The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-02-04

EDITOR FARMER:-I arrived at home
three weeks ago and was astonished
at the prosperity of our farmers. I
have seen more evidences of material
prosperity since have returned than
| saw during the past years lecturing
tour in ten other States. With only
five days notice the opera house in
Rockdale was full to repletion Of the
cold guard Alliance members, bat
tle-scared but still in the ring for the
war; up to snuff, and know just what
the fight is abouf, and never fail to
answer when the roll is called. / had
heard so often while in the East that
"the Alliance in Texas was played
out" that I was afraid almost TO come
back to even try to revive, 1t. But 10!
and behold on my arrival l found
the woods fill, the towns full, the
roads full; in fact | found Alliance
men everywhere except hanging
around saloons, and as lively as crickets
ana as determined as bull dogs. The
Alliance in Texas dead indeed She's
the liveliest corpse that ever wlnked
an eye, and she's kicked the life out
of every demagogue and sore. head
that has come near her. Not only
that she's onto the outcome of the St.
Louis meeting and every one is de-
termined to back up Bros. Polk, Ma
.cune and the committee in their efforts
and they say that every Texas Con
gresham has got to fish or cut bait"
that if they don't their names will be
left cut of the pot next year. All see
the way out of our difficulties now
and say, to a man, "we are on deck
and intend to engineer the boat to the
landing prosperity if they have to
ship a new crew."
l have talked with every leading
business man in Milan county, also
from several other parts of the State,
and every one of them say that Texas
is in better financial condition than
she ever was before, and that all that
Texas needs is a continuation Of the
Farmers Alliance. These same men,
to man, almost, two years ago de
spised the Alliance as bad as the devil
is said to hate water.
Our brethren, in educating them
selves, have also heaped Goals Of fire
on their enemies heads. When l
think over the past in Texas, and
what our organization has had to
contend against, and then to see it in
its present condition, 1 am truly aston.
ished, to have succeeded under all the
circumstances like a dream
Yet all's real; she's here and she's on
top and still making the fire fly.
Our State Alliance is blessed with
able and good officers. Our exchange
finally crawled out Of her troubles and
is solid, scudding along under a spank
ing breeze, showing to all her traduc
ers clean tackle, taut rigging, and all
safe on board.
Brethren of North Carolina, the
Texas brethren send you greeting, and
assure you that it will not be necess sary
to ship any tar to Texas to make the
brethren stick, but assure you that
Texas has charge of the left and all's
we'll.
At my postof1ce, Rockdale, over
one hundred copies of the National
Economist are taken by subscribers;
how is that for high? That's why
she is "getting there, Eli" I tell our
Texas brethren that North Carolina
is solid on three things: lst, the Ali
ance; End, Stickability; Sd, Hospi-
tality and pretty women, and that
when Texas or any other State keeps
up with North Carolina in Alliance
matters, they must rise before day