The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1890-12-04
AN OPEN LETTER.
Especial correspondence to tsesemtinel1

Especial correspondence to theSentinel]
To my Alliance brethren IN North
Cdrolsnd:
LENoIR, N. C. Nov. oath $780,
I was among the first to join the Ali
ance in Caldwell county. Before
Joined was assured that nothing was
secret except the signs ard pass words,
which were necessary to protect US
from impostors.
When l was initiated, was sol
EMMY assured that there was nothing
to conflict with my political or relig-
Gus views" AS far as interference
was concerned, my religion and my
politics were placed on the same plane
one was as sacred as the other.
I read the Constitution of the Or
der and found no hint in it that it
was ever to be made a political ma
chine: On the contrary it's labors
were to be Sin strictly non-partisan
spirit" 1t is an Agricultural Society
to improve ourselves in all useful
knowledge pertaining to our calling.
It is Benevolent Protective Associa
ton to assist each other in trouble,
"and to secure entire harmony aud
good will among all mankind and
brotherly love among ourselves" These
are tie great objects of the order,
and 40 one can deny that they are
praise worthy. But our Constitution
has been violated and our principles
trampled upon, and as consequence
what do we see? Instead of brotherly
love among ourselves, there is discord;
instead of securing "entire harmony
and good will" with our neighbors and
other classes, the seeds of suspicion,
jealousy. and even hatred are sown;
political tests are set up and every
one in or out of the order compelled to
submit to them on pain of political
destruction. and ifany one refuses to
bow down to these idols, no matter
what his ability, experience and faith
full devotion to the best interests of the
farmer and all classes, he is de-
nounced as unworthy of confidence;
Office seekers, seeing how the Order is
being used as political machine,
give up, for the time, their legitimate
callings and force themselves in, con
trary to the letter and spirit of the
Constitution; the freedom of the press
is threatened lift presumes to criticise
those in Observation-Disclosures with
the boycott-a copy of the odious 'ban
of the Empire" used by despots in the
dark ages.
Freedom of thought and freedom
of speech are threatened, with the
penalty of being clicked out of the
Order"
And in addition to all this there is
evidence amounting almost to GER
tainty, that an effort is being made
through the Alliances to induce or
compel the members elect to violate
their solemn pledges to the conven
tions that nominated them, and thus
trample on their honor, and betray
the people both in and out of the Or
der, who elected them.
| This is the condition that confronts
us. And now what will the conserva-
tive members of the Alliance do?
Shall we call halt and demand re-
| turn to the Constitution, and a cessa
ton of this constant interference with
our political convictions ? Or shall
we remain silent and see our Order
drift to destruction? This will be the
inevitable result if we do not come to-
gether and enter determined protest.
Good men who are out will not join us
and all classes will band against US. But
what can we do? For one, 1 propose
to stand by the Constitution of our
Order, and offer this suggestion to my
conservative brethren throughout the
State, and appeal to them TO come to-
cether and let themselves be heard
and felt.
Let us, in our Sub-alliances, when
they meet in December, and in our
county alliances, when they meet in
January, resolve that we will not per-
NIT any interference. from any quar-
ter, with our political rights and con-
victio g, and we advise and counsel
the members-elect to the legislature
to stand upon their constitutional
right and upon their honor, and to
keep sacred the pledges they made to
the conventions that nominated them
and to the people who elected them.
When you have passed some such
resolutions forward them to your Rep
resentatives and Senators in the legis
lature, and have them published in
your Alliance and State papers.
! 1 wonld advice every Alliance man,
whether delegate or not, to attend
the County Alliance and if it declines
to adopt some such resolution, let
them after the Alliance adjourns,
organize as Democratic meeting and
pass the resolutions as Democratic
Alliance men.
Ibelieve this course is for the good of
our Order. l know it is in harmony
with the spirit of our fundamental in.
stitutes, which guarantee free speech
and free press, and with our statute
law, which forbids secret political So
cieties as hostile to the genius of lib
erty. I invite suggestions from my
conservative fellow countrymen, and
ask our State papers to publish this
appeal. r. l.. BEALL.
We approve of the above resolu-
tions, and ask our conservative breth-
rem to unite with US and adopt them.
And we furthermore condemn the
boycott in every form.