The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-10-21
BIG ALLIANCE PICNIC AT UNION
CHAPEL.
KIrrRELL N. c., Sept. q, 80.

Mr.. EDIToR:-To.day was indeed
Alliance day, with a "big A." in
Vance county, and to use a little slang,
"she got there with both feet" AS
early as 8 o'clock the crowd had be,
gan to gather, and Oy IL o'clock the
largest assembly of people that ever
gathered together in Vance county
was on tn grounds. The picnic was
given by the four Alliances Of the I'm
me 1iate community, viz: Five Points,
Kittrell, Oak Grove and Floyd ALI
ance.
After listening to the martial strains
of the Shiloh brass band, composed OF
members of two colored Alliances, the
meeting was called to order by Bro.
Zach Garrett, Lecturer Of Oak Grove
Alliance, and was opened with prayer
by Rev. Mr.. Gilbreth, Chaplain of
Kittrell Alliance. After prayer Bro.
Gilbreth,e in a short but spicy speech,
Introduced Bro. W. H. jenkins, man.
ager of Vance County Alliance Ware
house Co.
The ~triteness of the prOverh, ga
prophet is not without honor save In
his own country" lost its force, judg-
ing from the tremendous applause
which greeted Bro. Jenkins as he
arose. Bro. Jenkins then proceeded
in that vigorous and energetic way
which is so chara 5~teristic of a man
who thoroughly understands his sub
ject. Speaking only 40 minutes, and
dwelling largely on the iniquities of
the present government, be eXhOrted
thu brethren TO stand firm and succor
the infant enterprise, which had hon
ored him VITA its management. He
bespoke for it as brilliant a future, as
it's past history developed the fact that
as a financial scheme its success far
exc -eded the expectations OF the most
sanguine. Amid much applause Bro.
Jenkins resumed his seat.
Bro. J.. H.. Dunn, ex President of
Vance County Alliance, then intro
duced that great, good and grand old
Roman who has done so much Tor the
sons and daughters of North Carolina
by fostering its public schools, that it
seems useless to mention the name Of
u. ~. Dual OOIOuSu. LILO SpOAO Oh
hour and a half on the principles Of
the Alliance, on the stay and credit
laws and explained their bearings on
the laboling classes, but the main
feature of his address was the import.
ance Of education. He said the ALI
was an educator and advised it, as a
body public, to demand that the next
legislature pass such laws as will in
crease the public school fund He
closed by paying the highest tribute
of respect to the colOre1 Alliance men
present by saying h9 vas glad the
negro was with US, and that in the
part he played in the elective franchise
he was actuated by a sentiment and
not by prejudice and that if such had
been the case, the negro vote would
have become an article of commercial
value. These remarks we're greeted
with grunts of appreciation, and
" OATS so, boss"
By this time the people were breath
less with expectancy, and when Bro.
Dunn arose t. introduce the next
speaker it was unnecessary for him to
announce the name of e. g. Bedding
field, for his fame as an orator and
foremost Alliance man in North Caro-
lima had already preceded him on &C.
count Of his able and mastery effort
at Da0ney the day before. He arose
amid deafening applause, which sub.
sided only to revitalize it's strength
and break forth anew. Bro. Bedding
field didn't speak long, on account of
The lateness of the hour, and he wished
to make his train at Kittrell in time to
reach Raleigh that night, but the 40
minutes he did speak, his remarks
were full of Alliance doctrine. The
determination written on the faces of
his audience, the ease and grace with
which he appealed to the brethren to
be loyal to their cause, patriotic to
their country, and charitable in their
views, the unraptured silence and
deafening applause which greeted his
remarks, showed in him a Familiarity
with his subject and an ability to
shape the destinies of men. His
tribute to the ladies present was in
Deed beautiful and won from them
their lasting gratitude.
AT the close of Bro. Bed iingfold's
speech, Bro. Dunn arose and invited
the crowd, estimated at l, 500 or 2 1000,
to a bountiful dinner which was
spread on a table 1000 feet long.
After the vast crowd had done
ample justice TO the creature com
forts provided by the fair sisters, the
crowd re assembled at the speakers
stand. After a song by the Bethel
CHOIR, Bro. Dunn introduced Col. w.
H. Cheek, of Henderson, formerly a
leader in the Grange movement. He
proceeded in his inimitable way to es
pouse the cause of Bro. w. j. Rogers,
the Alliance candidate for Congress
from the second district. He said he