The Anderson intelligencer. (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, August 06, 1891, Supplement, Image 6
THE STATE ALLIANCE.
THE ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT J. W.
STOKES.
Delivered at the Annual Meeting- of
the Alliance at Spartan barg-, S. C,
July 23, 1891?A Paper Which
Will be Read With Interest by Al
llancemen and Xon-A I llancemen.
OrangeburgEnterprise and Alliance Monitor.
Brethren !?A year has rolled round since
the honor and responsibility of standing at
the bead of the Alliance column in this State
was laid upon uie at Greenville. It was nigh
nqnor. I can conceive of none higher than
the leadership of au oppressed people, groan?
ing under unequal burdens ; and yet, breth?
ren, the elevation, Haltering as It might well
be to a young man, a comparative stranger
at that time to most of you personally, lacks
a very great deal la fact of being a subject for
elation.
It 1b scarcely logical, to say the least, to
speak or think of elevation contemporaneous?
ly with weighting down?of cluvating'a man
while weighting him down with labor aud
responsibility. Yet that is precisely the situ?
ation of the man who Is elevated to the pres?
idency of this great organization In our State;
and It is the paradoxical idea prevalent in
the popular mind, with reference to all pub?
lic positions. It is especially true, however,
of the position In question, because there is
so beaten track. It Is a new organization
with new purposes and uutrled methods. To
many a man mmiliar with public duty, these
now paths would have occasioned little study
and anxiety. Given new, untried paths and
a new- man to trace those paths, and yon
bavo all the conditions to Insure Intense
thought and ceaseless labor?particularly
when possibilities or weal or woe to a numer?
ous and confiding people are wrapped np in
the labyrinth through which those uutrled
paths lend.
But however paradoxical, however illogical
the situation, St is a fact enunciated long ago
by the Great Teacher when he said : "Whoso?
ever of yon will be cblcfest shall (thereby) be
servant of all." And so It Is?the chief of?
ficer of the State Alliance Is the chief ser
. vant of the order In the State?he is the ser?
vant of more than 40,000 masters.
- Always and everywhere great honor and
gre*a labor hunt In couples. Greatest labor
attends greatest honor; and It is equally true
that greatest honor attends and Is Insepara?
ble from greatest labor In an honorable cause.
Falloess or service rather than brilliancy of
achievement Is the supreme test x
These considerations have compensated in
' some measure for conscious Inability to meas?
ure up to my own standard of attainment lu
-the administration of my office; aud - enable
roe to restore to yon with good conscience the
trust bestowed a year ugo. -
I claim only one qualification for this work
as an offset to my many disabilities?it Is the
same attributed to one of the Israellllsh
kings?as the culmnlnation of Uzzlab's qual?
ities, It was said of him "for - he loved hus?
bandry." -This king was "marvelously help?
ed" In the discharge or his public duties, pre?
sumably by this love; aud certainly your
humble servant has been marvelously helped
by his love for husbandry and Its votaries.
Feeling that to him who makes It so, any call?
ing is a high catling; profoundly Impressed
that the cause Is a Just cause, the occasion op?
portune. I have discharged the delicate and
onerous duties of the presidency with a cer?
tain pride and satisfaction.
In turning over to you ugaln the trust com?
mitted to mo, prem 11 me to cull your atteu
? tlon to the
I. condition of the order
along the lines of work prescribed by the con?
stitution. -
1. As. to its Growth.?a. In our own
. State at the beginning or my term of office,
owing to the diligence of my predecessor, the
work was thoroughly organized except sev?
eral coast con n ties. These counties have been
. visited more than once by our organizer, and
though the sections visited are sparsely set?
tled the results are apparent. There has been
some Iobs of membership in the State, due to
peculiar conditions; but the loss has been
g more than compensated by the gain lu hom?
ogeneity and compactness or organization.
b. Over the country at large, the increase
.of membership has been nnparallcd in the
history of popular organization. Before the
year closes, forty states will have been organ?
ized. Even staid, conservative New England,
confidently counted upon by the opposition
as an effectual barrier to all heresy political
as well as religious, beut before this irresisti?
ble tidal wave like cruln before the reaper.
. The country, that formerly burned her own
heretics, actually embraced the Alliance
??heresy" and blessed the heretics, who bore
to them tidings of thlR heresy.
The ground-swell is as broad as the conlln
entand as long as the combined length ol
the United States and Canada. Four million
men, more than one-third the total vote cast
. for the president in the last election, feel the
touch of elbow from Gulf to Lakes and from
Cape Cod to the Golden Gate, as with muffled
?? tread they march on the entrenchments of
monopoly. . f y-v?
.2. Financially.?The State Alliance has a
handsome balance to Its credit over and above
ail liabilities. Comparison with previous re
ports will show a gradual Increase of this bal
auce from year to year; and it would there?
fore be wise toinvxst the -bnlanco in "some
permanent way for the benefit of the order.
It would not only be wise to put these' Idle
funds to some beneflclent use; It is positive! v
unwise.and contrary.to sound business polle'v
not to do-so.
The financial condition of-the State Alli?
ance is a fair index to that of the County ?Al?
liances which report to It; and theCotiuty Al
Dances In turn to that of the-jBubs.
In a broaded sense the-financial condition
of the order, measured by individual cortdl
tlonsJo the aggregate Is steadily Improving.
UndeMhe business methods inaugurated by
the Alliance, the Individual-membership has
steadily improved in financial standing.
Through the agency of our -State Exchange
and system of business agents, an emancipa?
tion of the poor farmer from the unjust op
presslon of the past hus been wrought out;
and every where a spirit ot freedom and in?
dependence, a sense ot self-respect and dig?
nity are observable. Here Is and must al?
ways be our cbiel source of gratulutiou, as it
Is also one of our chief sources of strength.
When the order neglects its poor, Itnegiects
the prime reason for its existence, and Is
shorn of its chief strength.
It Is as well to bear In mind, perhaps, that
while the Alliance has wrested important
concessions from the commcrical world, those
concessions have not operated to tho exclu?
sive benefit of the Alllaacemen, nor yet of
the fanner exclusively. The non-Alliance
farmer has enjoyed almost equally with his
Alliance brother the triumph over the Jute
and other truBta. Every class of purchasers
baa enjoyed the fruit of the Alliance victo?
ries, for the evident reason that trade conces?
sions cannot loug be confined to artificial
lines either as to persons or com mod l lies.
These concessions have made accommoda?
tion easier to all classes of poor people, but
the Alliance does not begrudge the benefits
accruing to others, equally with itself. It
does not rob us, und it is lu accord with the
true spirit of Alliance helpfulness.
Neither can the scope of the results attain?
ed be measured by theactuul volume of bus
lne?s flowing through our trudo channels,
though that is large. As a mere menace,
these business methods of the Farmers' Alli?
ance have made themselves felt even In re?
mote trade centers. The money centers have
recognized the stupendous possibilities of
such a system; these possibilities are daily
entering into their calculations and bids for
Alliance patronage are the result. Though
some of our ventures In this field have come
to grief, the class of ventures that have suf
fered disaster, must serve as a vultiablc point?
er In future.
As u rule it is best for us to leave to those
who are skilled In mercantile methods tho
management of their own capital. Let them
furnish the capital and the experience while
we furnish the patronage.
Let us beware of surrendering or neglecting
those agencies which have wrought such far
reaching results.
Among the most effectual of the agencies
contributing to this result is tho State Ex?
change. Its favorable influence upon trade
has been far-reaching and incalculable. Its
arrangement for covering our cotton lastyear
should alone commend iltooursympathy aud
support. Yet, Its patronage by the order is
not what it should be; aud it is not in touch
with the order to the extent that Us manage?
ment desires, and as is necessary to a realiza?
tion of Its full possibilities. In my judgment
this is due to the fact that its trade Is restrict?
ed to stockholding Alliances.
It would be scarcely Just to those who have
put up their money to admit others to equal
privileges In the enjoyment of that money.
On the other hand, it Is scarcely right that
the order generally should contribute tobulld
up an Institution over whose management It
has no control, and in whoso earn lugs, due to
the prestige aud support of the whole, it has
no share.
I recommend, threfore, that n committee he
appointed to confer with that body lu an ef
lort to solidify tho entire business of the or?
der and send It through tho Exchange ou an
equitable basis. To equalize the advantages
as between stockholding and non-stockhold?
ing members, a small fixed per cent, should
be guaranteed on stock actually paid in, and
let all earnings over this amount bo turned
into the State Alliance treasury to bo used by
it as a propaganda fund.
Of course a flight advance on cost to cover
this idea would be aecessaey, but if the broth?
erhood knew this money was coming back to
them in this way, It would be a light bur?
den.
Then let the whole business bo submitted lo
a board of control, elected by the State Alli?
ance or by a Joint board.
This would consolidate our people on a bus?
iness plan that would tide them over serious
convulsion on other lines.
3. Morally.?The masses or the order un?
der the stimulus and tho teaching or the Al?
liance are occupying higher ground than they
did a year ugo. The sense or obligation is ap?
preciating, und a distinct tendency Is observ?
able toward interpretation or contracts ac- i
cording to their spirit rather than I heir letler. (
IA greater caution is abservnble niso In tlx
making or contracts, Some expulsions buv<
occurred for breach of coutract; and conduct
unbecoming Alllnuccmen; but tbe nutnbei
or theso deniornble necessities has beet;
small as compared with tbe membership
There is a deep, moral significance in tbe fact
that 4,000,000 men meet periodically through
out these United States for the discussion o
economic questions In a non-pariisan splrlt
and that these meetings are opened and clos?
ed will? pfciyer.
4. Edocationally. ? Here has beet
wrought the greatest work of the Alllauce
The evldenclesof Intelligent thought untram
meled, as far as possible, by partisan or per?
sonal prestige, areabundant. Thepertlnenc*
and pungency of observation and crlticlsn
upon all matters of public import, is fre?
quently surprising to him who comes Into no
tuul coutact with this class of our people thut
hitherto bus taken little note of public af
lulrs, and rarely assumed to express an oplu
Ion upon economic problems. Actual con?
tact with the life of this people reveals t
keenness of precepliou and a discriminating
sense ol Justice that penetrates adventitious
circumstances aud goes to tho root of tin
matter with startling precision.
The awakening of this class of peopleUo an
intelligent interest in and study of ecouotnh
problems, under the stimulus of Alliance or
ganizutlon, Is one of the most healthful am
Hopeful signs of the times.
This grand university ot farmers, meeting
statedly in more limn a thousand sub-Alli
auce in this Suite to study social and polltl
cal conditions In a non-partisan way. is on<
of the most Inspiring spectacles ol our era
Here the masses receive the leaven of thought
fulness, and when the masses begin to think
simultaneously the world begins to move.
5. Socially?This function of the Alli?
ance has not realized its highest possibilltle!
and yet tho resultR, Inadequate as they are
are still Invaluable. "As Iron sharpenell
iron son man the countenance ot his Irlend.'
Community of interest finds its fullest ex
pressmn, its sirougest bond in freest sneln
Intercourse, and in this field finds It fullcs
fruition.
Along each and all these lines of work pro
jected bv the Alliance. Its achievements havi
oeen marvelous, aud In the highest degrei
beneficial. . ? ,
A volume might bo filled upon each divi
slou; but this cursory review must suffice
I Invite your attention to some gcucnil con
slderatious pertinent to the time and order.
ii. as to politics.
The order has maintained its integrity upoi
these lines. It has adhered to the prescrlbei
Hue of discussion in a non-partisan sense
The danger apprehended by many that 1
was devoting undue attention to politlca
questions to'the neglect of farming, is amplj
answered by tho suggestion of my predeces
sor a year ago, that Its success in ralslm
crops has been steadily increasing?ludect
last year which was marked by most exten
slve and intensive application to politics oi
tbe partor tho farmers, during au unpreced?
ented period, was also marked by the mos
unpnrulled results in tho production of ou
greai staple.
In tbls field the Alliance has been a mnga
zine or stupendous potential energy. As ni
organization it took no part in politics dl
rectly?either In Slate or nation; and ye
having trained Its educative forces largely it
the politico economic problems of the day
its influence lias been everywhere reit. Som
few sub-Allianees relatively, over-steppet
constitutional limitations lust year at the be
ginning or the State campaign. Tbe laps
must bo attributed, however, to tbe emer
gency tbruBt upon them by a hostility, rathe
thaii to thegeuius of the organization. Tli
instances ot sucli indiscretion were isolated
As soon, too, as attention was called to It
? compromising tendency through tbe Cottoi
Plant, the abuse materially lessened; und a
soon as political clubs were formed, furnish
ing a legitimate and adequate medium {of oj
presston to their pent up feeling, tbe abus
oeascd entirely.
The outspoken utlerauces of the leader
was against such action and tbe order was re
minded that Its function was purely In th
way of presentation of truth in a non-parli
snn way and the stimulation or thought. Pui
- tber than this the Alliance in its organl/ei
capabltv does not and dare not interfere will
tho political or religious affiliation of ll
members.
The fullest and freest discussion Is encoui
aged and Invited In the order; aud under th
con victim) that a question Is never sett lei
until settled right, It is alwuys allowable t<
re-open a quesliou that has been frcquentl;
decided. v
in. tue cotton plant.
The partisan press is. with a few exceptions
solidly against our demnnds. Tbe lew ex
ceptions are to be found among tho week!;
county papers und they uro doing valuubl
serv ice.
The dallies are all, so far ns I know, agalns
some of the more important of those de
mands.
This condition has made the duties of tin
Stute organ exceedingly onerous; and si no
they issue six times to our once, has compel!
ed the appropriation of more space to deren s
against their assaults than has been the do
sire ol its management. o
- .The demands and the reasons for thorn hnv<
been kept before the people with unfaltering
. constancy; because they were the demand
of the order, und because they are right am
just.
As far as possible the paper has striven t<
stimulate interest in public alia Irs Iu an in
tclllgcnt way, und every means have beet
uscu to get our people to express their though
through its columns. However crude.th
thought or unintelligible Its expression, 1
there was evident behind it an honest pui
pose and elfurt at thought, It lias been put It
shape for publication, oller.tiines at great ex
pensoof lime aud labor.
It is one of'the proudest thoughts we have
thai Uiere is apparent a considerable awaken
Ing among our people who are untrained ii
grammatical expression.and that tnis awak
cnlng is due to the sympathetic attention t<
their cmruunlculious in the snue organ.
Equally gratifying is the evidence of lm
provementin technical sit ill ;ir writers union;
a large number of those who write ?frequent
ly. Hundreds are subscribing who canno
themselves read; and some of the produc
Hons that have awakened the wisest com
meat and have been most widely copied fron
our columns have been compi sjd llternlij
between the plow bandies or at ine mill or it
the shop.
Wolle tho organ has received generou
sympathy aud support, it must be ooiifebsec
that our people do not read it generally.
It Is of the utmost importance thai somi
means be devised by this body to get this pa
per and other approved literature Into tin
hands of every member of the order.
Some such step is absolutely necessary mi
der the exigencies of the times. Good booki
aud clean weekly papers are necessary to ou
organization, and to our people in tills pro
gresslve and aggressive ago of the world.
Besides ibey are au investment that pay:
100 per cent, per annum, and there arc no buc
crop years in this Held.
I recommend that this body consider Hit
propriety of establishing a propagandi
bureau mat shall furnish the Alliance Hiera
lure at co.*t.
In order to relieve this suggestion of anj
apparent seifisli considerations, and lo rollevi
this body of any embarrassment In perfect
lug a pluu, growing out of the lndlvidua
ownership of the Slate organ, I am author
jzed testate while the owners of the Stan
organ are not eager to part with it, as an in
vestment, they are willing to turn it over ot
a controlling interest therein to the Stau
Alllance upon an equitable basis. The rec
ommendatlon herein made is made in con
ncctlon with thut condition referred to tin
der ihe head of llnnnclul condition.
iv. the cotton fkohlkm.
1. The growers of cotton are coufronlet
with it most serious condition. The most re
liable statistics point to a large surplus of tin
staple?probably over a million bales. In
view of this contingency it Is or the utmost
importance thut this body Uike some action
looking lo umulioralion or a condition bord?
ering upon calamiiy; and I recommend thai
a committee be appointed lo confer with oth
or Stale Alliances, with a view to securing
the call ol a convention or cotton growers?
non-Alliance as well as Allianco, colored iu
well as white, to meet us soon ns practicable
for conference and action.
2. The Iniquities environing tho market?
ing o; cotton, oven under favorable condi?
tions as lo yield and price are outrageous In
many instances und should not bo tolerated,
The-Alliance should appoint trustworthy
men at each cotton market to sample; grade
and weigh cotton, and teil Hie fanner what
price it should bring in the market that day
upon Hie basis of telegraphic quotations. The
salary of such a mau could be easily paid by
a charge of ten cents, per bale; while the
saving to the larmei In grading, and weights
alone would aggregate millions every season.
It was developed iu the course of ibu wheat
elevator investigation, ordered by Hie Alli?
ance legislature of Minnesota, that a very
large proportion of the wheat bought as sec?
ond grade and for which the farmer was paid
second grade price, was sold out as first
grade, making a clear steal of mil'Ions of dol?
lars out of the farmers pockets o,. f ry year.
We have no way of tracing ottrcottoti sales;
but such au investigation would no doubt
lead to startling discoveries. Tho same in?
vestigation In Minnesota developed tiic fact
that ihere were large quanltles of grain In
the elevators In excess of what the farmer's
bills of sales called for.
A loss of only 2 lbs. per bale in tho weight
of our cotton crop moans more than lfj,U00,UUU
Ibs., U2.?00 bales, ^10,000,000. Thejivenigo dock?
age in weight will far exceed S lbs. per bale.
1 therefore recommend
n. That the local Alliance appoint its
weigher and grader ol each cotton market:
b. That a committee be appointed lo goto
New Yoik for Hie purpose ol dlccl ing arrange?
ment whereby telegraphic quotations may b<
had at any cotton market in this Slate which
sanities its willingness to contribute lo the
expense of such quotations.
c. That a committee be appointed to frame
legislation covering tills point based upon
the ex Ising laws iu Mississippi and other cot?
ton Slates, and press such legislation before
the general assembly.
V. CHOP STATIC IAN.
We have been practically without the ser.
k'leeol this most valuable ollher of our Or,
lor. Pro. Ueid resigned last fall on ticcotnit
) of 111 hpallh. Uro. p.. Is. f'hifnlm wan ap
j ; pointed, bui resigned tn turn after a short, In
l' cuiiibenuy. Mean time theNnliouul Alliance
? i discontinued the offlue of national crop sla
1I llsllcian, and in view of the fact that the sea
? son was too far ail van ced lo Inaugurate and
I systematize the work, and in ylew of the
? further fact, thnt the Slate Alliance failed al
f its last session to provide for this officer's sal
- ary, your president and executive commit
- tee decided m deter all further action till this
meeting.
i 1'ermlt mo. however, lo urge upon your at
. lentlon Ibis work, whose Importance Isgreat
? ly emphasized by the menacing conditions 01
- the cotton market this season.
j Even without a national crop statistician,
i there Is no reason why such an officer In each
- cotton growing Slate might not collect and
- tabulate invaluable Information. These In
l turn might co-operate in combining and gen
? erallzlng the resulls with great advantage to
? all.
I therefore recommend that this body ap
t point a commission tu sc-el; co-operation and
: uniformity with other Slate Alliances In Hie
> cotton states in the collection of statistics.
VI. TUB CONSTITUTION.
\ A revision of our organic law has been
' made by mir Stale secretary and copies put
T Into the hands of each delegate, I presume.as
required by resolution of the last meeting. 1
, received my copy on fy a few days ago and
have had little time lor careful comparison.
" i commend It to careful scrutiny by every
I member ol this body, und that ample discus
' sion he had before adoption. Some points in
? the old constitution need attention; and as
" the revision of Uro. Held contemplated nr
! rangement rather than iniroducllou or new
matter, I designate the points here.
" .1. li,uesiio|i has risen In some cases as to
the true roll of the sub-AUIances. I recom
'? mend that some definite time be lixed for
, the revision of rolls, and umform rules be
prescribed for dropping names of members In
T arre.nsor lost slghtof.
2. That the lire or a dlmlt card be definite
1 ly limited;
3. That such change be made In our constl
" Ultimi us Khali legalize Hie lecture system
I projected by the National Legislative council
" and inaugurated by Uro. Terrell.
4. That the formation and bidding or Fur
," mers Alliances wlthiu corporate towns, be
" prolilbltcd. to the end that the organization
of citizens Alliances may bo encouraged;
aud that all such Alliances now existing the
members whereof are other than farmers, ex?
change 1 heir charters for charters of the cltl
5 zeus Alliance.
I 5. That It define the status o r female mem
, bers In respect to voting and representation
{ In higher bodies.
' vii. lecturing.
I- ThU educative agency of our Order has nol
z hitherto been accorded the prominence il
1 merits; and so Impressed am I with Its 1m
- portauce t at I accord it a separate treatment
i The demand lor lecturing has been very greal
- ?far greater than your president and nxecu
I live "committee felt authorized to under
r lake.
Our worthy State lecturer lias done vigo
? rous aud effective service, as far as his inner
i ous and- responsible duties have permitted
i- He has been a strouug right arm of defense
1 whenever aud wherever tho Order has been
>i assailed and he has been accorded a most
, llattering endorsement by the Order, which
e speaks In stronger terms than any comincndu
3 tlon of mine the esteem in which he is held
- Yet he has not been able lo meet the demands
e made upon him.
With all the timo he could give, or the Or
r der could expect him to give, supplemented
e by two days lecturing In euch congressional
I. district by Bio. Terrell, the Stale president^
s office has been flooded with demands for lec
i luring that could not be filled. The demand
s is Increasing and Uro. Terrell has been en
i- guged ror u nerles of lectures, covering euer
:- coutily, during the late summer and full,
e But with Hie lights before me now, ever
these provisions are Inadequate, to meet tht
s dtiuuud, nol to speak of the needs or tho or
:? dor. As a rule the real needs of the order art
e least where tue demand is loudest for lectur
i- lug.
The need Is pressing for a lecturer in tin
[1 Deld coustuully. Tue right man armed with
Ii such literature as might be sent out by tht
s propaganda bureau recommended above,
would notonly pay his own expenses, bui
?- iiirn a handsome lund Into the treasury from
e Initiation and quarterly dues alone, to say
1 naught of the enllghlmont and education o
t) the people. I recommend that arrangetiieiiI
If be made lo supply this demand and distri?
bute literature, Il the bureau be delcrmlued
upon.
viii. clesison college.
1 This Institution while not lu any sense tht
? result ot Alliance agitation, having been pre?
ll. Jected before the advent of the order In the
Stale, has been regarded with keen Interest
t uy the order. The Alliance along with the
,. farmers and the people generally recognize In
its early opening the consummation of one ol
L, ihe most desirable advance movements with
s in the history of the SUiti*.
Its opening marks an epoch In the progress
t or education along industrial lines. The In
. stltutioii llsell is the noblest possible monu?
ment to the Intelligence, benevolence and
p patriotism of Us projectors.
? ix. the outlook.
1 Uespiie. the wondei Ail results wrought sc
far in all the fields of Alliance work directly,
1 and Indirectly in Ihe political Held, the signs
ol Hie times point to the fact that'the su<
1 preuic lest Is at hand along financial and pol
1 itlciil lines,?existing parlies apparently
1 pitch their light upon the financial Hold
,! strange to say that party which prolited mosi
'* liVNt year by Hie educative forces ot Ihu AIM
1 a nee, ana whicli shop Id by every token huv.t
" least to lose by any educative force, Is mosi
bitter in its antagonism, If we an.-torch
? upon the utterances or some ol its leaden
and newspaper expounders. There is. every
' evidence ol a massing of forces before tin.
' financial demands ol the order. Foes within
' and foes without have been marshalled lor a
supreme sn uggle.
As intelligent men It behooves us to eon
? slder all the conditions and hear ourselves as
? men. The past is Inspiring, the prospect
' though stormy, is inviting
" -.The Issues have been made up and fairly
" joined between the monopolistic element ol
j our population, on tho cue hand, and the
' inas>e.s ol the people on the other?whether
1 the masses or the classes shall control the
government? whether the iniquitous liiiuti
j cial .-yslt-m de\ l.sed and fastened upon this
! country by Wall and Lombard slreels shall
stand and continue lo rob tho people.
p For every reason of broad patriotism ns
? well as of interest lo the producing classes,
r the Alliance must survive that struggle. The
tanner has Inaugurated the tight and he will
" Mg il it lo a Jlnisli, not In cause ol any super
K lor virtue on his part; but simply because hi
1 is the bottom factor In our social and politi?
cal labile.
Ho bears the t ulk of the public burden , be
jj cause lie is the only true producer, ond dire
1 necessity, I in pending disaster, rather Hum
superior virtue, has driven him lo activity
1 and lo Inveuiion.
1 All classes doing a legitimate business, and
" loving iibcriy, are inieiesied in the slruugl.
?the perpetuity of free Institutions is hang?
ing in the teal wlih a corrupt and degcueinte
-' plutocracy. The larmers invoke the aid til
? all classes in resistance to this money trust
1 that lias one hand upon the throat of the
? government and the other in the pockets ol
\ ihe people. And tlicv tire coming In response
? to our call, brethren. A number of strong
? men of oilier classes have ulrendy come to
? us?numbers of others are on Ihe way?count?
less numbers more would come but for the
' fear of loss in a business way. Said a young
? business man to me In ri-piy to my uigenoy
that he and others organize u Citizen's Alli?
ance for the purposeoi disriisslo'.'Ubese prob?
lems in a nou-pui tisun uny : 'We cannot af
1 f u-d it.. We are worse hound up than many
? of you farmers are?and lor us to enter stn-li
j anorgnulzatIon would nung swift execution
i through the sheriff." And Mils is true; the
I honest local merchant U our natural ally;
i but ho has been degraded into a mere collect?
lug agent for ihe money uust. There are
I thousands ol them who are ready to grasp
? our proffered hands in this light, but for
; dread of financial distress;
But they will come to us.
i A little more education, a mile more op
! presslon ot the inoiiey trust, and their man
hood will assert llsell. 1 saiil lo this young
man: "Do as the larmers have done?lief)
the linaticial despots thai are Slipping your
means and yourmaiihond? let the worst coin c
to the worsi, aud the Farmer's Alliance which
has already grappled wllli the giant truM
will stand Kqunruly to you in your Citizens'
Alliances."
Columbia with ItsSCOfJ,O00debt,aiid Charles
ton witli ItsSi,wiO,O0O;debl are directly iniei?
esied In routing this robber hand that is Ink
iug out of their pocket* S-'l lor every tl loaned
them 20 years ago.
Tho whole people of this State are equally
Interested In removing the abomination oi
an Ashley Junction at illegale Of our eharm
ing metropolis by lliesea.and in tin: disrup?
tion of the blighting corpmute hand that has
our beautiful itipiUtl city by the throat; The
"bottling up" of il people's cap! ml or metrop?
olis tor the gratification or corporate greed or
spleen sliould be forever Impossible in a free
co iiitry.
1 said the issues wcrcjoliicd and the money
trust will resort lo extreme measures. The
evidence is not wanting. Certainly Ihu sug
gesil ve question must arise In every thought
lul patriot's mind?what means I lie Insidi?
ous but sleady Increase of private detective
forces maintained by corporate money?the.'
chief requirement lor admission to which Is
lue readiness of ihe appllcunl touhooi down
mal-eoiitciits at the word ?
What means the coustant increase of the
military establishments in Washington and
other large centers of population; what
means tile establishment of new barracks
and mealed fo. tresses lu commanding posi?
tions in New York ana Chicagol What mean
the recent appeal In the National Quurd Gn
zeitc to Iho wealthy citizens of New York
nil appeal that Is barely disguised black
mall? There may he no. concert ol action in
ail these alarming verities; but the language
of a large capitalist may explain II, when
he says: "The turbulent spirit among the
masses will be put down by the strong hand
ol I lie government. In.such a struggle the
IOvernmcntalways wins. It Is organized.
It is backed by I lie lull resources of capital.
II must of necessily win."
'1 liese tire questions ol supreme iiii|>orlnnce
! anil Interest, to'"every e'tl?en who loves free
Institutions and reu-ards with suspicion the
I dlsposiiion to supplant the civil with in Hilary
'. power.
i The fact, that the fanner has been driven liy
' dire necessity to take the Initiative should not
I be allowed to obscure Issues which are Julned
land Irrepressible?Issues that cannot be
evaded, if tbe Alliance were out the case.
From the hikes to ihe Gulf and from Kam
schnlku to the Florida straits they confront
the Individual citizen, and have lo be crap
pled with as men, or as cowards, shirked. II
will lake the Whole people to s-olve these Is?
sues In a peaceful way:
Brethren, letns kult our brotherhood to
gether with a closer stitch and then reach
out our hands to our fellow citizens of all
j classes who love liberty and will stand for Its
i maintenance.
THE TWINE TRUST'S PROPOSITION TO
THE FARMERS.
Secret Conclave With Alliance Lend?
ers?A $10,000,000 Supply Agency,
With 1? ranch en.
New York, July 1-i.?In a secret conclave
of representative Farmer's Alliance men
from all parts ol the country, held recently
at an out of-the-way hotel ii. the vicinity ol
llils city, theie was concocted a daring llnan
cial and commercial scheme which it is in?
tended to propose to the farmers of Lhe coun?
try, and which rivals in Hs character and
magnitude ihe sub- treasury scheme.
Measures b?s<ili to be taken In March to get
togeltier asultlclcent number ol the leaders
in the Alliance movement lo give the project
an effective parentage, nnd they were at?
tended with such success that over thirty
of them were brought together In tills city
June 22. The scheme was tliejolnt invention
ot II. H. Raich, secretary ot Hie National
Cordage company (by which title the Twine
and En?gl tig Trust is incorporated) and Os?
wald Wilson, president of the Farmers' Al?
liance exchange of this city, both ot whom
hope lo secure pleasant offices in the projected
reorganization. Mr.Balch, it is said, pre?
sented lo the corporation of which lie Is Ihe
secretary such an alluring picture of the ad?
vantage to bo gained by connecting with the
scheme that it undertook to pay tbe expenses
of the proposed meeting and the traveling
hotel expenses of ihe people attending it.
Mr. Wilson canvassed the South and West In
person In the Interest of the project and sol
ected the men to be invited to come in on
the ground floor. When all tilings were
ready and the list had been made sultlcleiitly
influential in appearance to suit the concoc
ters, notices were sent to tbe selected Individ?
uals to meet ul the Astor House In t his city;
Suuduy, June 22. Nearly every Invitation
brought its mau, bul a few of the schemers
went to another hotel Instead of the one
appointed as the general rendezvous and
I hereby nearly gave tin; scheme away. They
were corralled by the leaders, however, and
escorted with other delegates to Crede's South
Beach Hotel, on t he bay shore side of Hinten
Island, where the conclave was held behind
closed doors.
a goodly oath bring.
Besides Balch and Wilson the following
men were present at the meeting :
Col. W. Peck, of Georgia, president of tin
Georgia Alliance executive committee.
C. W. Mueuue, editor n| The National Econ?
omist ol Washington, chairman of Hie Na?
tional Alliance executive, committee and
father of I lie notorious sub-treasury scheme,
1). K, Allen, of llorncllvllle N. Y.
J. F. Tillman, of Tennessee.
Rev. J. A. sligh, of Ncwbery. S. ('., an
Anti-Alliance member of the South Caroli?
na hecistatuie.
W. W. Holland, of the National Cordage
Company.
S. Otho Wilson, of North Carolina.
.T.J.Rogers, ot Virginia.
Prank J. Claypole and M. I). Colleen, of
Kansas.
A. IS. Spr.iguo and George A. Gowan, ol
Tennessee.
George G. Cross, of Thomnsvllle, Ga.
0.10. Hamliu, rroin the Wost (Nebraska, it
was I bought.)
A. W. Wardall, of South Dnkolu.
George F. Gurlher, of Birmingham, busi?
ness agent, of lhe Alliance for Alabama.
A. E Cole, of Florida.
J. A. Wlckman and William Debon. ol
Florida.
M. Barbee, of Kentucky.
A. T. Mein tyre, of TliomusvlHe, Gu., who
expects to bo tbe general Southern mun
ager.
J. T. Crawford, Dnllas.Tex,
T. A. Clayton, of Loulsana.
Oue Mclntyre, a lawyer of Thomnsvllle,
Gu., brother of A. T. Mclntyre.
W. H. Worth, of Raleigh, state business
agent ot tbe Alliance In North Carolina.
G. H. Peck, nn attache of the National Cor?
dage company, assistant loboss Balch.
There were two or three others who did not
register at the South Beach Hotel, but who
attended nil tho meetings, returning to tholr
hotels in this city at night. Among them
was a representative of the Alliance in Ohl?
ami one from Chicago.
The meetings were held in the main dining
room on Hie second floor, which looks oul
from a broad piazza over the Atlantic. The
Chicago man, whose nnnie could not be as?
certained to-day was elected chairman.
Meetings were held Monday night, nearly all
day Tuesday and Wednesday morning. June
?-'2, 2:; and 2-1. Nearly all tho persons attend?
ing remained at the South Beach hotel
throughout I lie llireo days. The National
Cordage company is said to have footed the
bill.
a dazzling scheme.
The scheine which Bnlch and Wilson
launched upon the meeting was for national
organization of Alliance stores ami exchanges
throughout the country, with a national
headquarters In this city, a principle branch
establishment in Chicago, stnte central ex?
changes in every state, district Organ tuitions
in every Congressional district and county;
and city exchanges wherever feasible. The
object was to control the trade of. the Alli?
ance members, soiling to ilieni on'the co-op?
erative plan through the local exchnnges
everything lliey should wish to buy in a
-light advance on the wholesale prices; the
head r.flice to pay for the merchandise: to
handle lliesurplus products or Hie inrms for
tnc farmers, and to act as bunkers for them
whenever desired.
The brunch headquarters ul Chicago were
designed as u main source of supply lor pork,
tard, flour and other provisions, and lor
some kinds of agricultural Implements, wag?
ons and fnmil tire, From New York, or
through the main agency there, ll was de?
signed lo make ail necessary purchases in a
wholesale way. of machinery, hoots and
shoes, clothing, liaLs and caps, sewing ma?
chines, harness, carpels, oilcloths, fertilizers,
hardware, dry goods, medicines, weapons,
books, and such other stuff as could not be
obtained lo irrealer advantage elsewhere.
Bui this gigantic scheme could not be float?
ed without substantial capital and without
the general acceptance and co-operation of
ttie members of the Alliance.
The Nutioiial Cordage company slood ready,
provided it was given exclusive privileges in
lie supply of cotton bagging and binder
twine to the Alliance exchnnges; lo lend sub
-lanllal financial assistance to tho scheme,
and some of the promoters were very ready
to accept its proposition. But Colonel Peck
of Georgia refused lo countenance any such
ironclad agreement. He was willing to ar?
range Willi the Twine Trust to pay Its own
price for such of Us cotton bagging and twine
as the members anil exchanges might want;
iiul he had recently Investigated a new kind
of cotton bVig?ing of which he thought very
favorably, and hedid not propose lo be bound
<o that lie I'Oiild iioltuiy stiuio ll he wauled
to. Enough oftho others Joined him to pre
vcnt.lhoeousuiiiniiitlon of the little SlO.tiiMi,
VJO scheme of the Twine Trust, Finally it
wax proposed lo effect a corporate organiza?
tion under. n? favorable legal conditions as
-until be obtained?aud the New Jersey law
regarding ? orporations was considered quite
-uitilcleiiily accommodating?with a nominal
capital.of at least *lii.niw,ti(K>. A system of
preferred proprietary shares was to bo pro
vhk-d, Ihe shares of this class lo be appoint?
ed among the pri sent promoters, and to bo
nonasscsablc, paid up and everlasting. These
shares only should bo represented In the gov?
erning organizations.
Then there was to he an Issue of common
shares, which should he open to subscription
by the lowiPexelnunres nnd their bidiviilaul
members; upon which Ilia directors should
levy assessments as necessary in order lo pro?
vide Hinds for the transaction of business of
lhe central exchange. But. the holders should
lie entitled to no share of the government, of
the Institution.
the plan to uk pushed.
The scheme as set. forth was generally ac?
ceptable, und sonic of the promoters were lor
having it Immediately approved and put. in
operation; but Colonel Peck and Messrs.
Gowan and Garlber were opposed to such a
sniiiinary proceeding. They wore apparent
ly unable to satisfy themselves of the wis?
dom of the scheme nil (1 would not consent to
have anything to do willi ll until ll had re?
ceived tho approval ol the Alliance through
its various channels of expression.
Accordingly the scheme was formulaIcd In
a glowing prospectus, In which 1 lie name of
the infill lit ion was quoted us the National
Alliance Union and resolutions were adopt?
ed calling upon the slate exchnnges to sub?
mit the schemolo the judgment of their sub?
ordinate district n nd county exchanges. The
resolutions furl her provide that If, and when
a sullicieiit. number;of ihe subordinate ex?
changes, speaking through their respective
state exchanges, approve the plan, the chair?
man of Lhe Soiilh I teach meeting shall Issue a
call for a national convention of stale del?
egates to consider and formulaic and finally
iluiipt and organize the scheme. Secret cir?
culars lo Ibis effect have been sent to lhe
state exchanges of every stale where I horn
Is one to be found. Tho district treasurers are
being quietly educated.to the plan, and will
presently go out among the Alliances tohoom
it along;
Alluring promises of cheap prices to the
fanner, high prices for his produce and long
livideiids on Ihe shares willed lie will he ex- <
peeled to buy, to provide "working capital"
or tho proprietary shareholders, will he the.
Ildticeiiieills held out lo him. ||
HOT WORK IN TEXAS.
A LARGE BODY OF ALLIANCEMEN PRO?
TEST AGAINST THE SUB-TREASURY.
.Ilnciine in Denounced ? Crror i
I'ointcd Out. und a Xuw IMiilfoi-iu
is Adopted.
Fort Worth, Texas, .Tuly*l?Tlie Conven?
tion was nipped to order at U.:>0 o'clock thli
morning by President Kendrick. there beituj
aliout 1.IliQ delegates In I heir seats. Theas
semblnge was marked by the absence of the
sub-treasury element, there not being om
present; As soon as the Convention came ic
order President Kendrick ihirndueed Pres I
dent U. S. Hall, of the .Missouri Stale Alii
ance. who, according to the programme, ad?
dressed Ihu delegates on Alliance mailers, hi:
clilef point being an attack on the sub-ircas
ury scheme.
He regretted that he was forced to oppose
anything that the Alliance might advocate
Mr. Hull said:
"1 am impelled to tho opposition of tliii
schemo by the Constitution, and am con?
vinced Mint It would bankrupt me and every
farmer in the country,and eventunllv disrupt
the Government. We are told that by a law
passed bytheOcala meeting we are compell?
ed to stand shoulder to shoulder on any ipies
tion the Alliance may adopt. 1 deny this ami
deny the right ol the Alliance lo pass any
law that binds Individuals lo support any po
11 Heal'measure. I appeal to the sense of tin
party If a member has jiot the right to expose
when he can llncl any fallacy that may be ad?
vocated. I ask an honest consideration o
my argument against a measure in which al
ot yon ore deeply interested.
The sub-treasury scheme is now being ad
vocatedaud pushed by Us originators, head?
ed by C. W. Miicune, for Ilia sole purpose o
selling it and the Alliance out lo ihe big)
protective tori IT parly. Muciiiicsuys any oiu
wlio opposes tho sub-treasury plan sliould be
dismissed from the party. He has beei
bought up by the proteelIvo tariff barons o
ihe Fust, and knows that the only way to d<
their work Is to build up a'i'hird Parly, whlel
can only be done by pushing the sub treasury
scheme and getting the farmers of the Soul!
to support It. The whole schemo and systen
Is based on an assumption and false prom
ises."
DISSKCTING 5IACUNE.
He then proceeded to dissect Mactine's argu
gumeniln favor of the sub-treasury.
He argued that the volume ol circulating
medium which fixes prices should hetlexlblt
and not llxed. He read from John stuar
Mill's work on political economy insuppor
ot the theory ho ad vances, showing that llu
condition of the credit had as much lo di
with the maintaining or prices und creating
demand as did the volume of money in circa
In!Ion; Vileports show thai oat of 8100 circu?
lating fllL'.-ju is credit and S7.50 only niocey
Why was It I hat Lite failure of Baring liros.ii
London should bring down the price o
wheat lu Missouri, where the volume o
money was no less'.' Not because money win
scarce, bul because eredll was contracted
Credit Is as much a purchasing medium ui
money is. The sub-treasury scheme Is busei
on the proposition that Hie circulating me
ilium is Indexible, when in fact It is liupnHsl
ble Tor that to be llic case. The wholesehemi
is a fallacy, and no one bul a demagogue oi
an ignoramus would support it. Suppose the
scheme were put in operation. 'J lien yen
would see the contraction of ihe IttJ^ per ceui
credit circulating medium, because' busbies:
men would uol give credit, knowing Ilia
they would be paid lu the depreciated eurren
cy Issued from ihu suu-treasury. Nlnety-twi
and one-half per cent, of the circulating' mo
dium is ihe purchasing power of credit and
only V/, per cent, money. Suppose the
schernels put iulo opeiulion and our whom
and corn are lockea up In the Govcrmneui
warehouses, what will follow? The poorei
classes who do nol produce their producls wil
be reduced to want and bloodshed will fol
low. What would bo the financial condition
if this system was put in operation? Tin
locking up of the products produces higti
prices, even ir the volume of the currency b
increased by It, and the farmer in the cue.
comes out loser. Under this scheme ok
Hutch, of Chicago, the In mans, of Now York
and Pat ChIIiouii and Macuue could cornel
all the wheat and colton in the United Slates
They could with SlOO.OiO.OU'J corner every
bushel of wheat lu the United Slates. They
could take that sum aud buy up Dial mucii
wiieat, deposit il in the Government ware
house ami borrow fSO.UUti.hOU on It; lake ilia
aud buy more wheat and put It In ttie ware
houses and borrow again, and so on to the
end, until ihey hud every bushel of gralr
and all the money left, 'i'licy would by Ulli
means have on their hands the bread ot the
poor people of the country and could regulate
the price of It. The advocates of this scheint
soy if wo have anything better to show 11 uj
or shut up. If I see my child about to drlnu
a gloss of prusslc acid do l wall till lean gei
a glass of water before I take the poison fron:
Ills lips? No. iMy duty Is to take tho poison
awoy before the damage Is done."
in faVOll 0k state hanks.
lie advocated the repeal of the clause in the
National Banking Act imposing a tax of it
per cent, on Slate bauks und Ihen enact a law
crcallng the office of Slate bmtk examiner,
and put a pure, honest man In the office; and
then It will be good-bye to all cornering*lind
wc have an Increase of good honest currency,
He would, al Hie sumo lime, abolish the na?
tional banking system, but he had no criti?
cism lo make on national bankers. He hoped
there wore no men in Texas who went about
the country pouring Into the ears of iho far?
mers a statement that all the honest men
were farmers and all the rogues and rascal"
were lu town. A man who will do this Is it
buse demagogue and a vile enemy to man?
kind. The main objection to (lie national
banking system was Hie power il gave a cor?
poration to contract the volume of currency.
lie favored a free and unlimited coinage ol
silver. Nine billions of debt was created in
the South, Southwest, West and Northwest
when the volume of currency ranged al from
S:;0 lo $'?)?) per capita. These dubia fell due
when tho per capita was Sl?. The interest oi
Ihe debtor is to have the currency increased,
while It Is the Interest 01 the creditor to have
It contracled. Tho contract Ion of theeiicu
laliiig medium means debts, lu.effect. Just
double?518,1)00,000. The free coinage of sil?
ver, which Mr. Cleveland opposes, would aid
much to bolter tho conditions.
TACKLING TUB TARIFF.
The speaker then tackled the tariff and
showed where all the burden of it fell on Ihe
consumer. A listing price for necessities Is
what It costs lo live,ami il is higher undei
the McKinley law than it would he If the bill
was until law. He would repeal the Inlamotis
high tariff law ond say to Hie manufacturer!!
and capitalists of the Fust: "Keep your
hands out of the pockets of the people."
In conclusion the speaker warned his hear?
ers once more against that ''jack-o'-lantern,"
the sub-treasury, and closed amid ihe most
hearty applause.
Parson Veal wanted the speaker to give
some light, on Hie charge made at ihcOcala
Convention that, the Alliance ol Texas has
aided In ihe effort to oleel Put Calhouii, Ihe
ra 11 road candidate for Senator from Georgia.
President Hall gave an explanation that
threw upon C. W. .Macuue the onus of prov?
ing that, he had not sold himself lo the road,
and given the general attorney of the Gould
system Ihe evidence of the Insolvent condi?
tion of Hie National Alliance, lie said thai
Macuue had admitted that he borrowed Si.WK)
from (.'alhnuu on the ground or friendship;
inid said he worked t'orCalhouu's election be?
cause he was a sub-treasury man. I refused
lo sign a report exonerating Miicune from
the charges against him, It was no disgrace
lo the Order that such a dishonest man as
Miicune slipped Into it, but It will be uills
i* mere for hl in tobe allowed io remain in it.
"Macuue published In Iiis paper that I was
hissed at. the Oca III Convention, but I was
willing lo rest under the cloud that this
placed on mc until Macuue continued lo pour
hotshot Into me. Then I felt It due to the or?
der, to my family and to my.-ell, to tell the
World that I was hissed because 1 was the on?
ly man on an Investigating comin It tee who
refused to whitewash an Infamous .scoun?
drel."
This statement brought a perfect tornado ol
applaii-c from the Convention ami the meet?
ing adjourned until S^H) o'clock.
the SCIt-TRKASL'rv of UKl'UIILIt'ax i11rtii.
At the afternoon session tho Hon. William
S. McAllister delivered a speech of two hours'
length, disclosing the sub-treasury hill to be
the crowning cm initiation to this age of Re?
publican class legislation. That il was a grab
imp thrown mil by Third Parly plotters;
That since Starr a Item pled lo destroy celes?
tial sanctity with ihe heresy of. rebellion
there had been none greater than the sub
treasury; that It would lake ils place in his?
tory with ihu dreams or alchemists a he! South
Sea bubbles, and should be enl.it ltd : "An Act
lo ruin und desolate Hie agricultural Intcr?
ests;** thai if the country was to be saved
from anarchy ami despotism, It would be
through Invoking the eternal political mil Iis
laid down by Jefferson and Jackson and tak?
ing refuge in the party which they founded,
lie compared .Mnciliic lo Warren Hastings;
denounced him as Ihe arcli-despoller of the
Alliance, as did Hastings India, verifying Kel
iillllid Ititrke's assertion Unit Hie plane of
Immunity was a Libyan desert, daily pro?
ducing new monsters. He denounced Mn
iiiiiie's charge thai the press was partisan and
inimical to the Alliance. He said that the
press was the light. life and energizing influ?
ence, propelling onward modern civilization ;
thai It hail fearlessly befriended the Alliance
when right and criticised H when wrong;
that ihe oruHiilzallon thai made war on Ihe
pre-s as did Macuue and his dupes would ero?
de a whirlwind Ilia I it could nol ride,
lie then asserted Unit
Tin-; in:ai. mission ok the allianck
iviis lo regenerate society by "educating the
nasses in the science ol' economical govern
neiit in a sir Idly non-parl isau spirit," -and
cad the Alliance declaration of purposes and
joiiiiiieuli.il on il al great length Hi support of
Hs pdsitioii. He insisted that the first mud
nlsiiikonf the Alliance was in pe rm 1111 ng
MiliUi-s lo creep Into Ihe order, lie said:
"To labor Tor the education of Ihe masses In
the science of economical gnvernm-int fur?
nishes the real definition ,,( the Alli'ince.
This reveals Us inlsdon in Inj lo ilex I with mi
noiiuc (]tiesilons and solve sm-itl pinniem.?;
to inculcate principles ul liiriftatid industry,
and make a praeiicil. every iluy npiil-calioii
of them to thentfiilrs pertaining to farm life;
Whilst lhe pin-puses and demands of tn<- Al?
liance are from their nature political they are
not partisan aud do nm. involve the order in
becoming a partisan political organization.
"This is 11 ue for several reasons :
"1. We declare nur purpose In labor In a
uon-partlsau spult, ami to suppress local, pei
sonal and national prejudices and to promote
unity and harmony among munklnd. rarii.
sun politics would he fatal to these grand ef?
forts, for there is no Influence, save Ignorance
more productive of discord and prt-Judlee
thnn partisan politics, and whenever and
wherever It Is introduced unity and harmony
will cease to exist.
""i. The order requires no political test us
to conditions of eligibility, therefore the
membership comprises all shinies of party at
llllatlon and political Idas. Now, Introduce
partisan polii les, ami parly t'eitly Is al mice
aroused and party lines are sharply drawn;
when the order, wnieh relies upon unity ami
harmony, hecoincs stranded upon the shores
I of implacable division.
":t. Tue Alliance is a secret organization,
and lo admit pHrtWuu polities would neces
. sarlly make it a secret political organization.
Such organization* are repugnant to lhe spir?
it,and genius of Ireo Institutions, und if tol?
erated <>r sanctioned must itivurlutdy destroy
them. Their history Is written iu the darkest
pages of tho past, and violent class disturb?
ances, social disruptions and bloody commo?
tions tell the dismal tale of their havoc and
woe.
"uur next mistake was committed nt St.
Louis in December, lSD'i, After boldly declar?
ing to the world in favor of 'equal rights to
all and special privileges to none,' we whirled
a summersault by demanding the most gigan?
tic species of class legislation of modern
limes. Thu sub-treasury bill Is the poisoned
chief thai presides al Alliance political feasts
aud caused it lo fall from its original high es
? late of parity and consistency into lhe slimy
depths of a secret political organization."
Tho speaker here reviewed at length', the
1 history of the sub treasury, both at St. Louis
and Oeula, and boldly declared that It was
conceived primarily to create a new political
party, and Dot lo relieve the masses. Hence
it is not surprising that wliat was originally
- Intended to he a iiou-poiltical organization
lias become one sec-Icing In secret partisan
politics, in flagrant violation of every princi?
ple of declaration laid down In lhe creed.
He next took up the high moral piano as?
sumed by Hie Alliance three years ago,and
said that Its leaders?like Cicsar's wife?must
; be above suspicion, lie said that Dr. Macnne
1 would succeed Tom l'alne in history ns the
author of one of the grealesfheresies; that
, the sub-treasury was Macune's credentials us
the author of an "Ago of Economic Reason."
' He discussed at length the Georgia Senato?
rial contest of last year and Macune's relation
thereto, contending that It was the logical
outcome of permitting lhe introduction ol
partisan politics In the order; that polities
. tired corruption, which In turn brings to the
I surface mercenary Imposlers, seeking only
! their own aggrandizement.
! Concluding, he said thai for the Alliance to
' succeed it must return to Its organic moor?
ings and free itself of the contaminating In
llueneeol fetid frauds and slimy sliams; that
far-reaching salutury soclul clianges were ol
slow growth. All of the forces in society do
; not develop at once in equal or in contempo?
raneous degree, but to-day one conies forth
and gains the van time ground, to-morrow an?
other shoots up and wins Die ascendant alti?
tude, and thus proceeds lhe rcllulug process
' of elemental experiment, when finally the
Heaven anointed law of progress will select
tbe littest and appropriate their uplifting vir
1 lues to the divinely Inspired design of a more
j perfect society over a more perfect citizenship
under a more pel feet government.
TH K l'l.ATl-'OKM.
The Convention also adopted unanimously
lhe following resolutions and declaration ol
principles ns recommended by the commit
' tee:
We, lhe committee on resolutions,hog leave
to suiimit for your consideration the follow?
ing, t owl t:
We. the null-sub-trensury members of the
National K?rrners Alliance nnd Industrial
' Union, racognlzing the grave and responsible
dulits resting upon us, farmers aud citizens
and members of our beloved order, the Far?
mers Alliance, hereby present for the careful
consideration of our brother Alliance far
? incrs the following preamble and resolutions:
Whereas, the Fanners Alliance bos been or?
ganized lo the cud that Its members might
become educated In the science of economical
government and that we might become more
united in our action; having been divided
through lhe Influences of the war, we have
ever been united in Interest'; and,
Whereas, our bi loved order, the Farmers
Alliance, was founded lor lhe express purpose
asset forth in our constitution to bring about
? the above most Important results, nnd that
this education and union should ho brought
about In a strictly non-partisan sense and
manner; and,
Whereas, we declare lo Ihe world in our
constitution that the Alliance would ever ad?
vocate "equal rights lo all and special favors
to none;" aud,
Whereas, we declared to the world through
the Alliance lhat wc would makn no war up?
on any of the legitimate interests of our
country; and,
Whereas, we were assured when wo entered
llio-orgnnlzatloii that no one should be ostra?
cised for opinion sakeand refused admittance
Into or turned out of the order on account of
any belief lie might hold on political ques?
tions ; und,
Whereas, we fell assured t hut this organiza?
tion would be directed and controlled by far?
mers who were honest, men and who would
labor u unite the farmers of our common
country who were divided by the war; and.
Whereas, we now Und that tho purposes
and object-) of the Order have been defeated
and the organization dellecfed und turned
from Its original purpose and intention in i lie
following manner aud ways: (I) l.y vio?
lating lhe plainest principles and declaration
of our couslll at ion by advocating and de?
claring In luvorof the sub-treasury and land
loan scheme and the governmental owner?
ship of railroads; i2) by debarring persons
from membership and ollicc for opinion'-*
sake,and by putting men In Imporlnulotllces
and keeping them there who arc known and
have proven themselves dishonest, merce?
nary and corrupt und iiuve continued them
In such olllces and falsely and maliciously'de?
nouncing the Just und chosen representatives
of the people who have been elected to serve
in public trust, although lhe honesty and fi?
delity of such public servants iiuve been pro?
tected by longand faithful service; (tl) by try?
ing to direct and turn the organizations of
the fanners and laborers of our land from
one of the greatest curses of the age, the pro?
tective tariff system, aud to commit them to
the national curse of class legislation; (-1) by
placing In theoillelnl positions of our nation?
al and Stale Order men who are not farmers
nor have any interest In farming, whose only
interest and ambition Is to keep the farmers
in the depressed condition they now are to
Dig end that they may draw their salaries
from them,.knowing that the depression of
the larmers Is necessary to keep up au organ?
ization of this character : (?) by some of the
leading officers of the Order, uot.li SUito nnd
nailonal,consorting with the enemies of good
government against the true interests of the
people and corruptly endeavoring by dishon?
est methods to fasten upon the people the
protective tariff and railroad combination,
two of tin? evils that- the Alliance was crealed
Ui put down and destroy; (6J by private indi?
viduals In the Alliance, through corrupt, ami
mercenary motives buying up theSlateand
national official organs ol our Order, thereby
centralizing the power of this organization,
and thai of lhe million of farmers iu 11, for
Hie purpose of the personal aggrandizement
and politic.I ambition and corruptness ol
these men; (7) by changing our order from
its non-partisan character into a partisan : (?)
by applying partisan political tests to mem?
bership and office-holding In our order, and
by declaring, in a statute passed at OcalU, De?
cember, IHM, aud by proclamation of mir na?
tional president, lhat. when a majority of tho
National Alliance promulgated any political
principle, demand or heresy, the Alliance
must conform to such political principle;
therefore bo It
Hesolvid, That we denounce the sub-treas?
ury aud laud loan scheme and contingent
governmental ownership of railroads as via
lutlons of tho tlrst principles of government,
as paternal in their character, as centralizing
In their tendencies, and II enacted into law
would create such a horde of national office?
holders as would fasten the clutches of the
party In power upon the Ihroai.snf the people
so strongly thut the voices of honest, patriot?
ic citizens would no longer be beard in the
control of governmental htfairs. We further
denounce those measures us being a vlblalion
of the constitution of our beloved Order, that
wc denounce C. W. Mucuue and his corrupt
methods, together with the acts of Iiis; too Is
and benehmen, as being a disgrace lu the Or?
der and a stench lu the nostrils;of all honest
men who know of their corruption and vil?
lainy, and tlius poini out to the Order, by
continuing such men In power, they arc ena?
bled, by betraying us aud our Interests, to
most effectually chain us to the Juggernaut
carsol monopoly. We run her demand lhat
those men who are not farmers tic removed
from the national and state offices of our Or?
der, aud that none hut those who have their
interest In farming be allowed to IUI such
places, lo the end that, the Legislatures of this
Government*may know Hint when the AUK
mice speaks ll is the voice of the farmers situ!
laborers of our laud instead of the wish of!
some paid tool of monopoly and corruption.
We now appeal to all honest members of
Die Alliance throughout the United states iu j
behalf of the poor and oppressed of our land |
whom these base men have betrayed ; iu the:
name ol our wives and children, and who!
must be relieved, ir al all, by 1 lie united ac-;
Don or the farmers of this country; In the
name:of good government; to unite with us
iu pulling down this common enemy and dis-.
grneti of our Order. To Hi Is end we urnst ear-;
nestly recommend that the brother Alliance
men ot ih" United Slates meet In national
convention a'.si. I.oulson the third Tuesday
in September; naif;
A national executive committee, consisting
iif U.S. Hall,id' Missouri, W. L. McAllister, of
Mississippi, and W. L.Sergeant,of Texas, wa-t 1
erraten to conduct tho preliminaries to hold
loir I lie St. Louis Con veniion.
A resolution endorsing U. Ball find W.
T2 MeAllisicr fur their tightfor true Alliance
I principle*; and commending them to falr
| minded Alliance men and citizens through
i out ihe land, was adopted,
MEANS GRASS IS MEAN
the hills and valleys of king's
mountain.
The Way People Worked in ttte Old*
en Tinu's.-The Way In Wlilon they
Provided for Tlieir Ii<>oseholds as
Compared With it Lazy Lien and a
Poverty Struct. People.
Kino's Creek, Yokk Co., S. C, July 2).
* The western portion ol York county is in
the strictest sense of the word a piedmont re?
gion; A range of mountains parallel to the
Iii ue Ridge runs near the line which sepa?
rates Ihe two Carolinas. .Several peaks be?
longing to this range are lu York county. To
these were given at an early period the names
ot granule's Knob, Henry's Knob, Crowder's
.Mountain lllld King's Mountain.
I'rowder's Mountain is In (.iaston county,
North Carolina, and so is Hie greater part of
King's Mountain. It Was on King's Moun?
tain, In York county, that the Americans on
the 7th of October, 173U, defeated the British
Colonel Ferguson. Tins was the first real vic?
tory gained by the American colonies in their
struggle for independence, and the most com?
plete victory on record. The Americans had
only twenty eight men killed aud they killed
aud captured every man in the command of
Colonel Ferguson. The battle of icing's
Moun in in was the turning point In the Revo?
lutionary war. Before this all had been de?
feat, and the American soldiers were on the
very edge of starvation. After the defeat of
Ferguson followed the victory of the Cow
pens, the draw battle of Gullford Court
House, and finally the defeat and overthrow
of Lord Corn wall is at York town*
After the capture of Charleston on the 12th
of May, 1780, ihere was, so far as any numan
being could see, no grounds upon which the
colonies could place a hope that they would
be successful, and It-was not until the defeat
of Ferguson that hope was revived.
Through the Northwestern corner or York
county there Hows a large creek called King's
creek. It rises in t iaston county. North Caro?
lina, and flows in a Southwestern course, and
empties Into Ii road 'river, about ten miles
North of Smith's Ford. The name King's
creek Is or doubtful origin. One tradition Is
that It was so named by Colonel Ferguson
while camping on Its tributaries, ir this be
true the name is coeval with ihe battle or
King's Mountain. Another and belter estab?
lished tradition is that the name or both the
1 mountain and creek were given In honor or a
man by Ihe name of King, who settled before
the Revolutionaiy war near the town of
King's Mountain on the Air Line Railroad.
The region or country through which
King's creek tlows Is picturesque rather than
beautiful. The bottoms Jut out against hills
so precipitous that in many places neither
man nor domestic animal can cither ascend
or descend with safety. The first Bottlers of
the region generally built their houses in the
bottoms at the edge or the hills. For many
years?until utter ihe rail or the Southern
Confederacy very little of the upland was
cleared. The bottoms, although many of
them have boon In cultivation for more than
a century,are to-day producing on an average
forty bushels of corn to the acre.
The llrst settlers were men of energy.
Many of them, although beginning the world
with nothing accumulated what In their day,
was regarded a fortune. They cut down huco
trees lu the forest, hewed them on two sides
ami bnllt with these hewn logs large dwell?
ings, houses, barns, stables, corn cribs and
meat houses, which they called "smoke
houses." At a later period saw mills were ?
built and the old log houses were weatlnr
hoarded and celled, side rooms and a dining
room ndded to the rear side and a "poarch" tn
the front side. In some of these old houses
three generations of men have lived and died.
These old houses were all about u story and a
half high with a chimney at the end. capable
of taking in u tog ol' wood eight root long.
In the olden limes during the long winter
nights Hin mother of the family sat In one
corner while the father occupied the other.
The mother spuu while the rather carded and
the older children picked the seed out of the
cotton. The barn was full of hay and fodder.
The crib of corn, the smoke house of bncon
and lard, the stable were occupied by rot
horses, and droves of cows and sheep ranged
on the hills. Whe'i the clothes lor the family
were all made the father of the family with
a wee one on his knee read aloud the tales of
the trial of their inccstors In England or Ire?
land or Scotland, while the mother nimbly
plied her fingers in knitting a stocking In?
tently listening to the reading at tho same
time.
Those wcro primitive times. The people
used no collee. no sugar and no molasses,
which they called treacle, except on rare oc?
casions. By and by they began "to gather
gear." and buy negroes, and cultivate cotton.
Tho fingers were supplanted by the cotton
gin, tho wheel and cards were stored away in
the garret and "Nor'd home spun" bought.
The women ceased to wear checked irocks and
Hie men home made Jeans punts in winter
and coi peras pants in .summer. Times
changed. The corn crib and barn became
empty by the middle of April and the meat
house and horse stables were hull tin the great
Northwestern cities or Chicago and Cincin?
nati.
Uut it Is no use to cry over spilled inlllc.'
The country mill remains and that plenty
with which It once abounded may still be
brought back ir the people would only take a
common sense view or things. '? ir it were to
day ns It was seventy years agon disgrace for
a farmer to buy corn the present stale ot
things In our Southern country would be
changed ror the better. .
This King's creek, region of country Is
thickly set with what Is known as Means'
grass. In other sections or the South It bears
other name*. The history of the Introduction
of tho grass into the South and probably Into
America Is this. About the year IWOoneof
the Moans family living In me Western por?
tion or Falrtleld county. South Carolina, sent
to some region of country bordering on the
naltlcSea for some barley seed of a peculiar
variety. When-tbe seed was received it was
discovered that there were In it some seed of
a strange appearance. These seed were plant?
ed by Mr.'Means in-his garden. The spot in
which they were planted was carefully pre?
pared and well manured. The lew seed sown
germinated and Ihe grass did well, attaining
the enormous height of seven or eight fret
and producing an abundantcropol seed. Mr.
Means thought he had found a treasure. All
the seed or the first year's growth was care?
fully saved and at the proper time sown.
These germinated and produced an abun?
dant crop, lu about three years the grass
took ftilI possession ol the gnrden, rooting out
everything else. To get rid of it Mr. Means
had It dug up and carried oiii and thrown on
a hill side hoping that ho was rid or Iiis pet.
lint to> bis astonishment and bltier regret ev?
ery root lelt In the gnrden sent up a stalk and
those thrown on 1 lie hillside grew, and tho
seed was washed by the rains down Into the
bottoms and In n few yenrs Hie whole planta?
tion and all Hie plantations in Hie neighbor?
hood were pollnled with the grass. The name
Means was given to the grass in honor,or oth?
erwise, of him who accidentally Introduced it.
Means crass was introduced Into the West?
ern portion or Yoik county by Jas. A. lilurk.
I do nol know how It got Into Abbeville
county. From Abbeville county It was taken
to Alabama by: a gentleman by the name of
Johnston, where it. Is called Johnston grass,
lint more about Means grass at another
time. U.
Principle and Interest.
Wait: "Now, if I understand cor
recllv, tlie first principle of socialism
is lo divide with your brother man."
Potts: "Thenyou don't understand
it correelly. The Iirst principle of so?
cialism is lo make your brother man
divide with you."?Indianapolis
Journal.
Tin-: Deadly Moirsi:.--A luily, while
engaged in the pursuit of her domestic
duties; encountered a mouse in the
Hour barrel. Now, most ladies, under
similar circuit)Dances, would have
would have uttered a few genuine
shrieks uiid llieii sought safety in the
garret; bul l Ids one had more than the
ordinary degree of genuine courage.
She summoned the man servant and
told him to get the gun, call the dog
and station himself at ti convenient
distance. Then she clambered up?
stairs and commenced to punch the
Hour-barrel with a pole. Presently
the mouse made its appearance and
started across the floor. The dog
started at once in pursuit. The mau
tired und the dog dropped dead. The
lady fainted, fell down the stairs, and
the man, thinking sue was killed, and
fearing lie would be arrested for
murder, disappeared and has not been
seen since. The mouse escaped.
Il is u happ.Y faculty which always
sees what is best in a man, and, if we
search for it, sollte good may always be
discovered. The trouble with most of
us is that we are apt to magnify the
faults and minify the virtues of those
whom.we do not especially like, and
we conclude that the image of Clod lias
been so marred that nothing of the
divine is left.