The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-01-27
CHESTNUT OAK RIDGE ALLIANCE,
No $40, HIllsooro, n. u.

WElS0 COuSO4AAAS OUA .
meeting of January lst, 1891, which
was a complete success.
A. r. Holmes, President, made the
following Introductory remarks:
In accordance with a request OF our
STATE Alliance, we have assembled to-
gether to day for the purpose OF re-
turning thinks to Almighty God for
the blessings which he has been so
kind as 10 bestow upon us through
the past; and [ am before you to-day
not for the purpose of making q speech,
but simply to make a few desultory
remarks by way of an introduction to
the exercises of the day. l look upon
this as being a gala day for the ALI
ance-a day on which voices of praise
and thanksgiving will ascend to God
from nearly 5000 Alliances in North
Carolina; and l feel that l would be
less than a man, and especially less
than q member of the order, were l
not to lift my feeble voice in unison
with that of the brotherhood of the
Alliance, not only of u own beloved
State, but throughout the grand Re
public. In giving thanks to God for
the prosperity which has attended the
success of the Alliance.
Previous to the founding of the
Alliance, the farming and laboring
class of people was in a chaotic state,
but since it has been successfully or
ganized and tremendously working.
Great and lasting good has been &C.
complished. 1t has been the means
of promoting sociability on a grand
scale. 1t has broken down barriers
between brother and brother, neigh
Dor and neighbor; its tendency has
been to elevate man to a more social
position, AMI to arouse them to a sense
of their duty and enable them by the
help of God, and united action, to
combat against the oppressive powers
of capitalists and tyranical rule of
trusts and combinations, and well
might we exclaim in tie language OF
the poet:
"Ere earth from chaos into oF1er arose
On hill everlasting, swee,ly didst thou repose;
And when wrought GU creations wOndrOus plans
On snowy Piu1ons waited, she came to smile Oh
man"
Our business and social meetings
have proven a great educator to the
masses of the people in causing them
to exchange and blend their ideas to-
gether, in order thas they might ar
rive at q more harmonious position
concerning the present and future
walfara of OI1r nation
Our meetings have been IS oil
poured upoa the troubled waters,
causing waves of corrupt "a and dis
sentiOn in a measure to disappear; and
God hasten the day when all sectional
strife and tyranical rule will disap
pear, and peace, plenty, brotherly
love and liberty shall reign through
out our land.
For the past twenty five years the
hearts and minds of the American
people have been demoralized, politi
Cally and financially. Each political
party has sought to overthrow the
other. All the foul means known to
man have been resorted to. The
leaders of either party who could get
up the most venOmoUs and slanderous
reports, and who could widen the
breach that separated the North and
South, and who could most success
fully blind the eyes of the people wish
the mind of political prejudice and sec.
tionalism, has succeeded in leading
the people captive at his will. While
on the other hand the capitalists con.
bination or trust that could best sup
press the will of the masses and make
untold millions of profit for the rich,
and depress the poor into the dust OF
poverty has held full sway over the
people. But thanks 20 to God, suffer
ing humanity has borne oppression
until it has ceased to be a virtue, and
by the united action of the people
through the Alliance, a partial educa
ton as to the facts that stare us il the
face, and the help of God, a reverse is
about to dawn. Corrupt political
leaders are being abandoned, section
alism is being broken down, political
prejudice is last ceasing to exist, and
the American people are being unit d
In one common cause of equal rights
to all and special privileges to none.
The North, South and West are fast
becoming linked together by the Ii,
of brotherly love and have a. heart
peace and good will to all mankind.
The Alliance is the wonder of the
nineteenth century; it's workings and
rulings have been marvellous; it has
done much, and much remains to be
done yet. The foundations and works
of the order are meets for the mind of
man to feast upon; but let us not, in
our haste to be wise and mighty forget
God, for He is the abiding star Of
faith and hope, and without His aid
we can never attain the blessings in
store for us. We live in a progressive