The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-07-15
QUARTERLY MEETING.
THE ABBEVILLE COUNTY ALLIANCE EN-
TERTAINs HoNoRED SPEAKERS.

National Lecturer WiIIetts. and State
Lecturer Joseph l.. keitt Make
Speeches---Anual Election of Of
est.
The annual meeting of the Abbevillc Coun-
ty Alliance took place last Friday, Mr.. j. X.
Blake, President Prcsinng.
Many delegates were present, only one or
two sub-alliances being unrcprcScntcd,
The following officers were elected:
j. X. Blake, Jr., President.
J. y. Jones, Secretary.
G.. W. Collins, Treasurer.
j. =. Graves, Lecturer.
r. W. X. Nance. Assistant Lecturer.
II. W. Bowie, Doork eeper.
W. y. StrpcnSOn. Sergean t-at-ArmS.
ID. L. Hannah, Assistant Doorkecper.
II. w. Graham, Chaplain.
J. II. Robertson was elected delegate to the
state Alliance.
DR.. Z. H. Adams Co. Trustee Stock holder.
The meeting was with closed doors in the
Court House. Mr., Joseph l.. Kcitt made
speech. which we presume was somewhat
after the matter and style of his recent
speech in Pickens, which we herewith repro
duce from the Sentinel.
After this address, and after the subject OF
4 corporation or alliance store at Abbeville
had been discussed, and after Colonel Robin
son had teen elected delegate 10 the Spartan.
burg meeting, the doors were thrown open,
and the public were invited to come and hear
Mr. WillettS. \ few of our citizens went up,
and some of them renal ned to hear him fin.
islI. The speech, we learn, WAS very much
the same as that delivered at Greenwood the
day before, and to which we listened for two
hours. The abstract Of that speech Is given
elsewhere as taken from the Charleston
World.
| The Alliance very wisely deferred action
on the Ocala platform, and did not instruct
| their delegate, though there seems to be nc
doubt that he flvors the Ocala platform
throughout, and as q whole. AS argument is
to be had on some OF the questions involved
in the Ocala platform, it seems well that nc
action was taken, as TO rejecting or adopting
il.
Without being able to state definitely anu
positively our reason for thinking so, yet We
believe the Third Party will find some advo
Gates in this county.
The indications would point TO the divis
ion of the Democratic party. We believe the
Third Party is here now, and is only waiting
Tor rccoSDltlo anu DapllSin.
This is what Mr.. kcitt is reported to have
said at PickenS. We presume he said a5ou;
the same 1T Abbevillc.
Brethren and fellow citizens: | appear bc-
fore you TO day under Il new dlSpcnsation; Il
new order OF things as it were. 1T is the lee
ture system adopted by our National Ali
ance, to educate the peopl" in the affairs ol
Government The member OF the Sub Alli-
ance is also a member OF the County Alliance
n ND Snn nj NDtiOnn1 Alliance where
our demands are formulated and handed
down, by this lecture system. until the most
humble and remote member has received the
instructions and plans for the work from the
head Of the organization. The National
Board of Control is supreme in power for the
framing OF the demands and the form ulalion
of plans for the work. II Is rom That DOuro
that the National Lecturer gets his inStruc-
tion he in turn hands it down to the State
Lcctui er and so on down to the sub lecturer,
and by this means we all get our Instruction
from the head of the order. If differences
and disputes arise they are sent up until
they reach the National Board OF Control.
Here they are discussed and settled, their con-
cluSion Is the conclusion ofthc order through.
out the land. Thus all are unified. This Is
the working of the order. All our labor,
thinking, teaching and planning Is done as q
unit under the direction Of the National
Board. This is our machinery by which we
are enabled to educate the people on queS-
tions of economy in government affairs. My
time is too short to discuss all the points lul'
ly, hence will touch on the main ones. The
principle or creed of the order Is 10 be louhd
in the preamble Of its constitution; non
partisan, unity, charity, elevation OF llS
members to better state, socially, morally
and financially. This is the entire ground
work of the order, its scope is Unlimited, INC
only limit to it is the zeal and enterprise OF
its members. by their work they can make II
great or small. The great mission OF the AL
lance IS to educate the farmers IN the lunua
mental principles of our government. Our
t1,xr ~
government of the people, Tor the people
then the people should understand II: our
farmers are conservative and long suffering
and are only to be aroused by ana appear 10
their intelligence. The first purpose OF our
order Is to educate the people so that what
they do may be done inteliigently ana 10 cd
ucate them In nOn-partlS;l spirit. FOR
twenty years The two great political parties
of the country have been warning upon each
other and the present deplorab bic state OF gov
ernmcntal affairs has been brought about Dy
evil legislation and mal-udminiStration OF
the laws which has only been for the Dcncllt
of the money power ana the oppression Of
the farmer Then it Is not to the interest OF
the farmers of the two sections OF the coun.
try, the Republican farmer or Kansas ana
the Democratic farmer cf South Carollna-to
correct this great evil: The Alliance is OPP
posed TO partisan political action. All must
stand together in one common fight. In un-
ion there Is strength. Without organization
it will amount to naught. Time and again
have our enemies inSulted US and taunted us
with being slaves, who are not free TO act as
we see proper. Our creed does not gag. II
advocates free thought and speech. On me
floor of the Alliance no mans politics is
asked. Here we are all brethren and In
things essential will vote and work as II
unit. Some members diSprovc OF certain dc
mands made by the head of the order. The
fullest liberty is allowed for the discussion OF
these demands within the order, but they
must not oppose the demands of the order
outside of the Alliance. III member Will
not support these demands after the majority
has said that he must, he should retire from
the order, and If he does not do SO, then
brethren il is your duy To retire him. Dis.
senting members have the right to put their
objections before the order and endcavor to
convin it that he is right, but he must sub
NIT to the will of the majority, and after
question is voted on we know no such thing
as Il minority. All think and work as q unit.
Now we will devotea short time TO the de-
mands of the order: We will only consider
the financial question which is the most i'm.
portant of the many demands OF our farmers
Now right here will say that if any man
can show that these demands are not found
ed on truth and Justice l will oppose them
with all my strcnth, but until 1t is shown TO
me- / am bound to believe that the plans sug-
gcsted for our relief are the best, and will
do what is claimed for them. LIST. We de-
mand the abolition of National Banks rs one
of the greatest evils foisted on the laboring
class OF any country. This system has CIV
en- the capitalist unlimited power to Cypress
the laborer and has brought on the present
fight between capital and labor. What Is
money, this al-powerlul oppreSSor? We
must have some conception of what it is and
These are questions on which the people have
been kept ignorant, but now they are begin
ming to learn something about ii. Money is
q creation of law; none of the materials OF
which money Is made have anv intrinsic val
ue except the value given II by law. Lumps
of gold and silver do not pass as money until