The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-09-20
THE FARMERS ALLIANCE.
The County Alliance Endorse DR..
Fields Action.

The County Alliance was in session yes
terday, and considered the following from
DR.. ]. d. Fields, president of the Farmers
Alliance exchange of Texas, and it was
unanimously endorsed:
To the Editor of the Statesman.
Ny attention having been called by wire
to publication recently made in The
STATESMAN, Fort Worth Gazette, the
Southern Mercury and other newspapers
in and out of Texas, on the
report of the committee of
five (so-oalled) on the financial
condition of the Farmers Alliance of
Texas, I deem 1t necessary to notice same
The animus exhibited in the article alluded
to is written in such an unkind and harsh
manner as to make all men of prudence
receive 1t with many grains of allowance.
And, then with what wonder do we see the
private affairs of this corporation and the
friends and creditors of same thus paraded
in the public prints of the county. May
1 ask if it was ever the custom among
honorable gentlemen to parade unasked
and uncalled for the private affairs of an
honorable corporation and its friends in
public printS By whose order was this
intended report published? Was this not
done by some member or members of this
committee in open violation of all honor
and dignity, and of their duties and oaths
of membership The animus of the pub
location is plain to be read. 1t is prompted
by the desire to iniure corporation of
the honest yeomanry of our fair state, and
shows a spirit to produce injury and ruin,
if they are not allowed To rule as they
desire. / well know that there
we're mon on this committee who
did not lend their aid or countenance
to so unworthy deed and who were as
much surprised as l am to see private
affairs thus paraded in public. feel that
among our noble body, yea among all
honorable men, this act of violation of
secrecy can only be branded as conduct
unbecoming gentlemen.
No accountant who is qualified to ex
anime books or papers would ever have
made such an undignitied and unworthy
comment as this article shows. Ignor
ance of how to interpret plain state
ment is clearly shown, and the desire to do
harm to Manager Maoune and his asso-
ciates is clearly shown. If a surplus of
S116,622 is shown in that report and since
increased by $4,000 additional assets, if
it does not show where the original stock
and capital are, what does it do? A
school boy from Eastland college would
easily have discovered that. Now, on my
arrival in Dallas found the News had
kindly published an in terview with Mai.
Hu f. Ewing, showing fully the true state
of the affairs of the Farmers Alliance
exchange, and must sincerely thank that
paper in the name of the order of the
Farmers Alliance of Texas and also in
the name of our board of directors for the
kindness in publishing the truth as given
by our financial man, Major Ewing, of
whom all who know him will vouch for his
intelligence, impartiality and honor.
We believe all honorable men will join
me in saying this act, by whomsoever
done, is foreign to the character or the
breeding of any gentleman. And being
chairman of the committee of eleven
to investigate the business of
the exchange, 1 am in position to say
that we found it's affairs in good shape,
and know that there has been no wrong
done by the management to any brother
in the order. The committee of eleven
made its report to the State Alliance, and
it was adopted without dissenting voice.
Being also president of the board of di-
rectors of the exchanged am in a position
to state that the so-called report of five ia
false IN many particulars, and calculated
to mislead, and for that reason l deem it
my duty to condemn in my official capac-
ity all such unofficial, mischievous and
misleading statements. Believing that
this, like others of like nature will prove
Intellectual to injure the Alliance, am
Respectfully, j. d. FIELDS,
President Farmers Alliance Exchange of
Texas.
The article alluded to by Doctor Fields
is as follows, as published in the Dallas
News:
| The Southern Mercury, the Alliance
organ, published in Dallas, of September
IL, contains some figures regarding the
business of the Alliance exchange, which
are of interest. AS soon as the paper
came from the press yesterday copy
was obtained, and, with it in hand, a
News man went to see Doctor Macune at
his office, and, he being absent, Maj. Hu.
| F. Ewing was asked for some points of
information. Major Ewing is in the
employ of the exchange as their financial
agent and auditor to collect money due
the exchange and disburse the same
This appointment was satisfactory all
around, Major Ewing being a thoroughly
competent expert in making out com
mercial statements and in auditing &C
counts, and generally competent IN all
commercial transactions.
The major was asked to throw some
light on the following, clipped from the
Mercury:
EXHIBIT "A.'
A LIST OF HOLDERS OF JOINT NOTES HELD BY
CLEDITORe.
Az Milburn Wagon company. ..... 5 5,375 0C
All Ames iron works. ............... 542 O(
| 4lS a lliance Milling company, Den