The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-04
TssE FAgs7skEas ALLIANCE
EyyFa.E SUCCEED IN Has
LEGITIMATE AIMS:
For The DEMOCRAT.

urc l. sell, LlaL all prosperity HuoI
come from the soil. If the cultiva,
ton Of the soil should cease for ore
wear there would result & general
famine and starvation among the
people. " hatever then increases
the productions of the soil and inn
proves agriculture benefits the farm
er and adds to the general good, and
eugnents the wealth Of the State.
Combination has become the great
idea of this age among all classes
and interests whether the end in
view is good or evil. At last the
farmers are more than ever waking
up TO this great means OF advancing
agriculture and Of self-ptotectioD,
and Of social improvement. Hence
the organization, In the past. OF
Farmers Clubs, of Agricultural sLce-
ties, Of tie Changers, OF Farmers
Institutes, and more recently OF the
Farmers Alliance. They are all
based upon the grand idea Of modern
progress that in union there is
strength, advancement, know ledge,
Improvement, social nentht, and
elevation of society. These volunt
ary associations of the farmers are
educators End beacon lights In any
community whenever properly man
aged and not allowed TO be perverted
from thuir legitimate aims and de-
signing men do not get hold OF them
and use them for unworthy purposes
and se!f-aggrandizement. Tie farm
ers Of North Carolina, more general
" honest and uususpeCtlDg than any
other class Of people, were never so
much aroused and 50 well organized
as they now are by means of tie
Farmers Alliance. or the sixty
five thousand members In this State,
nearly all are farmers and farm
labOrc1s. There are about fifteen
hundred sub alliances scattered all
over the State. Never were the
farmers 50 united and so potent for
good as now. But the potency or
the alliance for good renders it
equal y potent for evil, if it fails to
adhere strictly to its principles and
its hi sh-purPost Of advancing agri>
culture and of protect IN to the farm
ing interests. The Farmers Alliance
is in its infancy in our State. True,
it has done vast deal Of good, and
is doing much good. But this ex>
&C llent institution ls severely on
trial, and is passing through trying
ordeal ofcrltlcisn.
a :ery large nun! er Of the best
men OF the State are indulg ing pri>
Vate, but honest. and anxious fears
that 1t may be managed to the dam
age Of tie democratic party and to
the best interests Of our State. This
will ne apt TO be its fate unless the
intelligent, patriotic and thinking
masses Of its members, awake TO the
dangers that beset its pathway OF
progress. Political events in our
State within year, and facts per
tanning to efforts made at Raleis b
last winter to influence alliance
members of the legislature, are OF
record to show that there ia q neces-
s!ty of keeping holsted before the
true alliance men Of the State the
signal Of danger, ana to warn then,
aS"inst the threatening storm. There
Is no more necessity OF avoiding q
union Of church and State, than
there is OF den4ndsng q severance OF
the alliance aud psrty-poljtics. Dis.
cuss questions of political econuray,
brethren, stand up for the rights of
farmers, appeal to Our STATE legis.
1ature and to Congress to legislate
moe io7 the farmers, and strive
VITA your might and main to adopt
tie best t~rmlng methods, and to
III. rove tie general condition Of the
elayot c:ishcd and down~trodden
farmers. DO your utmost IN this
needed and noble line obedience and
protection, and improvement. But
for the sAk4 of the farmers them
selves and of our useful and grow
ing organization keep designing
men out of i, and give politicians
and Office seekers everywhere to I'M
derstand that the Farmers Alliance
shall not be used for their advance
ment, or for the selfish nomination
aud purpose of any candidate OF
partisan Office seeker. The str, nge,
the organization the g re danger OF
designing aud ambitious men get
ting into our ranks ana seeking tc
uSe the institution for unrighteou,