The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-12-09
AGAINST THE FORCE BILL.
The Alliance Takes Strong Ground
Against It's Passage.

OCALA, Fla, Dec. 3, l89O.-Delegate
W s.. McAllister, of Mississippi, yester-
day introduced in the meeting Of the
Farmers' Alliance the following preamble
and resolutions, which were adopted:
WHEREAS, The President Of the United
States, in his annual message to Congress,
recommends and urges the immediate
passage Of the measure known as the
Lodge election bill; and whereas, the
So d bill involves radical revolution in the
elect n machinery of the United States,
both State and National, and its passage
will be fatal to the autonomy of States
and cherished liberties of citizens; and
whereas said bill is partisan il spirit, and
will be p~artizan in its application, thus re-
vitallZlag the g3ry ghost of sensational
enlargement; and whereas, in holy war
we have declared against sec iopalism,
and the fresides o farmers of the North,
East, South and West, are citadels around
which the heaviest battles are being
fought; and to the md that victory may
crown our crusade, let fraternity and unity
reign therefore, be it
ReSOZVed, By the National Farmers
Alliance AMI Industrial Union of America
in National Council assembled that we do
most solumnly protest against the passage
Of the said Lodge election bill and we
most earnestly petit IN our Senators to
employ ali fair and legal means to defeat
this unpatriotic measure which can result
in nothing Bat evil to our common and
beloved country.
Resolved further, That a copy of these
preambles and resolutions be forwarded
to each Senator in Congress-"
NJ MoAU1ctor +oOLr tho Aoor ~ c,,D
port of the resolutions and at the end of
a strong speech moved their adoption.
AS he sat down there was a stiffness
and hush in TIE convention which fore
BODIED a storm, and everybody expected
1t to burst from the Western or North
west delegations; but no storm came.
After q few moments of suspense, Dele
gate Deming, of Pennsylvania, arose. He
regarded the introduction of the resolu-
ton as untimely that there was largely
prevalent at the North a feeling that the
F1rmers' Alliance was a Southern organ
%ization, it's members being saturated with
Southern sentiments, and that the passage
of these resolutions )uld strengthen this
opinion and check the growth of the ALI
ance North and East.
His language was very temperate and
conciliatory, and a ripple of applause
greeted the close of his speech.
President McGrath, of the Kansas
State Alliance, moved the adoption of
the resolutions without reference to any
committee and without debate, which
was lost.
The delegate from Illinois expressed
practically the same sentiments as Dem
ing, of Pennsylvania. He feared that the
adoption of the resolution at this tim
would confirm the charge sometimes heard
that the Farmers Alliance is a partizan
body. The Alliance, he said, is fast get
ting a grip in the West in localities where
Republican sentiment is strong. The &C
ton of the National body would tend to
throw it into political disrepute and stop
its expansion over the States of the West
and N rthwest.
President Hall, of Missouri State Alli-
ance, moved that the r~esoluti ms be tabled,
but after a short interval, in which there
were several short but temperate speeches
in favor of their passage, he moved to
table his original motion, which was
carried. The question then REQUIRED on
McAlliSter's motion to adopt the resolu-
tions, and it was carried unanimously
amid widest enthusiasm.-State Chron-
tcle.