The state chronicle., 1889-08-23
NO.. %.
THE STATE ALLIANCE.
1T DEMANDS LAW CREATING:
RAILROAD co VI MISSION.
The annual address of President AIcN-
r.-KepOrt> of the Oficcr>--Bu>i-
ness Transacted.

| ever the Farmers Alliance is in session.
| there Is the spirit Of the CHRONICLE in the
midst of them. | did not have the pass
word and could not get into the sessions
| of the Alliance, but | could see the srve-
| raj members and get all of their actions
of a public nature after the sessions. y
! better convention never met in North Car
| DINA 1t was composed of men of brain.
| character, independence, muscle and
| nerve. They We're from all sections of the
| State.
| CAPT. ALENANDER'S SPEECH.
| The retiring President, Capt S b. Al
eXander, wise man If there is one the
State, delivered the following address:
/ The third annual meeting Of the North
| Carolina Farmers State Alliance, marks
an era of unity of ac ion among The agrl-
cultural and laboring classes that is phe-
nomenal, and | congratulate you IN repre-
! sentlng an order III numbers and iutelli-
| gtnce that has had no equal IN our State
| Less than six months DID, at our first an
nual meeting, it had eight county Allan
ces and 1872 sub Alliances AT the second
annual meeting it had fifty-two county
Alliances and LOIS sub-Alliances, and
to- day we have 80 county Alliances and
,S16 sub Alliances with an approximate
membership of 72 thousand members.
AT the last meeting OF
the National Alliance, a basis of union
was agreed upon between the National
Agricultural Wheel and the Union. This,
if ratified, will change the name of the
| national organization to ''THE FARMERS
AND LABORERs UNION" 1t does not
change our State name nor effect US in
any way, as ali the important features of
the constitution of the National Farmers
AlilAucc are retained III the proposed con
,fitution Of The Farmers and Laborers'
Union | recommend its adoption as it
adds very much to the strength of the
National organization and will enable it
to accomplish work that 1t has been too
weak to do heretofore | believe other
farmers and iaborers' organizations will
JOIN lis at Our next national meeting at
st. LOUIS and also a better understan iing
Will be arrived at with other labor organ
IL etiruS. These organizations were brought
into existence by monopoly and as long
as monopoly shapes our laws to rob the
people the war must 90 on until monopoly
l. dethroned or the people crushed.
Alliance Demands.
The ''tlemauds" made at our last meet
ing for certain legislation have not been
granted and | would respectfully and
earnestly rtcomne that You determine
ar this meeting, to either abandon making
political demands or take such action as
Will ensure your demands being complied
with If you resolve on the latter course
| suggest that hereafter all demands be
submitted 10 the sub Alliances for ratifi-
cation and when three fourths of the sub
Alliances ratIfy demand. have your
President issue a proclamation setting it
forth as lie demand of the State \ Alliance
Tie discussion IN the sub Alliances VIII
inform the members as to the necessity
AZ a lat Of h,. ri.
members knowing that they made the de
mands VIII see that they are enforced and
then '-taffy" and ''love" for the farmers
and laborcrs viii give way for measures of
real benefit. would also suggest that
you send no PEI itlons after "a demand has
been made Demands and petitions are
iucompa;ibe If We are TO beg let us do
il In he approved style, ANA not demand
one moment and beg the next.
Alliance Charter.
W,fh the approval of your Executive
Committee had a charter prepared in
cooperating the State Alliance and each
county and Sub Alliance Cpr0vlded only
those Alliances that should accept it
should be Incorporated. 1t is Il liberal
charter and commend ii to your tavora-
Die consideration. One very important
sec.lon Of the charter was stricken out by
the senate, and l will bring it to your at
tcntlOn ri another time. This action of
the Senate and the contempt with which
il treated Your demands, and petitions
clearly shows that it was hostile to US. We
had few friends there and they deserve
our thanks. An inspt ction of the Senate
journals Will show You who We're for Us
and who ag inst us.
State Business Agency.
The State Business Agency has not
proved the success We anticipated and
urge ,Ou to give this depart ment every
thing you can to make it what it ought 10
be. 1t is the right arm of the Alliance
aud if you do nothing else at this meeting
bat perfect this department you viii de
serve well of the Alliance. It's failure to
do what is expected of it creates a desire
for co operative stores. This is to be re-
GREETED for co operative stores have no
place in the plan of the Alliance. The
Alliance wits brought into existence 10
protect the agricultural and iaboring
c.ssses against monOpoly-not to make
merchants and its agency system is the
only one have ever seen that suits the
present condition of the farmers and la
borers of our country. Let us keep it
within its sphere and not form entanglng
alliances that will affect our credit and
weaken our order.
The Lecturers Department..
The strength of the Alliance consists in
the individual intelligence of its member
ship. This fact makes the Lecturers de
partinent of more Importance than any of
the others. | recommend that you give
the Lecturer more assistants and define
their duties 20 they (the lecturer and
sistants) alone will be held responsible for
| their work. They should be made the au
| thorized agents of our National and state
| Organs aud for such other Alliance ltera-
| ture as will benefit the order. If we can
! get our membership to read our paper,
| and other literature to keep them in
| formed of our progress, to better under
| stand our purposes, we will be able to ac
! complsh whatever We uudertake-with-
out it we will fail, for no people can act
| together wi hout understanding the ques-
tons that confront them and the meas
ures manded for their relief. An intel
| ligent membership is more to be desired
! than numbers, for open enemies are few
III comparison to those Of the 'advisory
family many of whom are equally as
shrewd as their ancestor who ''got in his
work" on the mother of mankind in the
Garden of Eden.
The financial condition of the member
ship has not improved since our last meet
ing, nor can see any hope of improve
ment as long as trusts and combines fix
! the price on nearly everything We buy or
sell. Whether crops are good or bad,
&l 1a,y- 1.