The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-12-11

| IOlk,S annual message WaS lue onIy ILL
pcrtant item in the first days proceedings
of the Alliance Convention. After con.
gratulations to the order he says:
Profoundly impressed with the magni-
tude of this great revolution for reform
involving issues momentous and stupen-
dous in their character, as affecting the
present and future welfare of the people,
the public mind is naturally directed to
this meeting with anxious interest, if not
solicitude, and you cannot be unmindful
of the importance and responsibility
that attaches to your action as represen-
tati7es.
Referring to the depression in agricul-
ture, he says:
Never, perhaps, in the history of the
world has industry and economy OF
thought been more intensely engaged
than for tie past two years in this coun.
try in the investigation of the causes
which have conspired to place agricul-
ture so far in the rear in the race of ma
terial progress. This investigation, ear
nest, sincere and searching, has led to the
general, if not universal conviction, that
it is due in large measure and in most
part, to the impartial, discriminating and
grossly unjust national legislation.
Emboldened by the rapid growth of its
(the money! power, it has levied on the
great political parties of the country.
which must be paid in seryile party sub.
serviency to it's greedy demands. High
places in politics and in government have
been intrusted to its chosen servants and
suborned leaders, who scorn the will and
the interests of the people. We are rap.
idly drifting from the moorings Of our
fathers and stand to day in the crucial
era of our free institutions, of free form
of government and of Christian civiliza-
tion. To rescue these inestimable bless.
ings and interests from the impending
peril, should be the selfimposed duty of
all patriots throughout the land.
He then takes up organization
Since our last annual meeting in the
city of st. Louis the States of Illinois,
Indiana, Michigan, North Dakota, Cali
fornia, Colorado, West Virginia, Penn
sylvania and Oklahoma have been added
to the roll call of our supreme council.
Organizers are at work in the States Of
Washington, Oregon, Ohio, New York,
New Jersey aud Arizona, and in ali these
States "The fields are ripe unto the har.
vest, but the laborers are few"
I cannot too earnestly urge upon you
the importance of devising means and
methods for the prompt occupation of
these and other States with competent
and active organizers.
To promote legislative reform he re.
commends that this council authorize the
organization of body to be known as
the National Legislative Council of the
National Farmers Alliance and Indus.
trial Union, to whom shall be committed
the charge of such legislative reforms as
may be indicated by yolr body. l would
respectfully suggest that the legislative
council be composed of your nationol
president, who shall be ex.oflicio chair
man, and the presidents of all the States
represented in the supreme council,
and that this body shall hold its
ann.al meeting within sixty days after
the adjournment of the supreme council,
at such time and place as may be indi
Gated by the national president, and that
it be empowered aud authorized to ap-
point such legislative committees as in
its judgment may be wise, and they be
required to transmit to each of the States
in printed form, through the national
Secretary, for distribution to the reform
press, lecturers and membership of the
order, all measures or bills together with
the argument in their favor as they may
decide should be enacted into laws. Let
it be required further, that the legislative
council hall keep correct record of all
its proceedings, which shall be submitted
through its chairman to the next annual
meeting of the supreme council. This
body will exert great moral influence,
and with the influence of the reform
press throughout the States, would estab.
lish and solidify power which could
not fail to exercise most beneficial ef-
feet on public affairs.
President Polk recommends five con-
stitutional amendments. The fifth is
bombshell. It says:
respectfully suggest to your body the
expediency and adyisability of requiring
any officer of your body who may be
nominated or appointed to any civil
office to tender the resignation of his
office promptly upon his acceptance Of
such nomination or appointment:
Then comes the presidents deliverance
on political action, which is as follows:
An intelligent conception aud compre.
hension of the relations and reciprocal
obligations between the citizens and the
government is one of the highest attrl-
butes of American citizenship, and under
our form of government, one of the most
important and responsible duties devolv.
inc upon the citizens is the attainment
of this knowledge. Hence, first and
foremost in our declaration of princi.
ples,n we announce that we are "to labor
for the education Of the agricultural
classes in the science of economical gov,
ernmept, in strictly non. partisan spirit,
and so bring about more perfect union OF
classes" Were it tue design of the fra
mers of our organic law to impress our
membership with The responsible and
patriotic duty of reaching that exalted
standard in citizenship TO which all
American freemen should aspire, and to
assert LI1aG UuT VI OlSauILatlou was PvI't'soi
in the highest sense of that term, they
were fortunate in adopting the principle
in this declaration; out while our organ
izatiou is political, it can't be partisan
or sectional iu its action. In support of
this declaration we proudly point to our
whole past record ind to the recent pop
ular election. and particularly 70 the
noble and pa.riot!c bearing of the BROTH
erhood in the S.aies Of Kansas andScuth
Carolina. !. is As needless as ii would
be criminal to attempt to disguise the
fact that as an organization we have
reached critical period in our existence.
Insiduous ard powerful influences are
seeking To divert rs from the high pur.
pose ana grave object for which We were
organized Flushed and ela!ed with sue
cess, marvellous in many of its aspects,
and the most remarkable in the political
history of this country, let us not impair
its prestige and power by Indifference or
inactivity on the one hand, or by grasp
ing for the impracticable or the unattain.
able on the other. Strong as ne are. and
strong as we must become, strong enough
if united to render our lines impfegnab!e
to any open or imposing fo'ce, yet we
are not strong enough: nor can we be, to
withstand tie intrigue aud ,reachery Of