The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-12-25
RALEIGH, N. c., DECEMBER 25, 1888.

guide. All the special reforms that
contain good must be contended for
as methods of the Alliance, but great
care should be taken not to confound
them with the principles, which are
general and are founded on ultimate
truth and as such, and in that capacity,
are alone capable Of meeting the gen
eral adverse conditions to be contended
with. Hence the necessity in the ex-
tension Of the work into new territory,
of being able to define the issues of
which the methods to be pursued will
depend, in plain and simple language,
SO that all will understand readily and
endorse fully. in the Cotton Belt CO.
operation in regulating the price of
that product it has been an idea that
all could grasp at once and endorse it,
but other sections are not favored with
a product of which they have a com
parative monopoly in the production,
and the danger is that without some
strong object of peculiar class to act
as a ballast, they may attach too much
Importance to partisan political meth
DDS and, getting them mixed with the
principles of the order, seriously in
jure the movement 1t must therefore
be extremely hazardous to extend the
order into new territory without using
great caution and giving full notice to
all who contemplate joining it's ranks,
that it's objects are, ito teach the
principles of economic government in
strictly non-partisan spirit. "To
bring about better understanding
among agriculturalists' "To pro
mote mental, moral, social and fnan-
cial prosperity" To bury the dead,
relieve the sick and afflicted, to COM
fort the distressed and that it means
"peace on earth and good will toman"
While it is every mans duty to his
family and country, under our form
of government, to be a partisan, the
proper place for him to receive true
education is not in partisan school.
Let the order be the great school of
truth in. which, by a thorough ex-
change of ideas, all may be truly edu-
Gated Let it there be agreed what
great principles shall be endorsed.
Leave partisanship to the individ-
ual, but study and discuss political
economy as class and arrive at true
conclusions. There need be no appre-
hension as to what will be the partisan
policy of any people who believe and
think alike from enlighted understand
ing of the same subject. They would
then act together and be beyond the
reach of those who would try to array
them to do battle on account of class
prejudice. It is, therefore, suggested
that this body, as the representative of
all the Alliances now organized, pass
such laws as will prohibit Alliances
from taking organized action in par
tisan politics or sectarian religion, !
under penalty Of forfeiture of charter,
and that all Alliances to be hereafter
be notified of that law be- !
fore charters are issued to them.
Your attention is called to the
necessity of defining both for the in
formation of the mem bership and as a
guide for your executive-the genius
Of your laws, both organic and statu
tory; this will be found task worthy |
Of careful execution. It seems. that |
the order is under two distinct |
systems of law and government and |
must necessarily be SO as long as it is
a secret order with written constitu-
tion-the charter from the United |
States government and the constitu-
ton adopted at the first meeting Of |
this body composed of delegates from
two States and ratified by those States
comprises the organic law. Under
it each State is separate autonomy,
limited only by the rights and powers
delegated to the National
IN the Constitution, thus
making the order like the Government
Of the United States, confederated
form of republican government and
it's legislative branch to
make laws to the extent expressly |
delegated by the Constitution only.
The other system of laws that
governs the order and to which it is
subject, is similar to that of all other
secret societies, and is of the nature of |
a limited or constitutional monarchy |
and must ever be SC as long as the |
secret work emanates from the general
Cover nnent. By authority of this