The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1891-05-06

Prof. Blair in Greenyiile.
Heaector

fOl. %. DidiI, VI IlcIbiOTu
county, Alliance Lecturer for.
the first District Of North Caro-
lima, spoke in Greenville last
Friday. There was agooo gath
ering to hear him though it was
not so large as expected, as his
coming happened at a time when
the farmers were very busy and
many of them could not spare
the day from their work.
The speaker was introduced
by Hon. e. A. Moye, Superior
Court Clerk, aho in his remarks
said they had met today on an
important occasion, One of the
great purposes of the Alliance,
which had become one of tie
strongest organizations in the
land andincreased in numbers
every day, is to educate the peo-
pie. We want to make this ye II
a year of education with the AL
lance, hence have adopted this
method of having Lecturers to
visit from place to place and
give instructions. He said they
propose to educate the Alliance
and the masses that they may
be the better enabled to act with
prudence and discretion.
Prof. Blair, after expressing
gratitude at the kindly manner
in which he was introduced by
Mr.. Moye, and expressing pleas
ure at meeting with so many
people ON this occasion, for he
realized there were those who
were so busy that they could
not come, said he wished he had
the alb lity of him for whom this
county was named, the elder
Pitt, that he might better I'M
press the important facts to be
presented. He was a plain man
and would talk to lhem in a
plain, practical manner.
To accomplish anything or
ganization is needed. No age
has felt this so muchas thepres-
ent. The example has been set
/ us by those in almost every 9TH
er calling and profession, and
we are forced to follow These
others have organized for their
own interest and benefit, and
not for the purpose of crushing
us Farmers representing as
they do numerically more than
al Other trades and professions
combined, have the best right
toorganize for their interest and
benefit.
There are objections to our
order by some of those outside
who are not in a position TO un-
derstand US. One Of these is
that the Alliance is a secret or
ganization, and that we do not
mingle with other organizations.
Do the other organizations
mingle with us, or invite us to
participate in any Of their meet
ingss They are right in not do
ling so. A farmer would be very
much out Of place in a conven-
tion of doctors who had met to
advance the interests of this
Iprofess on, and both the farm
efs and the doctors would be
very much out of place in an
assembly Of lawyers upon mat
ters pertaining TO their profess
sion. For these same reasons
the others are not invited TO our
meetings. Still there is no se-
crecy about the Farmers Al
lance that endangers anything
or the interest of any person.
There is no iron clad oath which
would cause q member who
should divulge any secretof the
order TO be secretly annihilated.
From such we would simply
withdraw fello 1ship. We are
mot organized to injure the law
yer, the doctor, the merchant,
or any others, but only for our
protection, and by helping our
selves TO help all classes.
The idea sometimes has gone
Tout that we intended TO injure
land break down the merchant
land even some uninformed
farmers before they get in the
| Alliance and learn better think
we are organizing against the
Imerchant-but this is not SO. as
lis soon learned. We wish tie
merchant no harm, but all good.
We are only opposed the com.
| bine and trust merchants, who
come toget Ter against the In
terest OF farmers. Merchants
are a great blessing TO the world
and we could notget along with.
out them. But there some who
20 too far in their transactions
and use Unfair means Of gain.
| am also sorry 10 say there are
farmers who try TO swindly the
merchants with whom they
trade Some do so in this way
They mortgage their crop Il
the merchant and get liberia
advancements from them, ther
20 off and let the crop take car,
of itse {, the merchant TO gei
his pay ashe can. No class il
perfect in all things--even II
| tI,a nl,,,rchaa aud tho ministry