The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-03
The WHEEL,
THE NEW POLITICAL ORGANIZA-
TON IN ARKANSAS,
With Which II Is Proposed 10 Break
the Integrity Of the Demo-
cratic Party.

Lit lie Rock Gdzeite The original
constitution of the State Agricultural
Wheel prescribed the following quail
fCations for membership:
mo perton can be admitted to
membership who is engaged in mer-
chandising; no physicians who are
practising their profession; no law
yers who are practising law no teach
els who are following tesching as
profession; no ministers who do not
farm; no mechanics who are not &C
tually engaged in the tilla2e Of the soil
nor any other person who is not actu-
ally engaged In farming and making
farming their principal occupation"
Organized as strictly agricultural or
der, the exclusoo were designed TO
coDfine the membership wholly to
persons actually engaged in sgricul-
tuTal pursuits. The propriety OF this
was obvious, IS combining a bar asso-
citation to lawyers or a medical asso-
citation TO physicisrs and surgeons.
II YVES not Intended to be political
organization, 50 no political test was
made. Neutrality-suspicious. and white
males eighteen years OF age-were eli
gible to membership.
But after the Wheel membership
had go increased as to show consider
able numerical strength, it occurred to
the little politicians of various former
partisan affiliations to get possession
OF the organic alton, quietly pervert its
original objects, and uss il as hobby
for office seeking and office brokerage
purposes. Hence the skiIlfully planned
movement which led to the consOida-
ton of the STATE Wheel and Brothers
OF Freedom at GreenbTier last fall.
The membership of the Wheel was
largely Democratic The membership
Of the Brothers of Freedom was largely
Republican. Republicans in the back
ground adrJitly pulled the wires; ths
Brothers of Freedom gave up their
own name and became Wheelers; but
Isaac McCrscken, a Republican. was
elected President OF the consolidated
organization, known as the State Aqrl-
cultural Wbe |, instead of Mr. J. r
Johnson OF Prairie, the former Presi-
dent, and too sound a Democrat to
Willingly aid any scheme to disrupt
the moCIacy.
1t appears that the constitution
adopted at the conso idation was
changed. This change, apparently
slight, was sufficient to open the doors
to the political agriculturalists who
farm with the mouth, but whom the
original constitution, quoted above,
excluded. The constitution OF the
State Wheel, over which Mr.. Johnson,
tie Democrat, presided, excluded all
per, ons not actively Engaged Ia agri-
cultural pursuits. The constitution Of
TIE state Wheel, now presided over
by Mr.. McCracken, the Republican,
excludes only bankers, merchants aud
lawyers. We quo'e the section below:
SECTION 2. A candidate for men,
bership by initiation shall be be-
lever in a Supreme Being, Creator,
Preserver and governor Of all things.
He shall be a white male person OF
good, moral character and industriou,
babits, having some respectable means
of support. He shall not be directly
or indirectly engaged in banking,
merchandising or practcing law. He
shall have resideded within the juris-
dict on of the lodge at leas. three
months previous to bis application for
membership, or have been twelve
months personally known to brothers
OF the order who recommend him."
1t may be doubted il one Wheeler
in ten observed how radically the fun
damen'al principle OF the organization
was changed by this trick OF phrste-
clogy. On'y recently has attention
been called to it. The difference be-
tween the original aud the new con.
stitution constitutes the d ference be-
tween keeping the Wheel farmers
organization aud opening the member.
ship to politicians Of every degree,
who do not follow banking, mer-
chandisiDg or the law as a voca ion.
All this was done preliminary to
turning the Wheel into q political or
ganization. 1t was done by the little
politicians inside who wanted office,
and the little politicians outside, Of the
same. inclination. They proposed TO
get control, and then fight the DemoC-
racy for their own benefit, by deCeiy-
ing and using the rank and file, red
gardlefs Of former affiliations. =
Under the present constitution, as
manipulated by the poliiicipTs in and
out of the Wheel, Powell Clay ton can
be member. He is net lawyer not
a merchant, net a banker. But Gen.
Bob, Newt N, Gov. S P, Hughes, Sem
ator Jfs. X. Jcne5 and Senator j. II.
Berry, aud nsny others who have
labored for many years to win Demo-
cratic victories, but who are lawyers,
are disqualified.
Yet tome Of the Wheel leaders de- |
olare that an organ cation which will |
admit Powell Clayton and exclude |
every Democrat engaged in merchant
dising, banking or practicinG law--no |
matter how ably or zealously he may |
have fOupht the hattles nj Demorracv |