The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-07-03
FARMERS ALLIANCE.
Meeting of the Convention at the
Capitol Yesterday.
Two Secret Sessions-A Speech by Governor
Gordon-The Establishment of
State Exchange.


lance assembled in the hall of the house of
representatives yesterday morning at ten
o'clock.
President r. H jackson called the body to
order.
There were present ninety-two delegates,
representing fifty-two counties in the state.
The convention is composed exclusively of
farmers, and more
SOLID, INTELLIGENT, CONSERVATIVE
body of men has never assembled in Atlanta.
Among the prominent men present were no.
ticed DIR. n. G. Campbell, of Meriwether; Mr..
A. w. Ivey, Of Thomas; Judge j. M. Smith,
of Marion; Messrs. Peter Stephens and W. +.
Cook, of Chattahoochee; T. L. Morton and j.
j. Patterson, of Stewart j. p. Layfield and
j. P. Walker, of Webster; A. p. Woods and
George I. Murrell, of Clarke; A. II. Hill, of
Quitman; r. B. Mathews, of Oglethorpe; III.
Marshall, of Jones; j. M. Collum and j. f,
Wood, of Schley; W. B. Adams and A, j,
Williams of Epson; Isaac Stephens, of the
seventh district.
Rev. Samuel Maxwell, the chaplain, Colo
mel l.. f. Livingston, of Newton, and Secre-
tary Il. l.. Barker, were also in the conyen-
ton
President Oswald Wilson, of the Florida
alliance, Mr.. Il. w. STAIRS, of the Florida
Alliance newspaper, of jackson county, and
MIR. E. II. Brown, of the. Texas State alliance,
occupied seats on the floor.
Immediately after calling the convention to
order President jackson requested all persons
not members of the alliance to retire, and
stated that the doorkeeper would see to it that
nobody remained in the hall except delegates
to the convention.
Gentlemen of the press fingered when they
were politely requested by lynx-eyed door
keepers to give the pass word. Being unable
to do so, they reluctantly took up the line of
march from the corridors.
1t is an iron rule of the order that TIE meet
ings shall be conducted with closed DOORS
After the hall had been cleared, President
jackson delivered an eloquent address, which
was frequently interrupted by applause. He
explained that the object of the convention
was to consider ways and means for carrying
into effect the principles of the order. In his
speech, President jackson stated that he is
NOT A CANDIDATE
for congress in the fourth district and said
that he did not expect to be candidate.
The morning session was spent in perfecting
the organization of the body and the discus
sion CT inside matters Committees on Gre
dentials and business were appointed.
The convention adjourned until two o'clock.
The Afternoon Session.
After devoting several hours to routine
work, committee was appointed to wait on
Governor Gordon and invite him to address
the convention.
TIE governor accepted the invitation, and
was greeted with great enthusiasm.
VI,
sentiments which he uttered evoked unstinted
applause. The object of the Georgia Farmers
Alliance was most commendable one, h
said, and he fully Endorsed the order and
wished it abundant success. 1t was union
of the producers of the state for tho
PROTECTION OF THEIR INTERESTS
He saw 10 reason why the farmers of the
land should not organize for the purpose of
guarding their interests as well as the manu-
facturers or men engaged in any other branch
nj Ac ha md n
Farmers Alliance was non-political organi-
cation formed on a business basis for the sole
purpose of ameliorating the condition of the
producers of the state and thus adding to the
general prosperity of the people.
1t was most laudable object and it would
give him profound pleasure to encourage all
legitimate means for its attainment.
The convention adjourned to half past eight
o'clock this morning.
STATE EXCHANGE.
1t is probable that the committee on business
will submit report today touching the estab-
lishment of a state exchange.
1t is we'll understood that the chief object of
the convention is to devise ways and means for
the establishment of one or more exchanges in
Georgia, through which the farmers of the
state can buy their supplies and sell their pro-
ducts o { an immense saving, and it is claimed
a sufficient sum can be raised without trouble
to enable the producers of Georgia to transact
all their business independently of the middle
men.
The Farmers Alliance of Georgia is very
big thing. 1t was organized last March, and
already has membership of 10000 in forty
five organized counties, and several other
counties not yet organized, but having sub
alliances.
The next convention will assemble in
August. by which time it is claimed that every
county in Georgia will be thoroughly organ
lied, and that the membership will reach
100000.
GLOW does the Farmers Alliance work in
my county2' asked south Georgia gentleman
srs doWn nv way Fought s tboSsSnd toms Of eI
izer under the auspices of the alliance" this year.
and saved just Sc on each ton or &c. 900 the whole
paying for what they have been buying from the
merchants at the rate of 62 per cent advance, long
is going to the sh business methods
ing, cotton for the privilege of mort
merchants for the further pleasure of paying double
prices for everything they buy during the year
even school books for their children Greetings are
in order from the fertilizer buyers ofmy county to
the farmers of Texas 1 see that they are getting
good bugges, through the alliance, for $50, for
which they have been allowed to pay the middle
men Sl25 in the bitter past This Farmers Alliance
is going to injure the business Of middle men and
tories in the south, where it ought to be- But it will
do something even better 1t will pull the farmer
out of debt and give them time and means TO edu-
cate their children"
other secret session yesterday morning.
1t met at eight o'clock and transacted bust
ness until after one. The convention then adj
iourned to meet in the month of August, at q
point not yet decided upon.
1t was impossible to get detailed account
OF the proceedings of the convention yesterday.
1t leaked out, however, that the session was
harmonious, and that Mr. Brown, one of the
members of the Farmers Alliance exchange
in the state of Texas, made lengthy speech
to the delegates. The burden Of Mr.. Browns
address was upon the workings of the Farmers
lliance in Texas
The Farmers Alliance Of the lone starlstate
has a membership Of 100000 producers. They
have established a state exchange with money
raised by assessing every member of the Texas
alliance a small sum. A gentleman said yes
terday that the Texas farmers proposed to
raise 81 ,000,00 in four years by collecting one
dollar from every member of tho alliance out
there each year. In this way $4,000 could
be readily raised each year in hard cash.
Mr.. Brown told the convention something
about this method Of raising money to estab-
lish exchanges.
The convention yesterday put the ball in
motion to establish q state central exchange.
They purpose to raise 81 100000 to do this, but
not ali at one time. This money win not be
borrowed, but it will be gotten up by subscrip-
fbp fnarnbpra of fbo a11ionoa ~