The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-02-25
ALLIANCE IN THE SEVENTH
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

LECTURER Oh 6uc I'LL OO1S
District, | herewith present you
short outline of the work in this part
of the Alliance field.
Through kind fortune and the time
Iv assistance of the brethren, l have
been enabled to make every point on
ZINE. The attendance at nearly all OF
our meetings has been large and at
4entive-at many places ample and
wel.prepared public dinners were
served to everybody who would par.
take, and the good effects on every
such community have been noticeable
nm every instance. The brotherhood
has been uniformly kind and helpful
everywhere, and I feel sure that the
membership has been greatly built up
and encouraged by these meetings.
Many of the weak and wsvering have
been revived and "many wanderers
brought back to the fold again"
The outside world is getting q bet
ter understanding of u work and
purposes and is beginning to see the
necessity of this great movement
among the people. A few who are
naturally stupid or wilfully unfair,
are still opposing us-the farmer for
want of better sense, the latter from
downright greed and meanness.
l was charged withfa three-fold
duty in this visitation: ~ to look
after the membership, (2( TO circulate
our literature, and (3) to raise stock
for the State agency fund.
We made a special effort IN every
meeting to Undue every individual
member with a life long devotion to.
our cause on q higher plane than OF
mere selfish gain. Il
We endesyored to impress. upon the
membership. every where the absolute
Importance Of punctual attendance on
t6ne their respective meetings. And
strange as it may appear to some L.
found quite . number Of even county
and SUB, officials who do not seem to
know how to tell when 3 o'clock is on
the dial Of time. 1t was reported to
by some Of their near neighbors
that they were right good spoilers and
that they could even read in most any
book, too. Strange, wasn't it2 But
I guess they will know how to tell
when 2 o'clock is in the future.
If the Alliance does no more than
teach this one lesson to our people
that punctuality is the life of business
lit will well repay all it has cost us.
Being fully satisfied that all of our
success depends upon the individual
member at last, we urged upon all the
necessity of the prompt and cheerful
performance of every duty imposed
by our order. Many noble and praise.
worthy examples of this obedience to
duty were met with. In many COM
munities great and lasting good has
been done by aiding q suffering
brother or sister. Many homes where
elaborated hearts were bleeding"
have been cheered and comforted by
the kindly deeds of the Alliance.
Several notable instances were seen
in our canvasse, where dwelling
houses and barns, with all their con.
tents, had been destroyed by fire, the
brethren would gather in and soon
rebuild and otherwise render the
family comfortable. It is really in.
spring to see our people grsndly
adopting the sentiment.
Help us to help each other, Lord,
Each others cross to bear;
Let each mis- friendly aid afford,
And feel o brothers care"
Knowing full well that even if our
national organization should tower
above the clouds, and take on still yet
greater proportions at the top, if the
base is not broad and solid, this mag
nifcent superstructure will crumble
to nothing.
Brethren, care for every individual
member, for herein lies our glory and
power.
(2). If we would be good and eff
Gent members of the order we must
read and learn our duty as voters and
taxpayers. We have endeavored to
impress this important point on all &C.
casions. The great questions of
finance, transportation, ETC., are being
ably discussed in our journals, and no
one can discharge his duty as an
American citizen unless he informs
himself on all of these topics of vital
interest to all. There is now no good
excuse for any of us to remain ignor-
ant, while our National and State
organs are so fun of the very instruc.
tions we most need. AndI am glad
to be able to report that our people
everywhere are anxiously searching
into these great issues, with fixed
determination to think and act for
themselves in the future. They are
beginning to find out why they are SO
burdened, and when they do finally
comprehend the enormity of the deep,
laid schemes of their oppressors, the
big Ikes and the fat Sans win have
to go.
It affords me especial pleasure to