson in its history is that it started in a small way, and was managed cautiously. A revolution in trade methods was not attempted immediately. It grewslowly, but surely and immensely. It is now the controlling and sustaining power of an incomparably prosperous community.

If toe conservative methods of the Rochdale Society should be followed by the Alliance, the co-operative movement might be made permanently beneficial It is a great and farreaching undertaking. It can not be made a lasting success by starting it off with a whoop and hurrah, and that appears to be the grave mistake that the Alliance is making. Ihe controlling idea should be to build up—not tear down. Tbe destructive idea is pretty suie always to be a boomerang. To secure the confidence of the members, the thing moat essential to success, progress should be made slowly with care to place the trusts of the organization in tho hands of honest men, and to choose wise and conservative leaders. Farmers are naturally suspicious men, and they will be bard to hold together permanently in such an organization. If excitement is encouraged there is sure to be a reaction, and the collapse of the organization may result. If managed simply as a business venture by the farmers and for the farmers,with care to prevent the organization from becoming involved in politics in any way, it may be made of permanent benefit. If the undertaking is not lasting, it will have been of far more harm| than benefit.

'Ai