The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-11-06
Progress or the Alliance.

The following extract from the An
nual Address Of August Post to the
members of the Iowa Farmers Ali
ance, furnishes glimpse Of the advanc.
ing power of the Alliance and the wide
sweep Of the work it is engaged 10, and
the methods employed. As it is in
Iowa SO the steady movement Of the
Alliance is felt in every corner Of the
country, moving like great machine
on single centre.
The Iowa Farmers Alliance is a
branch Of the Northwest Farmers Al
lance, an organization. which was es-
tablished about 1880, which used NO
secret work. That organization is IN
harmony with the F. A. & l. u. the
order in Maryland, and the former is
adopting the secret work similar to the
latter and 6nds it Of great advantage.
The work Of organization has pro-
ceeded steadily through the year and
has been attended with excellent re-
fults. Shortly after the last annual
meeting the executive committee adopt.
ed the policy Of appointing district
lecturers and organizers and passed a
resolution advising and encouraging the
organization Of district Alliances. Pur-
suant to this policy ten district ALI
ances have been organized since the
last annual meeting and the system of
district lecturers and organizers has
proved very profitable, not alone nor
even chiefly in the work of effectine
new organizations, although much Of
this work has been done, but in the
work Of building up and strengthening
the Alliances already existing.
Twenty-eight new county Alliances
have been formed during the year,
making total of eighty county bodies
and giving the Iowa State Alliance
county organizations in all but nineteen
Of the counties Of the state. During
the year, also. total of four hundred
and ninety-fve Alliances have been
added to the roll Of subordinate bodies
chartered and organized by the state
Alliance. While dealing with the
statistics representing numerical growth
and progress, it may not be improper
to state that during the past year the
Alliance has sustained losses in mem
bership considerably above the average
in amount. Failure to pay dues, local
and factional quarrels and misunder-
standings inseparably incident to the
free discussion which our constitution
mot only permits but enjoins, together
with other causes not necessary to out
line here, have led to losses, even to the
extent in some instances, Of the drop
ping out from our ranks Of entire
Alliances in body.
Z Nevertheless these losses have been
far more than made good and our roll
shows an actual net gain during this
year, over and above losses of every
description, of eight thousand four hun.
dren and seventy five male members
fully paid up and in good standing. In
an institution like ours it is impossible
that some shall not fall by the wayside,
and losses are inevitable and unavold-
able. It is no difficult matter to unite
fifty thousand men in denounclng evils
and unjust conditions; but when the
constructive work of proposing remedies
and selecting methods whereby to attain
them is reached. it is impossible that
they should all agree. Both as to
remedies and methods there will Of
necessitys be differences, and often
the differences will be irreconcilable.
The net gain, over all losses, of eight
thousand four hundred and seventy
five male members paid up and iD good
standing, since last year. however,
proves that the last annual convention
builded wisely and in harmony with the
farm sentiment of Iowa, and that the
executive committee acting in the in
terval have been equally wise and dis
Greet in carrying out the policies which
the convention Of last year laid down.
The demand for printed matter ex-
planatory Of the purposes and aims of
Alliance has continued undated. Two
large editions of the proceedings of the
last annual convention we're required to
meet the demand of the English speak
ing farmers, and an edition in German
was also necessary to supply the wants
Of using that language. Two German
editions of the constitution have been
printed and distributed during the year,
as we'll as editions in the Bohemian,
Danish, Norwegin and Swedish Ian
Il. Al T