i89i 
443 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
POULTRY YARD —Continued 
in bed where he would lie as quiet as could 
be. When six months old he was quite 
large and measured 34 inches from tip to 
tip. We thought he was an uncommonly 
smart cat. He used to stand on his hind 
feet and rattle the knob with one paw and 
kick the door with his hind foot when he 
wanted to get in; Ma said he was trying to 
imitate the boys. One day Ma was going 
to scrub the kitchen floor and she put us 
children into the sitting-room, telling us 
not to come ont until she had done. Pres¬ 
ently she heard the door knob rattle and 
called to us to stay in, but as it did not 
cease she went to see who was there and 
found Jim rattling away, wanting to get 
Into the room. He comes to the kitchen 
door every morning and asks to be let in; 
when let in, he always mews as if he 
meant “ Thank you ! ” or “ Good morn¬ 
ing ! ” He used to follow us like a 
little dog when we went out to the 
fields. He tried to go to school with 
us one morning, and we could not make 
him go back. He got lost in a cornfield, 
and when I was coming home at night I 
found him and brought him home. He 
very often asks to go upstairs to look for 
mice, and when ready to come down he 
rattles the latch ; he cm very nearly open 
the door him-elf. Jim is a good mouser. 
When he catches a mouse he always brings 
it to the house to show it, and is not satis¬ 
fied until some one takes notics of it. He 
is nine years old, and is quite kittenish yet. 
He has always been of a very good disposi¬ 
tion. He had a sister that had a happy 
family of two kittens, two downy chicks, 
two squirrels, and a rabbit, and was as 
kind and good to them as she could be. 
Marshallton, Pa. 8 . R. X. 
[The R. N.-Y. has a large family of very 
sociable “ underfoot people.” The children 
started for church two weeks ago and 
three cats followed in a long line. Two 
of the cats finally dropped out, but the 
other was quite hurt in spirit because he 
was not permitted to enter the church. 
The little boy was very much afraid that 
kitty would run away and not come home 
again, but at breakfast time the next 
morning kitty was on hand ] 
BIRTH OF THE ‘‘PEOPLES PARTY.” 
The Greenbackers Nursed It. 
Radical demands; “more money;" no 
show for “ conservativesto fight the 
money power; have they started too 
soon? 
[RURAL SPECIAL REPORT.] 
Immediately following the Ocala meeting 
of the National Farmers’ Alliance and In¬ 
dustrial Union, a call was issued for a con¬ 
ference of the leading farmer and labor or¬ 
ganizations of the country, to be held at 
Cincinnati, May 19, 1891. This call was 
signed by 100 men who are prominent in 
our reform organizations, but was in no 
way binding on the societies of which these 
men were members. Some, if not all, these 
organizations failed to recognize the Con¬ 
ference officially, but were willing that 
their members should send delegates, if the 
local bodies desired to do so, thus securing 
representation of their views without being 
bound by any action taken in such a con¬ 
glomerate assembly. 
This convention wa 3 named a National 
L ibor Conference, and was originally called 
for the purpose of forming a “National 
Union Party,” but afterwards its purpose 
was changed to that of adopting a platform 
and preparing for the conflict In 1892, and 
invitations to it were addressed to all re¬ 
formers. 
When this Conference met in accordance 
with the call, it was very evident that e very 
reform and “ ism” in this broad country 
had representation. The interest on the 
part of s jme was so intense that they began 
to arrive in the city on the Saturday pre¬ 
ceding the Tuesday on which the Confer¬ 
ence would meet. This meeting was the 
golden opportunity of the disciples of every 
peculiar doctrine that has been struggling 
for existence ever since the memory of man 
runneth not to the contrary. 
The old Greenback leaders saw in the 
Alliance demands a vindication of their 
doctrine, and they were present in force. 
Many years of contest have given them ex¬ 
perience in the manipulation of conven¬ 
tions, and it is nearly the truth to say that 
they were the most potent factor in the 
convention. They are lonely in their party 
and want political company, and to them 
is attributable much of the careful nursing 
that separate political action received. 
From the start every effort was made to 
commit to such action all delegates who 
represented somewhat conservative farmers 
at home, and who were here to counsel de¬ 
lay in decision. 
The mass of the delegates, however, were 
farmers who represented constituencies of 
advanced radical views as to separate act¬ 
ion. Kansas had 411 delegates brimful of 
enthusiasm, and wanting a national party 
just as soon as other sections would agree 
as to its expediency. They were a most 
prominent and influential factor. A num¬ 
ber of this delegation were women, and it 
was quite pleasant to see the pride with 
which the men put them forward to speak. 
The Alliance and the political campaign 
last fall have developed a wonderful talent 
for oratory among the Kansans. Kentucky 
will have to look to her laurels, for the^e 
men and women speak logically, forcibly 
and some of them are very pleasing in 
style. The educational effect of their con¬ 
ditions during the past two years repays 
them to a certain extent for their financial 
trouble. It is a constant surprise to see 
men well bronzed by the sun, and often a 
little careless of the personal graces and of 
dress, face thousands of people with a 
proper assurance and an ability to express 
themselves clearly and logically on any 
topic connected with their interests. This 
large delegation represented the views and 
wishes of those who remained at home, and 
this fact emphasized their words and acts. 
It is a question whether this can be said 
of the Ohio delegation. They were an In¬ 
tel igent and honorable body of men, 317 
strong, but they expresse 1 a radicalism 
that is believed to be not representative of 
the State. The President of the Open Alli¬ 
ance used his Influence to keep the County 
Alliances from sending delegates, and, as a 
consequence, the delegates present were 
from the counties that no conservatism 
could restrain. The President of the Secret 
Alliance in this State also feared that the 
Conference was premature by a few months, 
and issued no call for delegates. The re¬ 
sult was that the conservative element of 
the State was unrepresented. 
The editors of our reform press were a 
prominent factor in the delegation. All 
these men represented their constituents, 
and no blame attaches to them, but the 
fact remains that the people of Ohio as a 
whole were probably misrepresented. This 
delegation held a meeting and declared 
unanimously in favor of putting a State 
ticket in the field this fall, so that a Peo¬ 
ple’s ticket in Ohio is an assured fact. 
The national leaders of the Alliance and 
of the Prohibitionists were more con¬ 
spicuous for their absence from the dele¬ 
gates’ floor than for their presence. Many 
of them were in the city watching and 
working quietly to secure their ends. Col. 
Livingstone, the Georgia Alliance leader, 
was in the city to do all he could against 
any positive action by the Conference. 
National Lecturer Willits attended to 
counsel against action, but found the tide 
too strong to stem, and very gracefully 
yielded to the views of the 411 Kansas dele¬ 
gates. 
President L. L. Polk sent a letter advis¬ 
ing delay. Master Workman Powderly 
spoke in a mass meeting one evening, and 
expressed his doubts about perfect prepara¬ 
tion among the Knights of Labor for im¬ 
mediate separate action. Gov. St. John 
and other leading Prohibitionists occupied 
seats in the gallery. They soon saw that 
their leading principle would not be incor¬ 
porated in the platform of the new party 
by this Conference. Leading single-tax men 
were also present, but soon gave up the 
struggle. Ignatius Donnelly and Gen. 
Weaver represented two bodies that were 
in good and regular standing in the Confer¬ 
ence, and each took a prominent part. 
The sentiment of the Conferenca was 
largely against the liquor traffic. There is 
no doubt on this point; but the delegates 
were determined to make a platform 
that would hold as many as pos¬ 
sible of those who could be com¬ 
bined against the money power. They 
claimed they were not sanctioning any 
evil which they did not fulminate against, 
but that they had met for the overthrow 
of all trusts and monopolies, of which the 
money is the greatest, and that their new 
party should not be weighted with an 
unnecessary pound in this contest. From 
every delegation came up the cry for more 
money, and the fact must be recognized 
that it is fiat money, pure and simple, that 
is demanded in reality. Free coinage of 
silver is too tame a doctrine by itself. 
One colored delegate from North Caro¬ 
lina presented an opportunity for an ex¬ 
pression of feeling by the Conference 
toward the colored people. He was with* 
out money to return home. The delegates 
rained the silver upon him, cheered him 
time and again, and sent him on his way 
rejoicing. 
Another scene was indicative of the feel¬ 
ing as to sectionalism. An ex-Confederate 
delegate from Texas was to second the 
adoption of the resolution in favor of mak¬ 
ing good the depreciated currency that 
was used in paying the soldiers of the 
North. The delegates rose in a body while 
cheering him, flags were waved, and all 
business was suspended while the stand¬ 
ards of the States were gathered around 
him on the platform. 
Sectionalism was bitterly denounced by 
every one as the wedge used by po'itlcians 
to keep the working masses divided while 
the money po wer ruled and robbed the peo¬ 
ple. There is no disguising the fticb that 
the farmers in this convention took the 
most radical view of the financial quest’on. 
They accept and hold that the printing 
presses of the Government should run at 
full pressure until the “nee is of the people” 
In the way of “money” are supplied. In 
most of the Stages, the farmers who were 
at home planting corn are not educated to 
this point, but your correspondent thinks 
he knows whereof he speaks when he says 
such a doctrine will be embraced by thous¬ 
ands of burdened farmers in every State. 
The Impression was general that Ohio 
shou’d be made a battle ground this year. 
It is a conservative State, and it is the 
home of one whom the inflationists blame 
above all others for the present financial 
situation. The battle is now shifted to the 
“ Farmers’ Union” meeting at Columbus, 
Ohio, May 27. This body is formed from 
representatives of all farmer organizations 
in the State. This includes the farmers’ 
institutes, which are the most conservative 
bodies In the State. The delegates from 
Ohio to the Conference boldly state that 
they will be at the Union to bring the 
needed pressure to bear. Weighty outside 
influences will also be brought to bear with 
all the skill the national leaders possess, 
and the Union is liable to be swept into 
action indorsing a State ticket, and pos¬ 
sibly the platform adopted by the Confer¬ 
ence. 
Already have the chiefs in the old parties 
in the State commenced to prepare for a 
s'rong fight against any indorsement by 
the Farmers’ Union, and the result of that 
contest will, in large degree, determine the 
prominence of the People’s ticket as a factor 
In State politics. C. P. T. 
One cent will mail this paper to 
your friend in any part of the United 
States, Canada or Mexico, after 
you have read it and written your 
name on the corner. 
PisswllMmttf *pvnti£itt0. 
Readers of The R. N.-Y. will please the 
advertisers and benefit the paper by always 
mentioning it when writing to advertisers. 
TME NEW 
POTATO CULTURE. 
By ELBERT S. CARMAN. 
JCditoroj “ The Rural New-Yorker.” 
Originator of the Foremost of Potatoes -Rural New- 
Yorker No. 2. 
Originator of The Rural Trench System. 
This book gives the result of 15 years’ 
experiment work on the Rural Grounds. 
It treats particularly of: 
How to increase the crop without 
corresponding cost of production. 
Manures and Fertilizers ; Kinds and 
methods of application. 
The Soil, and how to put it in right 
condition. 
Depth of Planting. 
How much Seed to Plant. 
Methods of Culture. 
The Rural Trench System. 
Varieties, etc., etc. 
Nothing old and worn-out about this 
book. It treats of new and profitable 
methods, in fact of The NEW Potato Cul¬ 
ture. It is respectfully submitted that 
these experiments at the Rural Grounds, 
have, directly and indirectly, thrown more 
light upon the various problems involved 
in successful potato culture, than any 
other experiments which have been carried 
on in America. 
Price, Cloth, 75 Cents; Paper, 40 Cents 
THE RURAL PUBLISHING CO., 
Times Building, New York. 
Good Rural Books. 
The following books are selected from 
our extended list as the most desirable on 
the subjects of which they treat. Sent by 
mail post paid on receipt of price. A com¬ 
plete list of books on rural subjects sent on 
request. _ 
Fruits, Etc. 
American Fruit Culturist. Thomas 
(593 p. ; illustrated). $2.00 
A. B. C. of Strawberry Culture. 
Terry (140 p.; ill.) Paper.40 
Apple Culture, Field Notes on. 
Bailey (90 p. ; ill.).75 
Fruits and Fruit Trees of America. 
Downing (1,500 p.; ill.). 5.00 
Fruit Garden. Barry (500 p.; ill.).... 2.00 
Grape Culturist. Fuller (283 p.; ill.). 1.50 
Peach Culture. Rutter. Paper, 50 cts.; 
Pear Culture for Profit. Quinn 
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Propagation of Plants. Fuller 
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Propagation, Art of, Jenkins, (paper; 
30 p.; ill.).30 
Small Fruits, Success with. Roe. 
(380 p.). 1.50 
Small Fruit Culturist. Fuller (325 
p.; ill.). 1.50 
Vegetables, Etc. 
Celery Manual. $0.25 
Cabbages. Gregory (25 p.).30 
Carrots and Mangold-Wurtzels. .30 
Gardening for Profit. Henderson 
(350 p. ; ill.). 2.00 
Gardening for Young and Old. Harris 
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Garden and Farm Topics. Henderson. 1.50 
Gardening, Success in Market. Raw- 
son (p. 210 .; ill.). 1.00 
Garden—How to make it Pay. 
Greiner (260 p.; ill.). 2.00 
How Crops Feed. Johnson (400 p.; ill.) 2.00 
How Crops Grow. Johnson (375 p.).. 2.00 
Mushroom Culture for Amateurs. 
May (Eng.; 50 p.; ill.) paper.50 
Money in the Garden. Quinn (150 p.).. 1.50 
Truck Farming at the South. Oemler 
(265 p. ; ill.). 1.50 
Floriculture. 
Azalea Culture. Halliday (110 p.; Ill.) 
Special price. $0.75 
Bulbs. Rand (350 p. ; iiy. 2.50 
Every Woman Her Own Flower Gard¬ 
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Gardening for Pleasure. Henderson 
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Hand Book of Plants. Henderson 
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Home Florist, The. Long. 1.50 
Practical Floriculture. Henderson 
Rose, The. Ellwanger (290 p.j. 1. T 
General Agriculture. 
Agriculture. Storer (2 vols.). $5.00 
Ensilage and Silos. Colcord. 1.00 
The Silo. A. J. Cook.25 
Grasses and Forage Plants. Flint. 2.00 
How the Farm Pays. Henderson and 
Crozier. 2.50 
Irrigation for Farm, Garden and Or¬ 
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Manures, Book on. Harris (350 p.)... 1.75 
Culture of Farm Crops. Stewart_ 1.50 
Live Stock, Poultry, Etc. 
Cattle Feeding, Manual of. Armsby 
(500 p.).$1.75 
Feeding Animals. Stewart. 2.00 
Milch Cows and Dairy Farming. Flint 
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Dairy man’s Manual. Stewart. 2.00 
Practical Poultry Keeper. Wright 
(236 p. ; ill.). 2.00 
Poultry Culture. I. K. Felch. 1.50 
Harris on the Pig. Joseph Harris.... 1.50 
Veterinary Adviser. James Law.... 3.00 
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Annals of Horticulture. Bailey. 
Paper, 60 cts.; cloth. $1.00 
Botany, Lessons in. Gray (226 p.; ill.). 1.50 
Botany, Manual of. Gray (800 p. ; 
Botanist and Florist. Wood (431 p. ; 
California Views (in color). Nutting.. .50 
Forestry, Practical. Fuller (280 p.; ill.) 1.50 
Home Acre. Roe (252 p.). 1.50 
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How Plants Grow. Gray (216 p.; ill.). 1.00 
Insects Injurious to Plants. Saunders 
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Insects, Injurious. Treat (270 p.; ill.). 2.00 
Nature’s Serial Story. Roe. 2.50 
Ornamental Gardening. Long. 2.00 
Rural Essays. Downing. 3.00 
Talks Afield. Bailey. 1.00 
The Garden’s Story. Ellwanger. 1.25 
Woods of the United States. Sargent. 1.00 
Any $1.00 book published in the United 
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