The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-07-10
The Alliance Speaks.

Under this head, III Rnotner col-
umn, will be found some resolutions
passed by the County Union at its
meeting last Saturday.
We are sorry to take issue with our
friends, but we must. In the first
place the press has not charged that
the order, as a whole, was political
one. 1t has charged, and we think
can sustain, that some of its leaders
were prostituting it for political Pur-
poses.
In the second place, while the or
der does not bind its members to any
political creed or party, and is not
political per Sc, it does dabb4e too
much in politics, being a secret
organization, not to he criticized.
When gentlmen meet, behind closed
doors, as representatives Of the AL
lance did year ago, and select a
man as the alliance candidate" for
the nomination by the Democratic
party for Governor, and representa-
lives of the Alliance travel the state
asking men to vote for him In the
primaries as the Alliance candiaate
for the nomination-as was done for
the Hon. John p. Ruchanan-then
such Of the Alliance Unions as take
part in such proceedings, are Politi
cal organizations. for the time being
at least. - =
When gentlemen meet in secret
session, behind closed doors, AS the
Maury County Union did in this
town about a year ago, and nominate
or recommend certain gentlemen
to the Democratic convention for the
legislative nominations, and the
friends of these gentlemen urge upon
Alliance members to vote in the pri'
maries for these gentlemenVSs the
"AIIiance candidates"-then the
Union that does that is a Politica
organization, for the time being al
least. s#a
TAe logic OF the case is irresistible
When our Alliance friends stop sucl
proceedings and keep their skirt
clean, as we hope they will and have
been assured they would in the future
then, certainly, the press will not &C
cuse them Of doing what they are no
doing.
1--WE regard the bitter Onslaught
made against the higher officers o.
the Alliance, not rs an attack upoI
said officers, but intended directly To-
the destruction Of the Alliance itself.
So say the resolutions.
Well, the only trouble about this Il
that the gentlemen regard" it jus
wrong. Inc "bitter" attack on Nc
Dowell, is no more against the AL
lance than 1T Is against the Demo
cratic party; he holds high Office b!
the gift of each. The attack is no
to destroy either of these Organiza
lions, but it is intended to destrO!
Mcdowell. By the papers and tn
men who make these attacks. he !
regarded as an Inscriptions dema
gogue, an unprincipled man and
dangerous leader. If he disprove
the charges against himself very well
Iaud him and elevate him as mucl
|
Democratic press of the state owes
to the Democrats of the state, and tn
Alliance press owes it to the Aliianc
men, to expose him; and both thes
organizations owe it to themselves t
kick him bodily out.
, If the Alliance would escape criti
cism it must change it's leaders an
choose better and purer ones. a
their meeting in August IL they will
= make Gen. Lucius E. Polk thei
, President, they will never read q lin
OF criticism against his private @
Z political record, In the columns c
. any Democratic paper. Choose ,
a better leaders, and see how 1t wi
work. Until then possess your soul
, With patience and keep your skirt
clean,