The Russellville Democrat., 1890-02-06
The Farmers AIlrance.
Iflence of tne Democrat.

ANG E 8rfUEf8 -AtfAAMGG.
 correspondenc Of the Democrat
 DOVER, Jan. 28, 1890. 1 see in your issue of the 23d inst, communication from Cross Plains, in which the writer makes a thrust at the Farmers Alliance. That is but a natural consequence. Every institution of any worth, that has been organized, since tue world be gan, has met with opposition. Even the Christian Church all along down the ages has met with continued opposition, and, in this enlightened age, she has the same foes to con tend. Have these Satanic foes over come the church2 No; they only make her light shine brighter and brighter.
 The Masonic Fraternity has been persecuted from time immemorial. Has her lights been extinguished by her enemies2 No; her beautiful lights around her sacred altars con tlnue to shine as they did ages ago, and are likely to as long as there is moral law to obey.
 We could name other institutions that have had tue same experience and still live to bless :.s ste world with their noble deeds oi charity.
 A large majority of these institu tions are secret and they owe their success, Tn q great measure, to their secrecy. How long would the Odd Fellows, Masonic, and other good institutions stand if their doors were thrown open to the world? It would only sound the death knell to their existence.
 Thus we see that nearly every thing that is grand and noble, have their secrets. Mature moves in si- lence and secrecy, her wonders to perform.
 Farmer Fogy" would have us be- lieve that it is dangerous for the farmers to have secret organization. He says "there is great deal of non sense in it, and they are misleading and destined to wreck on politics. It is true that the farmers have been deceived as to the result of some of their organizations, by letting Tn improper persons, who have managed to make them political machines, and thereby setting aside the purpo- ses for which they were intended. 1 ask, is it a sufficient reason for them to sit down on the stool of Do Moth ing because they have made failures in the past? We ought to learn something from our failures as well as our successes; if we have learned where the bad places are, and go headlong into them, we deserve no better fate.
 It is the purpose of the Alliance to steer clear from these old break CTS, and I believe the farmers can have non-politlcal organization-an organization that will better them morally, socIally and financially. That the farmers need these Improvements no one will deny, and we know of no better way than something that will cause them to meet together, and in a qulet, simple way, talk about their own affairs. If they do this behind guard, grip and pass word," it is their own business, for, surely they have as much right to guard their doors as any other class of people. They do not meet to make war on merchants, doctors, lawyers, and men of other honorable vocation, as some think, but to attend to what pertains to their own business.
 I differ from "Farmer Fogy" in several other parts of his communi cation, but it is not my purpose to get up an argument; so will only notice the winaup.
 He says: "We take this for our creed
 "A little farm we'll titled,
 A little barn we'll filled.
 And little wife well willed.'
 "With such creed we can live down all the put and call jobs, cor ners, combines, trusts, tariffs and monopolies of this earth"
 Now I ask: Is that so?
 H. H. H.