The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-25
New York HeralG.l


"a meeting Of National Farmers ALI
ance and Industrial Union, that organ
nation was practically in control there
"unofficially," and there is little ques-
= ton in the minds of the leaders of the
order that the joint meeting of the Ma
tional Farmers Alliance and Indus
trial Union, the National Colored Far
mers' Alliance, the Northwestern Alli-
ance, the Farmers Mutual Benefit AS
sociation, the Citizens Alliance and
the Knights of Labor, which is to be
held in Washington, February %,
1892, will finish the work begun at
Cincinnati and formally launch the
new parry.
With the practical certainty that
Presidential nominations will be made
by this body in 1892, it becomes mat
ter of legitimate public interest to find
out lust what force the movement will
have behind it and the trend OF
sentiment among the rank and file OF
the Alliance throughout the country.
With this end in view requested
the State presidents and secretaries of
the National Farmers Alliance and
Industrial Union to answer for the
Herald questions covering these
points,
First. The present strength of the
Alliance.
Second. The growth of the order
since the meeting in Ocala last Decem-
Der.
Third. The general trend of senti-
ment in the organization in regard TO
the nomination of Independent can
didates for the Presidency and Vice
Presidency in 1892.
Fourth. The probable proportion of
the members who would support such
nominations should they be made.
To these questions more or less COM
prehensive answers were received from
nineteen States.
SUSPICIOUS OF THE PaE:ss.
There is a we'll defined suspicion in
the minds Of many good Alliance men
that the ''capitalistic press is against
them and is the champion of the ''gold
bug" and hence some Of them de-
cined to give any information about
the matter.
From official sources, however, / am
able to supply this deficiency. In Col
orado the strength of the order is now
about three thousand members, nearly
all of them having come in since the
Ocala Convention. In California there
are %, 900 Alliance men, OF whom 5000
are new members. Georgia has about
$4,000 on the rclls. This State is thor
oughIy organized, and the growth
therefore is slight. Iowa has added
10000 members to the 5000 who were
in the order in December last. Kansas
pays dues on 10000 men and women.
Kentucky has nearly 100000, Missou-
ri about $4,000, Maryland from 5000 to
5000 (mostIy in the eastern shore coun-
ties), Mississippi 10000, Virginia 10000,
and there are about Is, 600 in the Terri |
tories.
WORKING IN NEW FIELDS.
These are all the States which have
perfected State organizations Work
is being vigorously pushed in Oregon, |
which now has 100 sub-alliance with |
about 1000 members; New Jersey, |
with 50 sub-alliances and $500 mem
bers; Wyoming, Idaho, Minnesota,
Washington and Wisconsin. The ma
tional officials c2y that in the Febru-
ary Convention every State except |
those in New England will be repre- |
sented. Work has not begun fairly in |
these latter States, but they will be at |
tended to before long.
The total strength Of the Alliance.
then, is about l,270, 900, but from this
number must he taken about twenty
per cent, representing the women and
minors. This would leave the voting
strength of the order at about 1915
900.
In addition to the National Farmers
Alliance and Industrial Union there
are, according to Col. r. NJ. Hum
phrey, 100000 voters in the Colored
Farmers Alliance almost wholly in
the Southern States. Then there is
the Northwestern Alliance, with its
strength in Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa
wa and Wisconsin, with about 175, 1000
members; the Farmers Mutual Bene-
fit Association, Strong in Illinois, In
diana anG Obi ith 1900 members;
the Patrons llsbandry, with about
100000 members: the knights of La
Dor, with 100000 members, and the
Citizens Alliance, the membership Of
which is problematical.
VOTERS BY THE MILLION.
Making a reduction Of twenty per
cent. in these organizations for non-
voters and to the strength Of the ALI
ance must be added 1,460,000 voters,
making the total voting strength ofthe
combination 2,476000 throughout the
country.
1t is questionable, however, if this
strength can be held. The 100000 ne
groes are unreliable and the Changers
or Patrons of Husbandry are not in
cliued to the third party idea strongly.
In the West the feeling for indepen-
dent action determined at all hazards
to put ticke. in the field next year,
no matter what the Southern wing
does.
FEELING IN THE SOUTH.
The feeling in the South is, perhaps,