People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 January 1894 — FARMERS TO UNITE. [ARTICLE]

FARMERS TO UNITE.

Flms for » Big Control Organisation OntUnod. Chicago, Jan. 81. —The five great organizations of farmers—toe Farmers’ alliance, the Industrial union, the Grange, the Farmers’ Mutual Benefit association and the Patrons of In-dustry-are to form a federation to be known as the Farmers’ anion, if plans made by the alliance at a convention held in this city are acceptable to the other organizationa The scheme is a big one and its promoters expect great things from it The new organization is to be nonpartisan, it is claimed, but will devote itself to bettering the condition of the farmers politically and socially. The specifically stated object of the federation is to “promote social harmony and entertainment for the families of isolated farmers, to furnish the means for educational government necessary sos better citizenship, more practical tillage of the soil and a more thorough knowledge of the questions of government, of the laws of trade and the relations of agriculture to other pursuits and occupations.” The plan of education as adopted by the lonvention is the production of Milton George, who has been agitating it for two years. Men at the head of the new movement say they have already received the tacit indorsement of all organizations interested. The plan of constitution adopted by the Farmers’ alliance provides that the Farmers’ union shall be incorporated under the laws of Illinois. It is expressly provided that it shall not be a secret organization. While in no way interfering with the secret regulations of the federated orders this central organization will be open and its ranks free to men who have scruples against joining secret orders. Another important provision is that the federation shall be strictly nonpartisan. Vast numbers of the farmer element are violently opposed to the political character pf certain of ' the orders, and while the federation is made for the express purpose of increasing the power of the agricultural element in the political and social movements of the country, it was generally admitted that partisan spirit would be an evil factor in the workings of the new body. The new organization will admit to membership only practical farmers, but female members of the farmer’s household may become members.