The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-09-17

leave the gap down Tor q eneny "
take advantage of.
We can accomplish none OF u
aims except there be a perfect union
in the organization al large and no
success until each and every member
c~omprehends that there will be no
victory or anything done except we
one and all work as a unit.
An Alliance working as a unit can
accomplish almost everything. Away
back in what is now called the Dark
Ages feudlism existed, a system
which nearly destroyed civilization.
The farmer and working mar were
treated as serfs and Systematically
robbed by the Feudal lords; finding no
redress they united together, formed
free towns, the towns formed leagues,
the leagues resisting the tyranny of
the Feudal Baron, preserved clvlllza-
ton and made their citizens free men.
The Swiss subject to Austria were
h~arrassed, tyrannized and taxed to
death without being united; reoellions
were speedily put down. Finding that
individual or local resistance was use
less, they arose as n man and freed
themselves. The united people of Eng
land allied together, forced the cruel
King John to sign the Magma charta.
The American colonies allied together,
freed themselves, established and
made themselves the greatest nation
on the earth.
Volumes could be filed showing
what an allied people can accomplish.
The money powers, no matter how
they differ in other things, are an ALI
ance when they orner the -necessaries
of life and one corporation allies itself
with another for the simple purpose
of making all they can out of the
producing classes. a united alliance
without discipline, ruled by byelaws
and governed by a constitution, would
be a failure. Experience teaches hat
any large body of men combined for
a set purpose unless amenable to some
law or discipline soon degenerates
into a mob. We have discipline at the
| Preside, we have it in the church, we
have it at the court house and it is
found indispensable in all branches Of
business, and if the Farmers Alliance
is to be a success it must be carried
on according to business principles,
the constitution and bylaws strictly
adhered to, and all members well dis
| ciplined in their duties.
| come to the educational feature Of
the order, although it does not stand
in the foreground, it arises and forces
itself to the front. 1t will be found
that it will be the most effective
weapon we can use if properly
handled and a powerful aid to organi-
zation in teaching US to know u
works, how to use our strength, dis.
pei the fogs of delusion and do away
with proitless prejudices. Our order
is aimed to resist the encroaching in
roads of accumulative wealth which
not satisfied with it's present prosperity
seeks to further enrich itself at the
expense of the farmer and laborer,
forms trusts and combinations, taxing
us beyond endurance. The greedy,
grasping, avaricious money powers
not satisfied in simply cornering
necessary supplies, enter the arena of
politics, frequent the halls of Congress
and State Legislatures throughout the
Union seeking to control them. A
third legislative body exists not pro-
vided for in the Constitution com.
monty called the Lobby. If its true
history could be written what a
~nauseating morsel it is for American
citizens to digest-a pollution of
politics, bribery and even worse. How
long will this state of affairs exist ?
No longer than when the time comes
that the masses of the people will be
educated to know their duty as free
citizens, know whom to vote for and
what is expected of those whom they
vote for. Such being the present
state of affairs, how can the objection
be sustained that we, as an order, re-
frain from politics when politics sim
ply means the science of government.
and how can we be good citizens
When we I lgnoront or the simplest
rudiment of that science which teaches
US to elect men who will legislate in
the interest of good government for
the common good OF all and not for
a particular set or class :? We have
an enlightened and able press,
but with very few exceptions it leans
to the wealthy corporations, ridicules
the efforts of the farmer and laborer
to better themselves. Their columns
are filed with the records of partisan
strife. If we are t. believe them our
government must be run to meet party
~exigences, all else is nugatory. Their
circulation and influence is powerful
and far reaching and as a matter of
notoriety known to be suborned and
under the control of money kings
whilst all the living issues of the