282 HISTORY OF THE WHEEL AND ALLIANCE. 



the government. But if they are so narrow as to 

 eschew politics altogether because they cannot distin- 

 guish between partyism and politics, they will remain the 

 slaves of monopoly and place-hunters forever. By no 

 means permit the Wheel, Grange or Alliance to become a 

 mere political machine; if it does it will be no better than 

 the other parties; but if it refuses to consider those mat- 

 ters relating to law and government, just as vital to the 

 farmer as to any other class, then they might as well 'shut 

 up shop' for all the good they will do." 



If farmers would read more from papers endorsed by 

 the Order, and devoted to their interests, the obstacles in 

 the way of united action would soon be overcome. 



Newspapers that look to corporations and election 

 committees for the greater part of their support, should 

 not be patronized by members of the Order. From the 

 very nature of things, they will pander to the policy and 

 interest of those whose patronage they mostly enjoy. 

 Their mission is to engender party strife, and keep the 

 people divided on the important issues. They are the 

 nurseries of party prejudice. They have a way of meas- 

 uring a gnat so that it will appear as large as a mountain. 

 They represent all the bad in one party and all the good 

 in the other. They insinuate themselves into the home 

 of the laborers and breathe their deadly poison upon the 

 sacred precincts of the family altar. Their information 

 is altogether one-sided. Like a poisonous vapor they 

 permeate the whole country with their deadly influence, 

 spread dissension, arouse the passions and smother the 

 nobler instincts and sentiments of manhood. 



Worse even than the seven plagues of Egypt, the 

 seeds of error they succeed in sowing are left to germinate 

 among the generations yet to come. The power of the 

 press is wonderful. One of the leading objects of all 

 reform organizations should be to furnish its members 



