The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-07-29
THE STATE ALLIANCE
MEETS IN ANNUAL CONVENTION AT
SPARTANBURG, 5. C.

SPARTANBURG, 5. C.
President Sto.es Reviews his Adminis-
tration-A Slight Decrease In Member
ship Social, Financ. IL and Political As
poets and Record Of the Order.
SPARTANBURG, S. G., July 22-The
city is crowded with delegates to the
State Alliance, and their friends. Good
humor prevails and sub treasury senti-
ment is on top an ong Al!iancemen.
Nothing OF special Importance has yet
been doue by the Alliances. 1ndica-
lions are that the Strlctest secrecy is to
be observed on such matters as the AL
lance does not want made public. SO
far, however, the greatest courtesy has
been shown the representatives OF the
press.
The first session of the Alliance was
he'd this morning in the opera house at
10 o'clock. The annual address Of
President Stokes was read. The fol-
lowing is a synopsis covering every
point:
PRESIDENT STOKES'S ANNUAL ADDRESS.
DR.. Stokes began by referring TO the
heavy responsibilities which b d
weighted him down during his term of
office, and to the devotion which he had
given to the duties of the position. AS
lover of agriculture he had discharged
them with pride and satisfaction.
AS to the condition of the order in
South Carolina, he said that although
there had been some loss Of member
ship, due to peculiar conditions" it had
been more than compensated by the
gain in homogenelty and compactness
of organization"
Reference is made in the address to
the spread of the order in other States,
and the claim presented that 1t en-
braces 100000 voters. one-third Of the
total population of the Union.
Financially, the Alliance has hand
some surplus to its credit, and it would
be wise to invest this and further bal
auces in some permanent way. The
county and sIU-AllianceS are likewise
in good financial condition. The State
Exchange has wrought the emancipa-
tion of the poor farmer from unjust op-
preston. Important concessions have
been wrested from the commercial
world. "AS mere menace, the buSl-
ness methods of the Alliance have
made themselves felt even in remote
trade centres The money power has
felt it, and bids for Alliance patronage
are the result 1t is best to leave those
skilled in mercantile pursuits the man
asement OF their own capital. Let
them furnish the capital and experience
and the Alliance the patronage"
The suggestion is made that COM
mittee be appointed to confer with the
Alliance Exchange in IAN effort to
solidify the entire business OF the order
and send it through the Exchange on
an equitable basis, board Of control,
elected by the State Alliance or by a
Joint board, to conduct it.
Reference IS made to the molal, edu'
cational and social work of the order
and praise is given to each.
AS 70 politics, it is claimed that the
order has maintained its integrity and
adhered to the prescribed line OF dis
cussion in non-partlsan SENSE, aud
that increased attention to political
questions has not diminished the sue
cess of the members in raising crops.
These paragraphs are OF Interest:
some few sub-Alliances relatively,
oVerstepped constitutional limitations
last year at the beginning Of the State
campaign. The lapse must be attrlbu-
ted, however, to the emergency thrust
upon them by a hostile press, intensely
unfair in its hostility, rather than to
the genius or the organization. The
instances of such lndiscretlon were
isolated. AS soon, too, as attention
was called to It's compromising ten
dency through the Cotton Plant, the
abuse materially lessened; and as soon
as political clubs were formed, furnish
ing legitimate and adequate medium
OF expression to their pent up feeling,
the abuse ceased entirely.
"The ou,spoken utteranceS OF the
leaders was against such action and the
order was reminded that its function
was purely in the way of presentation
of truth in a non-partisan way and
stimulation of thought. Further than
this the Alliance in its organized
capacity does not and dare not 60 1t
must not and dare not interfere with
tn. political or religious aililiatlon OF
its members
Concerning the Cotton Plant, it is
stated tnat the partisan press, with
few exceptions, is against onr de-
mandS," and that this has rendered the
duties of the State organ exceedingly
onerous. while the organ has received
generous sympathy and support, 1t
must be confessed that our people do
not read it generally. 1t is OF the ut
most IMPORTANCE that some means he
devised by this body to get this paper
and other approved literature into the
hands of every member OF the order
1t is recommended that the State Al.
lance consider the propriety OF estab-
llShing a propaganda bureau that shall
furnish Alliance literature at ccst. lie
is authorized to Say that while tas
owners of the Cotton Plant are not
eager to part with it as an investment,
they are willing TO sell q controlling IN
Ierest IN it To the State Alliance upon
an equitable basis.
The over production OF cotton IS re-
ferred to rs a most serious question,
and it is recommended that "a commit
tee be appointed TO confer with other
| SCdIG hlllall KS MllI q fiSh W oISNI LIZ
the call of Il convention OF cotton-grow-
rs-non-A!liance as well as Alliance,
colored as we'll as white-to meet as
sooa us possible tor conference and
action" The ''iniquities envlroning
the marketing of cotton" are denounced
as courageous in many instances. aad
,ntoleratle. "lhe Alliance should ap-
point trustworthy men at each cotton
market to sample, grade and weigh
cotton, and tell the farmer, upon the
basis Of telegraphic quotations, what
price it should bring i'll the market that
day." y fee OF ten cents per bale IS
suggested TO cover the expense. ke-
Communications are therefore made
that the local Alliance appoint its
weigher and grader at each cotton
market, that arrangements be made
ia New York for telex xraphic quotations
dailv. and that Il committee be ap-