PLUM GROVE, BUTLER CO., KANSAS
Note: The Peabody Gazette gives us some real insight into life in Plum Grove in the late 1870s and early 1880s. In this weekly newspaper, we find columns entitled “Plum Grove Items.” These columns were submitted mainly by two authors. The first contributor signs his name “A Star Cus,” It is easy to deduce from the style the columns are written and the similarity of the character that this is Starchus M. Spencer. The other contributor signs his name “Num Skull.” Unfortunately, we are never given a clue as to the identity of Num Skull. In these bi-monthly columns, both authors garner a lot of information about the people, the area, and the climate of Plum Grove and its vicinity.
Peabody Gazette-Herald, Peabody Kansas 10 December 1880 Plum Grove, Butler County, Kansas
PLUM GROVE AND VICINITY. 10 December 1880
We of Plum Grove are a tranquil sort of people, but just now, we are considerably interested in the “Farmers alliance.” We attended a vast and enthusiastic farmer’s convention at El Dorado on the 20th Inst, at which there was organized a county farmers alliance. A delegation was appointed to attend the convention to convene at Topeka, the call for which will be promulgated soon and will be held some time in January. As the object of this alliance is probably unknown to some of your readers, I will send you the constitution of the national and subordinate associations, which, if you publish, we will be very thankful.
We suppose that you know all about this movement as editors know everything. We would be glad to hear from you on the subject. To others, I would say that the Farmers Alliance is an organization of farmers to control legislation in general and railroad legislation in particular.
Inside of the next four weeks, Butler county will be solid, Harvey is but little if any behind, and we hope Marion and other counties will fall into line. But, we think the time has come when it behooves the farmers of the United States to organize in their interests.
NUM SKULL, THE CLODHOPPER.
[ Editors Reply: The constitution sent us, Num Skull, is entirely too long for our columns. In answer to your request to hear from us on the subject, we will say that we are decidedly opposed to any organization that has for its object “controlling legislation in general”‘ in favor of any particular class. In doing this, you are pursuing the same policy that you complain bitterly of in others.
We have read the proceedings of your convention at El Dorado and the resolution’s passing. We are free to say that our ideas on the transportation question, which your convention declared to be “paramount to all others” in which farmers are interested, are in unison with those expressed by the resolutions adopted. But we do not believe that farmers are the only ones interested in the matter. Every businessman in our community is interested equally with the farmers. Instead of organizing alliances, it would be far better to call public meetings and invite everyone interested in the legislation to participate in the proceedings. We believe the end could be more easily attained by a unity of action of both farmers and businessmen, and then there would not be the danger of arraying against each other two classes whose interests are, in fact, one and the same. In another column will be found a call for a meeting in Peabody, on Dec- 25th, and we hope our farmers and citizens generally will be present. ]
Yours,
Plum Grove
𝚨nything for A Quiet LifeΩ 