The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-12-24

AAONH IAO L nIh ODCuISuCC VI tIC pCOp1Cg
every rail, car, stock, bond and charter has
lis securl1y and protection chiefly from
that tender homa e and reverence which
emanateS from tie hearts Of our law-abid-
idg AMI liberty loving agriculturists; and
IN depressing them, tnry are chaing The
cords upon which alone hangs their profits,
franchises and existence.
1 would recommend that you demand
such legislation, both national and State,
as shall regulate and control rates and
eEassihcations of freights on all lines of
transportation, that falrdealing and justice
may DE secured to all.
POLITICS.
While our order, as an order, is strictly
bipartisan in politics, yet Section | in
our declaration of purposes says: That
we shall labor for the education of the
agricultural classes IN the science of eco
nomic government, in a strictly non-par-
tisan spirit. !
1t is an evident fact that the origin and
power to perpetuate the existence of the
various rings, trusts and combines that
now Cypress our people and threaten the
overthrow of our free institutions, is due
to unjust legislation and the intimacy and
influence that still exists between our rep
resentatives and these powerful corpora
tons and combines, are such as to give
good Tt ason for serious alarm. :
We have reached a period inthe history
Of our government when confidence in
our political leaders aud great political
organIzat ons is almost destroyed, and
the estrangement between them and the
people is becoming more manifest every
day.
The common people are now beginning
to see that there is no Just cause for the
now almost univ+ rsal depression that per-
vades the laboring classes of everysection
of our country, and are disposed to attrib-
ute the same to the ~corrupting influence
that these great combines and corporations
exert over our leaders and political, moral
and social institutions.
So long as our people neglect to inf 'rm
themselves upon the great issues of the
hour and continue to follow blindly ma
chine politicians to the neglect of their
own interest, they will continue to lose
their individuality, influence and power
10 our political institu ions, and be wholly
at the mercy of the soulless corpor atoms
that are now welding such an influence
over our government.
The very existence Of our free institu-
tons and republican form of government,
the very life and prosperitysof the agri-
cultural and laboring people depend largely
if not wholly upon financial, land and
! transportation reformation.
It is a conceded fact that a republican
form Of government lives alone in the
hearts of the people; and it's destiny de-
ponds entirely upon the purity of the
ballot, and as this is in the hands of every
man there can be nc safety except as is
guaranteed by it's intelligent use.
This is the fortress of our nstions's
strength; and if our order would reach
that high degree of usefulness for which
it was created, it must through a we1l-de-
fined system Of economic questions, pro-
duce this intelligence and virtue, thus
preparing our people for an intelligent
use of their franchise.
CONCLUSION.
When the dissolution took place of the
two National bodies that compose the
Farmers and Laborers' Union of America,
1 found myself IN a very aw kward and
embarrassing situa ion.
The responsibility of these two national
bodies merged into one imperfect organi-
| LdGiOu, Will d UO1CCG1NS COLSL1OuI1SA Ill
with demands coming from the varions
States for organizers, new rituals, secret
work and other printed matterf and hav-
ing no funds in the treasury for defraying
expenses, and being compelled to draw
upon my own private funds for the defray-
ing of all my Office and official expenses,
with considerable division and dissension
in some of the States, and having no
executive committee or supreme judiciary
to share my responsibilities. I must con-
fess that it was with great ~forebodings
that [ a sumed my official duties.
Among my first official duties was to
appoint an executive committee, COM
posed of Brothers J. Fl. Mcdowell, of
Tennessee, G. L. Clark, of Texas, and J.
A. Tets, of Louisiana. | also arranged
with Bro. J. H. Mcdowell for the print
ing of $4,000 rituals and the new secret
work-which were ready for distribution
to State secretaries within thirty days
from the issuing of our official proclama-
ton. .rt
During the two months of our organi-
cation / have given the order my veay.
best efforts, availing myself Of every pos
sib!e means for the ~harmoniEing of the
brotherhood in States where unity failed
to exist and to perfect our organization.
There were brethren who were ever
ready with their counsel and encourage
ment, which assisted me greatly in the
discharge of my arduous duties. To them
l shall ever feel grateful for their assist
ance, fidelity and patriotism to the order
during those trying hours.
Brethren, never before in the history of
organized labor have we been confronted
with graver questions of business of
greater magnitude and Importance than
will be resented to this convention.
You virtually hold in your hands the
destiny of our order, upon whose success
or failure depends the veal or woe ofthe
patient and long suffering agricultural
and ~laboring people of our nation.