Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-26
REPLY TO BRAGG.
mo MEMBER OF THE ALLIANCE
HAS EVER BEEN DENIED
Admission in Fannin County Alliance on
Account of His Being Opposed to
the Sub-Treasury."
Bnnham Daily Fayorite.

Bonham Daily FavOrite.
To the Members OF the Farmers Alliance of
Fannin County and Elsewhere, and TO the
Citizens OF Fannin County;
BRETHREN AND FELLOW CITIZENs.-My
character as an officer has been assailed
and slur cast upon the membership of
Fannin county by u man who claims to be
brother by his words, hut The tenor OF his
attack on ME don't sound that way. That
| man is one Brother Il. G. Bragg, justice of
the peace of precinct No. l. ! will now try
to answer Brother Bragg's charges in my
weak and simple way.
First | will notice his head line. He says
he will wait and anxiously look for my
application for withdrawal card" That
Is intended as 4 Slur on me and on the men,
bership Of Fannin cOunty-on me for not
being qualified for membership and on the
membership for clecting NE TO the Office |
now hold IN the county Alliance.
viii now quote the constitution relating
10 qualification for membership-page 9,
Art. ::
Section l. No person shall be admitted
is Il member unless he has been a 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
Lstley are III no wise connected with any
union. trust or association OF their differ
not harmonic with the objects of the
Farmers Alliance, be Of good moral char
acter. believeiu the existence of supreme
being, be Of industrious habits, is white
person and over the age of sixteen years
Further: When any member of the Farm
crS' 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 4 written statement of the
cause of his dismissal: provided. that the
above shall not apply 10 members of the
Alliance who may be selected to buy and
sell as merchants Under the supervision of
the Alliance.
Sec. ,. Any person employed i'll 1nerchan-
disc. either as 4 proprietor or clerk. even
though he may at the same time own and
conduct farm. is by virtue of such employ
mcnt rendered ineligible 10 membership in
the subordinate bodies under jurisdiction
of the state Alliance: provided the above
shall not apply 20 members of the Alliance
who may be selected To buy and sell as mer
chants under the supervision Of the Ali
anrc.
See 3. ANY Farmers Alliance having
members who are rot eligible according
10 article >. section l, and the same being
shown on good authority 10 the president of
the county Alliance. il snail be his duty 10
| report the same to the Judiciary committee
| VINO shall. after due consideration. direct
the president of the Farmers State
! Alliance 10 order the Immediate dismissal
| of such member or members and upon
| the refusal or neglect of the Farmers
| Alliance 10 dismiss such member or
members II shall be his duty TO declare
| the charters of such Farmers Alliance
| void.
Sec. /. No person shall hold membership
| III more than one Alliance al the same time
Sec. ). There shall not be any partisan or
Sectariau test for membership.
Brethren and fellOwscitizens, claim'that
| am eligible to membership in the Farm
erS' Alliance under two headS-frst | am a
farmer. and secondly, | am a stock aiSer l
live on the farm. ! work on the farm, |
MAKE. my living on the farm by farming and
ssisasf2 Stock. Did any Of you ever know of
lsTny following anything but farming and
stocll-raisilg!
Don't al! speak at once.
own something near twelve hundred
acres OF black from four TO six hun
bred acres in cultivation. ! own about
furty-tiye head Of horses and mules and
thirty-fi shares in Fannin county bank
] am one Of the directors and have used my
influence i'll behalf Of the members Of the
Alliance and the farmers of this county in
said bank. ! never have gone 10 said bank
for Il favor to accommodate poor farmer
but what it was granted. l 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-
cratic party are terrible hard on national
banks | thought ii best to do the most of
our business through the Eanuin county
bank: ] being stakeholder III said bank
| and director, if anything should happen
] could have the bank to hold up on US.
Brethren and felow-citizens, ! mention
this TO show you that Brother Bragg's at
tack Oil ne Is without 4 Just cause. Brother
Bragg SAYS he was kicked clear out of the
! last county meeting OF the Farmers ALI
anre by high-handc6, contemplate bOsssm
/ say Brother Bragg was not kicked out
If there was ang kicking done. ! did not
see il.
Brethren. you know | am not authorized
10 disclose any OF the workings OF the Or
der while in secret session. Our last meet
ling was all in secret.
will tell you and the good people of Fan
min county what controlled my act in
Brother Bragr'S case.
First. am i sworn officer of the county
Alliance; secondly. from sense of duty;
thirdly, in obedience TO resolution and i
part of resolution 20.
Resolution g. Whereas, certain so-ealled
Alliance members have organized them
selves into foul conspiracy to fatally stab,
if within their power, the Farmers State
Alliance of TeNaS-tirSt by issuing the cir
cular known as the Austin manifesto, and
secondly. b. 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 20 do fragrant violence 10 the pros,-
Derity 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
su-calledr liarcemeu who are now man
aging the publication Of the Farmers
! World in opposition 10 the Farm
crS' Alliance of the state OF Texas. be.
ana they are now declared no longer mem
bers in GOOD standing OF the order. and all
sub-AllanceS of the state. by the adoption
of This resolution. are so notified and
charges preferred.
Part of resolution 20 TO which l re-
ferred to above: Whereas. the state ALI
aucc of Texas at its present session has
passed q resolution to authorize the pres-
dent of this body to suspend the signers of
the Austin manifesto ana 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.
and by resolution declared not members
( in good standing
above quoted by me. He well knew that
if | did MY duty as an officer ! would do
lust what did. am not sorry of my act
IN his case. but am sorry that | had to DO
what ! did-he can cali Ii what he pleases.