DUBUQUE COUNTY ALLIANCE

DUBUQUE COUNTY ALLIANCE. Dubuque County farmers in 1890 had grievances with some of the merchants in Dubuque. While farmers took thirty-eight pounds of oats for a bushel, they were often paid for only thirty-five. Merchants were also known to share what they had bid for farm products with other merchants thus reducing competition and keeping prices low.

In August of 1890 six alliances met in Farley and elected officers including Nathan Simpson, president; Thomas Dunn, vice-president; Thomas Cousins, treasurer; and T. J. Garrigan, county organizer. Those in attendance also agreed to the following resolutions:

            1. That we denounce any and all manipulating of our markets
               that makes the rich richer and the poor poorer.
            2. We demand of our dealers the statute standard of weights
               and measures of all products we offer for sale.
            3. We request the hearty cooperation of all farmers to join
               with us in demanding and securing our rights.
            4. We demand a discount from the retail price of goods in
               Dubuque equal to delivering goods in the city.
            5. That we offer a copy of the proceedings of this meeting
               to the party papers in Dubuque with the request that the
               other papers copy and assist us in our demands for our
               rights.

The meeting also adopted the following invitation:

            Resolved, That the Dubuque County Alliance invite all farmers
            regardless of party, sex or church, to join our ranks and
            help us secure reforms to our interests. All farmers are
            invited to attend our local alliance meetings and confer with
            us on all public questions.

---

Source:

"The County Alliance," Dubuque Daily Herald, August 30, 1890, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=_OG5zn83XeQC&dat=18900830&printsec=frontpage&hl=en