i89o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
573 
independence had full swing and all parties 
came in for hearty denunciations. Applause 
was cheap for all who declared they were, 
politically speaking, no longer anything but 
American citizens. 
In denunciation of existing things all vied 
with each other, but what of the remedies ? 
The ultra free-trader, the high-protection¬ 
ist, the Greenbacker, the Prohibitionist and 
the personal-liberty-man, all were there, 
and none was modest in announcing his 
presence. Herein lay the opportunity of 
those accustomed to leadership. A few 
men of wide reputation were agreed in the 
policy of not allowing any resolutions to go 
forth from that convention that would al¬ 
ienate any body of voting farmers at home. 
They were determined that no tariff and no 
temperance planks should appear in the 
platform. Appeal after appeal was made 
for harmony. The majority acquiesced in 
the view taken by the old-time leaders. 
The things upon which all were agreed 
were many, and if the demands of the con¬ 
vention are granted, much will be done to 
relieve us of our burdens. Resolutions were 
adopted favoring: 
“Equal taxation upon all forms of prop¬ 
erty ; the reduction of railroad passenger 
rates to two cents a mile; Government con¬ 
trol of railroads and telegraph lines as to 
rates and charges; unlimited coinage of 
silver, and making it legal tender for all 
debts, public and private; the election of 
U. S. Senators by popular vote ; forfeiture 
of all unearned land grants; taxes, direct 
and indirect, as low as consistent with eco¬ 
nomical administration of good govern¬ 
ment ; the protection of pure food products 
from the ruinous competition of adulter¬ 
ated products; the passage of a law nulli¬ 
fying the effect of the ‘original package 
decision;’ the passage of the Conger pure 
lard bill, and the rigid enforcement of our 
State and National pure food laws; a 
graded income tax for corporations and in¬ 
dividuals ; the Butterworth bill preventing 
gambling in farm products; the Rawlins 
bill taxing finished manufactured pro¬ 
ducts; Australian ballot system; school¬ 
books at cost; restriction of fees and salar¬ 
ies of public officers; the election of the 
Dairy and Food Commissioners by popular 
vote;” and denouncing alien non-resident 
ownership of land and the granting of 
passes to public officials. 
The R. N.-Y. will look in vain for a de¬ 
nunciation of the whisky traffic—a curse it 
fights so valiantly. It is a strange omis¬ 
sion when we remember that the Alliance 
in this State is a unit against the traffic, 
and that almost 300 of the delegates were 
from that organization. “ What are we 
here for ?” cried Miller Purvis, the leading 
spirit in the Alliance; but the “harmony ” 
leaders had their way. The petitions sent 
in by subordinate organizations for resolu¬ 
tions denouncing the whisky traffic and an 
unequal tariff were many and earnest, and 
there w T ere but few who denied their jus¬ 
tice, but policy was made the watchword. 
Considerable opportunity for getting the 
real sentiments of the convention would 
convince one that opposition to the national 
banking system, the saloon and a war 
tariff—except among the wool-growers— 
was the chief point in the platform 
desired by a great majority of the delegates. 
Many expected to give honest expression to 
their views, but the isolation of farm life 
and close contact with Nature do not tend 
to develop the elements of leadership, and, 
conscious of a natural tendency to keep 
btep only with themselves, the appeals for 
harmony were very effective. 
The leader of a Farmers’ Party delega¬ 
tion was persistent in his endeavour to get 
a vote on his resolution ; but he went down 
with the temperance and tariff reform men. 
Their efforts were only butting against a 
stone wall. Doubtless the great majority 
of the Ohio farmers are uot yet ready for a 
new party. As we have formulated de¬ 
mands, it was the sentiment of the conven¬ 
tion that we should give the old parties one 
more chance. Except as embodied in the 
resolutions reported by the committee and 
adopted as a whole, no question was allowed 
to come before the convention for action. 
By skillful leadership and, in the openly ex¬ 
pressed opinion of many, by arbitrary rul¬ 
ings we have no certain knowledge of the 
tentiments of the convention on many 
questions. Nevertheless, much was accom¬ 
plished, and the course pursued may have 
been the wisest. Old party ties were 
greatly weakened. There w r as an exulta¬ 
tion in the feeling of party independence 
that was well-nigh universal. The nomi¬ 
nation of farmer candidates for our legis¬ 
lative bodies, either on old party or inde¬ 
pendent tickets, is the logical conclusion 
irom the work of the convention. If such 
nominees do not copy the methods of the 
politician; if they do not fail to define their 
positions on vital questions through fear of 
alienating a few voters, many will be 
elected. If too politic, they may not deserve 
success. 
A union of all farmer organizations in 
Ohio was effected. It is called the Ohio 
Farmers’ Union, and its officers will ar¬ 
range for future meetings. A close wa'ch 
will be kept upon the old parties, and 
needed legislation will doubtless be given 
us by unwilling hands. ALVA AGEE. 
Gallia Co., Ohio. 
New York State Farmers’ Alliance. 
John Livingstone, of Campville, N. Y., 
President of the Alliance in this State, 
sends us a circular letter which concludes 
as follows: “While the actual value of 
farms has shrunk 50 per cent, the nominal 
value of Trust properties has been increased 
300 per cent. Such combinations were, by 
the laws of England, made crimes hundreds 
of years ago, and should be suppressed by 
Federal and State statutes wherever they 
exist in this country. The poor tillers of 
the soil pay for all. The telegraph should 
be owned by the government. The national 
banking system should be abolished and 
legal Treasury notes be substituted for 
their issues. The greatest good to the 
greatest number seems to demand the 
scaling down to hard-pan of the watered 
railroad securities, or the ownership of the 
railroads by the government. The Sub- 
Treasury plan of the National Alliance, as 
old as the days of Joseph in Egypt, or some 
better system seems necessary now, to 
suppress the evils produced by combina¬ 
tions of middlemen and speculators which, 
by frequently causing fluctuations of 50 per 
cent, in the price, give them the biggest 
harvest every year.” 
The Farmers’ Alliance. 
The Andover Review for August contains 
the following: “ As under certain condi¬ 
tions of the atmosphere in a hot summer 
day one has observed a storm gathering at 
the north, and over against it a cloud at 
the south, and also one in the east and 
another at the west, and then, while run¬ 
ning for shelter, has seen them all rush 
swiftly together, that with thunder and 
lightning and rain and hail and tempest 
they might smite the mountain and the 
lake; so it would seem that the Texan 
farmers, with their spirited temper, have 
rallied the men of the South, while the 
fearless sons of the Northwest, by no means 
discouraged after their former struggle 
with railroad corporations, have united the 
discontented tillers of Kansas soil with the 
fruit-growers and milkmen on both sides of 
the Hudson, and so, coming together at 
St. Louis, to use a pregnant phrase of the 
day, have determined to ‘ pool their 
issues.’ They claim to represent some¬ 
thing like a million of men. They allege 
that they have an understanding with the 
Knights of Labor. They feel sure of the 
sympathy of the Grange, and. as not a few 
of them are old soldiers, they do not wholly 
despair of the help of the Grand Army. 
The politicians of many of the Southern 
States fear lest the * solid South ’ may be 
rent in twain. The political leaders of 
some Northern districts are somewhat 
timid, even Massachusetts cannot forget 
the record of its parties on the oleo ques¬ 
tion. It is said, even, that at Washington 
both parties are not a little alarmed lest 
the unexpected at no distant day may 
happen.” 
RURAL SPECIAL CROP REPORTS. 
New York. 
Elba, Genesee County, August 1.—The 
weather continues dry. Thrashing has 
commenced. Wheat is turning out better 
than was expected; some fields, 1 hear, 
average 25 bushels, one as high as 2S per 
acre. Oats, a light crop, as a great deal 
was sown very late. Corn is very uneven 
and small for this season; a light crop is 
expected. The drought has very nearly 
ruined potatoes; the tops are dying while 
the tubers are the size of walnuts. Beaus 
are looking good at present. Berries have 
been high all through the season, as there 
will be no other fruit to speak of for pre¬ 
serving this year. It is expected that 
a farmer will be elected for Congress this 
year from our district. What is going to 
happen ? Is the country going to the dogs? 
Some kid-glove fellows say so—time will 
tell. f. j. 
AvocA, Steuben County, August 11.— 
The weather for the last few days has been 
somewhat rainy. July was a very warm 
month and rather dry, the thermometer 
reaching 'JO degrees in the shade at noon 
nearly every day, with much high wind. 
The spring was very wet. Hay is a very 
large crop and was secured in fine condi¬ 
tion. Winter wheat and rye seem to be 
well filled. Thrashing has just commenced. 
Barley and oats are very poor, having been 
much injured by what looked like a green 
louse which some claim is a species of 
chinch bug. Buckwheat looks fine. It 
appears now as though we should have the 
largest and best crop of potatoes in many 
years. The “ bugs” have been uncommonly 
scarce. Fruits will be scarce but not so 
scarce as last year. We have enough apples 
for home market, but shall have none to 
ship. Last year we had to buy. Many 
farmers’ societies are being organized 
around here. C. H. E. 
Illinois. 
Momance, Kankakee County.—Weather 
very dry—no rain since July 12. Potatoes 
one quarter of a crop; corn about one-third, 
oats an average crop—about 15 bushels to 
the acre. Farmers have long faces, o. M. 
Pleasant Valley, Jo Daviess County, 
August 15.—The phenomenal spell of 
drought still continues, with no promise 
of rain, and much stock is suffering for 
feed. Springs are not as low as two years 
ago. The prices for grain are becoming 
quite encouraging. I do not know whether 
the law of supply and demand is alone 
responsible, or whether Old Hutch has his 
shoulder under the rise as he has had it under 
wheat for some years. The upward move¬ 
ment is at least giving the farmers tem¬ 
porary relief. Now, if cattle and hogs 
would only “follow suit!” Oats have ad¬ 
vanced to 40 cents—a rise of nearly 20 cents 
in a month. Potatoes and apples are scarce 
and sell for 90 cents to $1 per bushel. I am 
glad to see such fair and full accounts of 
the farmers’ political movements. C. M. 
Clay’s talk sounds rather wild at first, but 
close study will disclose the fact that it is 
too alarmingly true. w. S. S 
Ohio. 
Xenia, Greene County.—Grass a full 
crop; wheat about half a crop, with smut 
and chess in it; oats not more than half a 
crop ; potatoes a failure, not enough for 
seed. Corn will not make over five or eight 
bushels per acre. We have no pasture. 
Farmers are feeding their stock now. We 
have no fruit, except a few grapes. It is a 
blue time for farmers. We had a large Al¬ 
liance meeting here last Friday—over 3,000 
were present. D. D. M. 
SALT IN THE SILO. 
During the past season a number of par¬ 
ties have written us about the advantages 
of using salt in the silo. They claim that 
when a small quantity of salt is thrown in, 
as the silo is filled, the silage is improved, 
being made sweeter and softer. Inquiries 
sent to some of our leading silo authorities 
bring out the following replies bearing on 
the subject: 
We have never used salt with silage. I 
see no objection to a small quantity, as one 
would use salt in the hay mow. We should 
not use it with the idea of preserving the 
silage thereby. w. A. henry. 
Frobably of No Use. 
I have not used salt in the silo. I do not 
think it would in any way aid in the better 
preservation of silage, while there would 
be daily danger of giving stock much more 
than needed. Bran has sometimes been 
put among the silage; but the system is 
not yet well enough understood or prac¬ 
ticed to insure that this can be safely done. 
The degree of fermentation varies so much 
with the condition of the material that 
goes into a silo, that the mixingof brau or 
grain may be attended with some loss. 
Clover is a highly nitrogenous plant, and 
on that aceouut is more difficult to preserve 
in a perfect condition. My experience is 
that it is better to eusilo each crop by it¬ 
self, and I do not know of any plan for 
adding to the silage other foods so as to im¬ 
prove either them or the silage If those 
who 611 silos with corn again this fall, will 
let it come to full maturity before they cut 
it, they will get far greater feeding value 
from it. GEO. T. POWELL. 
Another Step In Advance. 
I have never used salt in silage, and do 
not believe it would add any value to it. I 
advanced another step in my experience 
with the silo last autumn. Having about 
five acres of corn fully matured, cut, 
shocked and ready to be husked, I con¬ 
cluded to put it intc the silo rather than 
husk it; so we cut it up into half-inch 
lengths—corn cob, stalks and leaves, all to¬ 
gether—with a powerful Silver & Deming 
cutter, and after six weeks began to feed it. 
The silage from this com was the best I 
have ever had. The grain in the ear mixed 
with the stalks, fully ripened, but not hard 
or wilted, seemed to make a perfect food, 
and while it was used no mill feed was 
given to the cows. My rule now, therefore, 
is to let the ears of corn fully mature, then 
put the crop into the silo and save the ex¬ 
pense of shocking and husking. 
j. T. BROOKS. 
A “Microbe-Killer” for the Silo. 
I have had no experience in salting silage, 
nor do I know of any one who has ever 
made an experiment in that line. The ad¬ 
visability of such a practice is a question 
often asked at the institutes, but never 
answered. I think Dr. Manly Miles once 
told me that salt would hold fermentation 
in check to a certain extent, just where it 
had been sprinkled on. Of course the use 
of salt enough to brine the mass, would 
not be practical, and, accordingly, the 
silage, being salted unevenly, would not 
“heat” alike, and would, therefore, be im¬ 
perfect. It has never seemed to me that 
there was any need of salting silage. It 
keeps all right now, and when we feed it 
out each morning we go up the feeding 
alley with the salt dish and throw a big 
spoonful of salt on each mess in the 
manger, and so no cow gets too much. 
Mr. Pierce of Peru, Ind., when filling his 
silo, sprinkles a peck of fine charcoal over 
each load of fodder as it is cut out of the 
pits, and thinks he gets good results from 
the practice. I do not imagine that we shall 
ever do much better in preserving silage 
than by filling in the mature corn and do¬ 
ing a little treading, so that the heating 
will be even, and there will consequently 
be an expulsion of air, and we shall get 
relatively sweet silage. Possibly a “mi¬ 
crobe-killer ” maybe brought out that may 
act as a preservative agent and prevent all 
fermentation. It may be that the proper 
way to use preservaline will be to sprinkle 
it on the silage instead of mixing it with 
the milk. JOHN GOULD. 
Salt Is Unnecessary. 
We have never used salt in a silo, deem¬ 
ing it unnecessary. We know of nothing 
that can be put into a silo with silage that 
will add to the value of the latter. We 
have been feeding from the silo for nine 
years, and during that period have used 
for silage B. & W. corn, rye, oats and 
clover, and each has given satisfactory re¬ 
sults, though the least satisfaction came 
from the rye. We would not know how 
to run our farm without the aid of the silo. 
O ATM AN BROS. 
We have never used salt in the silo. It 
Is not needed, so far as we know. It is prob¬ 
able it woald have some effect upon the 
silage; but just what is not known. 
I. P. ROBERTS. 
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