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Show WHYTHETARE THERE." A Curious Combination Get Together in a State Convention and Eesolve. FAVOR TREE COINAGE OF SILVER. They also State They are Hostile to Trusts and Monopolies and Everything Every-thing Burdensome. Colcmbis, O., Aug. 13. Special. A state convention composed of delegates dele-gates representing the farmers alliance, the grange, patrons of industry, farmers far-mers league and farmers mutual benefit association convened here today. The convention is thoroughly representative of the farming interests of the state. The chairman in his address declared that the convention had not been called to boom any particular hobhy, or in the interests of any political party but purely in the interest of a depressed industry. in-dustry. He was pleased to preside over a convention representing societies having hav-ing a membership of over 50,0'JO of the farmers of the state. The convention is composed of 800 delegates but there are about 4000 farmers in tho hall. The platform adopted declared in favor of the united action of all farmers societies, advocated the free coinage of silver, indorsed the Butterworth bill, declared hostility to ail class legislation, trusts and monopolies, demanded a reduction of the fees and salaries of county and state ollicers, demanded an amendment of the tax laws of the stato so that mortgaged farms should not bo taxed at full value, and compelling manufacturers manu-facturers to list all their finished products pro-ducts for taxation, and declared in favor of a better school book bill than the Geyer law passed last winter. For more than a year there has been a new force developing in the politics of the stato, Heretofore the farmers of tho state have been slow to leave the old parties or take any concerted action in their own interest. in-terest. 'The granger and greenback movement alike failed to arouse in them the enthusiasm excited among the farmers of many of the newer states. But the business depression they have experienced during the past few years has been preparing them for an appeal to the voters, and nereafter the farmers may be oxpected in many parts of Ohio to act as a unit in supporting men and measures favorablo to them. The strength of the present movement lies in its alleged non-pastisan character. It appeals to the farmer more powerfully power-fully than any previous attempt of tjiis kind. |