Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-29

character as an officer has been aSSalled
and a slur cast upon the membership of
Fannin county by man who claims to be a
brother by his words, but the tenor of his
attack on me don't sound that way. That
man is one Brother R G. Bragg, justice of
the peace of precinct No. l. l will now try
to answer Brother Bragg'S charges in my
weak and simple way.
First I will notice his head line. He says
he will wait and anxiously look for my
application for withdrawal card" That
is intended as Slur on me and on the men,
bership of Fannin county-on me for not
being qualified for membership and on the
membership for electine me to the office
now hold in the county Alliance.
will now quote the constitution relating
to qualification for membership-page 9,
Art. 5:
Section l. No person shall be admitted
as member unless he has been q citizen of
the state of Texas for six months past, and
not then unless he be farmer, farm Ia
borer, country school teacher, country ply
stefan or minister of the gospel: stock
raisers, mechanics and mill hands where
they are in no wise connected with any
union, trust or association of their differ
ent occupations or professions that would
not harmonic with the objects of the
Farmers Alliance, be of good moral char
acter, believe in the existence of a supreme
being, be of Industrious habits, is a white
person and over the age of sixteen years.
Further: When any member Of the Farm
ers' Alliance shall engage in any occupation
which would render him ineligible before
initiation, said member shall at once be dis
missed from the Alliance and furnished by
the secretary a written statement of the
cause of his dismissal; provided, that the
above shall not apply to members OF the
Alliance who may be selected to buy and
sell as merchants under the supervision of
the Alliance.
Sec. .. Any person employed in nerchan
disc, either as a proprietor or clerk, even
though he may at the same time own and
conduct 4 farm. is by virtue of such employ
ment rendered ineligible to mem berShip in
the subordinate bodies under jurisdiction
of the state Alliance provided the above
shall not apply 70 members Of the Alliance
who may be selected to buy and sell as mer-
chants under the supervision of the ALI
ance.
Sec g. Any Farmers Alliance having
members who are not eligible according
to article >, section l. and the same being
shown on good authority to the president of
the county Alliance. it shall be his duty TO
report the same to the Judiciary committee
who shall, after due consideration, direct
the president of the Farmers State
Alliance TO order the immediate dismissal
of such member or members and upon
the refusal or neglect of the Farmers
Alliance to dismiss such member or
members, it shall be his duty to declare
the charters of such Farmers Alliance
void.
Sec 4. No person shall hold membership
in more than one Alliance at the same time.
Sec 5. There shall not be any partisan or
sectarian test for membership.
Brethren and fellow:citizens, L claim that
am eligible to membership in the Farm
erS' Alliance under two headS-firSt, | am
farmer, and secondly, ! am a stockl aiSer. |
live on the farm, [ work on the farm, l
make my living on the farm by farming and
raising stock. Did any of you ever know of
my following anything but farming and
stock-raising?
Don't all speak at once.
l own something near twelve hundred
acres of black land-from four to six hun
bred acres in cultivation. l own about
forty-five head of horses and mules and
thirty-fve shares in Fannin county bank.
| am one of the directors and have used my
influence in behalf of the members of the
Alliance and the farmers of this county in
said bank / never have gone to said bank
for favor to accommodate Il poor farmer
but what it was granted. | don't say that
the other banks would not have done the
same.
Brethren and fellow citizens. you all know
that the Farmers Alliance and the Demo
:!
banks. thought it best to do the most of
our business through the Fannin county
bank; l being u stakeholder in said bank
and a director, if anything should happen
l could have the bank to hold up on US.
Brethren and fellow-citizens. l mention
this to show you that Brother Bragg's at
tack on me is without a just cause. Brother
Bragg says he was kicked clear out of the
last county meeting of the Farmers ALI
ance by high-handed, contemplate bossism
i say Brother Bragg was not kicked out.
If there was any kicking done, l did not
see it.
Brethren, You know l am not authorized
to disclose any of the workings of the or
der while in secret session. Our last meet
ing was all in secret.
l will tell you and the good people of Fan
min county what controlled my act in
Brother Bragg's case.
First, | am sworn officer of the county
Alliance; secondly, from a sense of duty;
thirdly, in obedience to resolution and
part of resolution 90
Resolution 6. Whereas, certain so-called
Alliance members have organized them
selves into foul conspiracy to fatally stab,
if within their power, the Farmers State
Alliance of Texas-frst, by issuing the cir
cular known as the Austin manifesto, and
secondly by establishing paper known as
the Farmers World at Dallas, Tex. and,
whereas. the issuing OF SAID circular and
the publishing of said paper were clearly
intended to do fragrant violence to the pros
perity of the order in the most far-reaching
manner; therefore, be it resolved, that all
persons whose names appeared signed to
said Austin manifesto, to-wit; and that all
so-calledc Alliancemen who are now man
aging the publication of the Farmers
World in opposition to the Farm
ers' Alliance of the state of Texas, be,
and they are now declared, no longer men,
bers in good standing of the order, and ell
sub-Alliances of the state, by the adoption
of this resolution, are so notified and
charges preferred.
Part of resolution 20, to which re-
ferred to above: Whereas, the state ALI
ance of Texas at its present session has
passed resolution to authorize the presi-
dent of this body to suspend the signers of
the Austin manifesto and the stockholders
of the Farmers World. Brother Bragg,
who was on the committee on resolutions at
the anti-sub- reasury meeting in Bonham
on the 9th of September, 1891, did say in
his report to that meeting these words,
land by resolution declared not members
in good standing
l suppose he referred to the resolution
above quoted by me. He well knew that
if l did my duty as an officer l would do
just what did. am not sorry of my act
in his case, but am sorry that l had to do
what did-he can call it what he pleases.
Brethren and fellow-citizens, Brother
Bragg says am lifelong Republican and
a noted one too. l did not know that was
contrary to Alliance principles. He said
that for effect. He says he always thought