The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-12-17
THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE
THE RAPID GROWTH OF TIE ORDER
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

Cune in hot water-The Force Bill Con-
demued-A Most Harm onious and Pleas
ant Session.
OCALA, FLA. Dec. 2.-The National
Farmers Alliance and Industrial
Union met in the Opera House at noon
to-day. Nearly every delegate has ar
rived and the house is crowded with
Alliance men and women. Immediate
" after the house was called to order
President Polk delivered his annual
address. The address will be found in
another column. Of course nothing OF
irpo, tance was done to-day except
securing organization.
In the way of explanation of the
rapid growth of the Alliance, which
the officials say is still extending IN all
directions. an official organ Of the
Order in high standing says:
sWe have now three million members,
and they are men who represent almost
eyery variety Of political opinion. 1t would
be worse than folly to try to enlist these
men in the support of either of the exist
ing parties or Of new party. Our methods
of developing the Order so far have been
solely educational, and to be successful
they must continue so to he. Therein lies
the secret of the growth and power OF the
Alliance. 1t has been distinctly business
organization so far, and 1t IS in politics
only in so far as the business Interests OF
the members make it necessary.
If the Alliance leaders should be so tool
ish as to attempt to create such party
they would fail ignominiousiy and the
whole Order would suffer diSintegrat'oll as
Az fNIt y.
eerience thus far has proved the truth OF
what say. In South Carolina and Kan
sas, for instance, the situation made a
third party necessary and it was spon-
tancously forthcoming. In Georgia, where
we are equally strong, man who adVo-
Gated the formation of third party would
be kooted out Of the State. We must stick
10 this policy Of education and political
neutrality, or we shall lose all we have
gained"
ali the members do not talk IN like
VEN. Some are in for vigorous and
persistent political work. They say
that it Is folly to say that they can ac-
complish the ends and purposes of
their Order unless they make strong
fight for the law-making machinery
of the country. This is the view taken
by President Polk, who, in recent
interview. said:
'sIf the Democratic party is wise it may
reap substantial benefits from this election;
but if it remains content With present sue
cess. without applying it for the benefit of
the people, the next election will doubtless
reveal a still greater surprise than tie one
lust passed. Nor will it be safe to consider
these gains as triumph for the doctrine of
free trade, or an attempt to involve the
country in another tariff war, as was done
two years ago. The people will not sub
NIT to it, and will certainly emphasize
their disapproval in a manner that will be
both seen and felt. This election may be
considered as protest against New Eng
land dictation; against the deception and
trickery of the silver bill and the sectional
hatred contained in the force bill, both Of
which can be clearly traced to New Eng
land domination"
Nearly all the delegates are loud IN
expressing their opinion that the result
of the recent elections was not an en-
dorsement OF the Democratic platform,
but that it was triumph for the ALI
ance. They say that this change OF
front can be attributed more to Repub-
lican arrogance and assumption, and
the better education of the peo pie, than
to any other cause, and should be con-
sidered more in the light Of a rebuke to
that party than a victory for Demo
cracy. The defeat Of the party IN power
is as crushing as it was unexpected by
them, and should carry with it lesson
long 10 be remembered. 1t is a revolt
of labor in production against present
conditions, and trumpet call Tor 4
change in the economic policy of the
nation.
The claim is freely made here that
the Alliance il solving the race prob
lem, and that, too, at a more rapid rate
than amy phiianthrolist or negro
philists ever dreamed possible. They
say that the members of the ColoTed
Alliance, which has nearly a million
members in the South, and is in close
sympathy and cooperation with them,
voted almost unanimously for the Alll-
ance candidates where there were such
in the recent election. 1t is asserted
that the secret of the small number OF
votes east by negroes in South Carolina
at the recent election is that the Alll-
apce gave positive orders to its mem
bers to keep away from the polls.
The National Alliance opened its
first session tonight, and from now on
all sessions will be secret, only men,
bers of the Order being allowed in the
hall. Report of the coIl,,eiittse shows
eighty-eight actual delegates present
from the following States. each State
having a full accredited delegation IN
attendance:
Alabama 5. Arkansas 5. Colorado l.
Florida 5, Georgia I, Illinois 2, Indiana
2, Indian Territory 2, Kansas s, Ken
lucky 5, Louisiana 4, Maryland 2,
Michigan l3, Mississippi4, 4, Missouri s,
North Carolina 5, South Dakota 2,
Pennsylvania 2, South Carolina 4, North
Dakota 2, Tennessee 4, Texas 4, Flrgl-
nia4, West Virginia 2. Other States and
Territories baving organizations and
entitled to delegates are California, New
Mexico and Oklahoma, but as yet nc
delegates have arrived from those
States.
In addition to the delegates there are
ten or twelve persons entitled to vote
which brings the .-tc-al numerical
strengt5 of the body up u one hun.
dred. Besides these one hunCred the
local committee On entertainments re-
port one hundred and SlXty.hVe Visit
ing Alliance men from outside Of the
State, and all OF these can attend the
deliberations OF the council. Among
the delegates ere five women.
At the conclusion of President Polk's
address the Alliance resolved itself IN
to sort of "love feast" during which
ca. Power, an old Union soldier from
Indiana. moved that all EX-Union sol
diers in the hall who endorsed the sen
timents expressed in the speech. G
President Polk, of South Dakota, Will
reference to the burial of sectional
ism, rise up and be counted The mo
ton prevailed, and between forty ant
fifty stood up amid the widest en-
thnsiasm. Under the inspiration @
this good feeling an Ex-Union soldie
from Wisconsin stood up in his sea
aod called unOn all Union soldiers