Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 December 1889 — IMPORTANT ALLIANCE. [ARTICLE]

IMPORTANT ALLIANCE.

Knights o( Labor and Farmer Organizations—Far Reaching Significance. The alliance of the K. of L. and the farmsra wai announced from St. Louis, Saturday. A secret conference between Master Workman Powderly of the K. of L., and Ezra Jones, President of the Farmers’' and Laborers’ Union, resulted in a thorough understanding being reached, and President Jones says that confederation is now an established fact, while Master Workman PoWderly admitted that there was much truth in what Mr. Jones said. A common platform wa3 agreed upon—upou land, money and transportation re form—and an understanding arrived at by Which each organization will actively assist the the other in every way possible. The executive officers of the two organizations will form a central council to consult from time upon all matters of joint interest. The various Farmers*’ bodies have agreed upon a plan of consolidation which will, as soon as tlie necessary refex-enees can be had to the various State organizations, result in bringing about an absolute union in one body. It is probable that in time the Knights Will also join the Fanners in actual union. In the meantime the leaders of both parties are entirely satis fled with the practical federation now consummated. The National Farmers’ Alliance has adopted a long scries of resolutions xavorwoman suffrage; favoring the reservation of public land for actual settlers, and against the acquisition of lands in the the States and Territories by aliens; for the rigid enforcement of the law against railroad corporations that were not complying with their contracts as to the disposition of lands; called for the free coin age of gold and silver, and an amendment to the law which pcrmitted.loans to banks on bonded security of money at 1 per cent, while the farmer was obliged to pay 8 and 10 per cent.; favoring the payment of the public debt as rapidly as possible; opposing bonds as the basis for loans, and reiterating the argument against the national banking system and in favor of the greenback doctrine. Taxes on real estate, mortgages and a graded income tax were demanded. Economy in the management of all departments of the Government was called for and a declaration launched against any proposition looking to the increase of Government employes’ salaries. The liquor traffic was opposed in all its forms. The I‘csolutlon on the tariff was as follows: Resolved, That vve favor such revision and reduction of the tariff that the taxes may rest as lightly as possible upon productive labor, and that its burdens may be imposed upon the luxuries and removed from the necessaries of life, and in a manner that will prevent continued accumulations of the United States Treasury sur plus. The foregoing resolutions were then capped by one declaring that the members of the convention would support no candidate who would not subscribe to the principles enumerated therein.