The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-07-29

unuecominG Alijanccncn; bat the number
OF these dCplOrtbe necessities has been
small as compared with the membership.
There is Il deep, moral Significance III the fact
that l,uOb,Om men meet pcriodlcatly through
out these United States for the discussion ot
economic questions in 4 nUn-pitrIi>an spirit
aud that these meet ingS are olrnt ii and clos
cd with PRAYER.
J. EprrArloNALIr. - Here has been
wrought the greatest work OF the Alliance.
/ lie cvidcucieS OF intelligent thought untlan'
mrlcd as far rs possible, 10y p;lrliSan or per
Soual prestige, areahundant. The pertlnencc
aud puugencN of observation ana critlclSHi
! upon ali matters of public import, IS ire
quentiy surprising tn linn who comes into ac-
| tlal contact with this class OF our neopic lhilt
hitherto has taken little note ~ pubic AZ
! fairs, and rarely assumed 10 express an opln-
| ion upon economic problems. Actual con-
! tact with the life "f this people reveals n
kccnncsS "I PERCEPTION and Il discriminating.
| sense OF Justice that pcnCtiatCS adrcnlllmliS
circumstances and goes To the root OF The
matter w,ih startling prcrlsi"n.
! The awakening of this class Of people to an
| inte ligcnl interest in and study OF economic
nrohlrius under the stimulus Of \ linncc or
| raniZation, is one of the most healthiul ami
| hopeful signs of The tllrcS.
| This grand university OF farmers, meeting
StaicdIy In more than a thousand sub.All!-
;lncr in this Stale To study social and puliii-
! cal conditions in Il non PARTISAN way. is one
ol the most Inspiring SpcctaclcS oi our era.
| Here the masses receive the learen OF Thought
| fulnrSS and when the masses begin to think.
simultaneously the world begins To move.
| =. SoCIALLr.-lhiS function of the ALI
ancc has not ieuliZcd It's highest possibilities
and yet the results, inadequate as they are
are still Invaluable. "As iron Sharprnetn
| iron sOa man the cOuntenance OF his friend.
| community of interest finds its fullest GN-
| preston, IS strongest bond in frrcsL social
intercourse, and in this field finds IL fullest
| truitiGn.
Along each and all these lines OF work pro-
| jcctcd by the Alliance. its achievements have
been marvellous, and in the highest degree
beneficial. ~,
sion: but this curSory review must Sulilce.
i invite your attention to some general con-
sdcri,tonS pertinent TO tic time and order.
II. AS TO POLITICS.
The order has maintained its integrity upon
these lines. IL has adhered To Tn" prescribed
i line of discussion In a non-partiSan sense.
: The danger apprchcnded by many that IL
was dcvoting undue attention TO political
:. questions to the neglect of farming, Is amply
answered by the suggestion OF my prcdcces-
sor il wear ago, that its success in raising
! crops has been steadily incrcasng-indecd
las year which was marked by most eXten'
J Sivc and intensive application To p0iitlcS on
the part OF the farmers, during an unpreced-
: cntcd period was also marked by the most
unparalleled results in the production OIL our
great staple.
9 In this field the Alliance has been a maya
zinc OF stupenduuS potential energy. AS an
organization it took no part in politics al.
: rcctly-cither in State or nation; ana YET
L
the p1litico economic problems of the day,
+ its influence has been everywhere felt. Some
l few sub-Allances relatively, ovcr-Slepped
). conStitu tional limitations last year at inc DC
ginning of the State campaign. The lapse
! must be attributed. however, TO the cmcr-
gcncy thrust upon them by hostility, rather
i Lhan to the genius OF the organization. The
: instances of such indScretiOn were Isolated
AS soon, too, aS attention WAS called to It's
= compromising tendency through the Cotton
' Plant. the abuse materially lrSscncd; and as
llf.lIl 4 "a
ing II legitimate and adequate medium toi en-
preston 10 their pcnt up feeling, the abuse
ceased entirely.
was against such action and the order was re-
D minded that its function was purely in the
), way of preSen tation Of truth III Il non'pnril
{, san way and the stimulation OF thought. Fur
= ther than this the Alliance in its organized
\ capabity does not and dare not interfere Will
j the political or religious afliltation OF its
members.
1, The fullest and frcest discussion is encour
0 aged and invited in the order; and under The
\ con vic;i"n that Il question is never settled
uni Il settled right, IL is always allowable io
re. open Il question that has been frequently
q decided.
g III. TIE COTTON PLANT
The partisan press is. with n few exceptions
, Soidly against our demands. The lew cX
y ceptIunS are To be found among the week ~
! county papers and they arc doing valuable
service.
: The dailies are all. SO far as know. against
q some OF the more important of those de
y mandS.
c This condition has made the duties OF the
State organ exceedingly 0ncrouS; and since
:, they issue six times 10 our once, has conipeil
- ed The appropriation OF more space To defense
. . against their assaults than has been the de-
y sire Ot its management.
The demands and the reasons Tor them have
!, been kept before the people with unialtcring
u conS!ancy; because they were the demands
u OF the order, and because they are right and
just.
- AS far rs possible the paper has striven t.
Stialulate interest in pubic affairs in an in
tciligcnt way, and every means have been
! uScu To get our people 10 express their thought
e thought OF nnintclligiblc its expression, j.
!. there was evident behind il an honest pur
Z pose and effort ut thought, IL has been put III
shape for publication, oittntimcs III great cX
: pcnSc of time and labor.
II is one of the prouucst thoughts we have
! that there Is apparent considerable awaken
!, ing among our people who are unframed III
grammatical expression. and that this awak
tning is due TO the sympathetic attention Il
y ! their communications in the State organ.
l. Equally gratifying is the evidence OF i'm
). prov cncnt III tcchn ci SIX i'll as writer's among
Il large number of those WHO write irequenI
: ly. Hundreds alc subscribing who cannot
!. themselves read and some OF the produc
T. lions that have awakened the wiSeSt com
l. ment and have been most widely copied from
our columns have hccl comp, ii literally
: between the plow handles or at tne mill or IN
J. the Slop.
6 Wullc tho organ has received eencrou.
!, sympathy and support, it must be confessed
u that our people do not read ii generally.
g 1t is of thc utmost Importance that some
; means be devised by this body To get this pa
: per and other approved literature into tn,
hands of every Incmbcr OF the order.
u Some such step is absolutely necessary un.
u der the eXiscuclcS OF The times. Good hook.
e and clean weekly papers are necessary TO our
T. OrganiZation, and To our people in this pro
u grtsSivc aud aggressive age %! the world.
& Besides they are an investment that pays
> 100 per cent per annun, and there arc 10 bad
e crop years IN tins Held.
$ recommend that this body consider In,
J. prOpricty of establishing a propaganda;
:, bureau mat shall furnish the Alliance lItcra
- tune at cost.
In order To relieve this suggestion OF any
T. apparent selfish considerations and TO rc!ie,t
i this body of any embarrassment in perfect
) In. Il plan, growing out OF The indiyidua
l ownership OF the State organ, | am author
L iZcd 10 state while the owners Of the STATE
organ are not eager To part with it,, as an in
Il confronting interest therein To the State
', Alliance upon an equitable basis. The rec
: ulninrndalion herein made is made in con
nection with that condition referred TO. un
: der the head of financial condition.
u ". THE COTTON PROBLEM.
= !. The growers of cotton are confront cd
il with Il most serious condition.. The most re-
.. liable statistics point 10 large surplus of tho
Staple--prubably over Il million bales. ll
. view of this contingency it is of the utmOs!
importance that this body take some action
n look Ing to ancliOraIiOn Of q condition bOrd-
u erin. upon calamity; and recommend thai
, Il committee be appointed tn confer with 9th.
"a er state Alliances, with q view To securing
the call OF Il invention OF cotton growers
+, MONA lliancc aS well as Alliance, cOlored as
? we'll as white, to meet as soon as practicable
for con ference and action.
/ Ia iuinultleS T.