The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-05-12
ALLIANCE CAMPAIGN.
PRESIDENT POLK MAPS 1T OUT IN AN
ADDRESS TO THE ORDER.

and an Army OF $4,000 Lecturers to
Talk Until Next Year--The Order Must
Expsl Disloyal sfembers.
President Polk, of the Farmers Al.
lance has just issued q proclamation
to the Order in which he sets forth the
plan Of campaign which the national
executive board has adopted for the
next year, and counsels the Sub-Alli-
ances to cease internal chickering's and
to get rid of disloyal members. This is
the document:
To the Brotherhood of the N. +. A.
and L, o.: We are now approaching
the most critical period in our existence
as an Order. The Gemoralizing ele-
ments which always enter into polit-
ical campaign are already being mar
shalled by the enemies Of our Order,
with a determined purpose to divide
and disrupt us, If possible. No device
or scheme will be left untried. Every
effort will be made to divert the minds
which are essentially the very life Of
our great reform movement.
1t was this knowledge of the situa-
ton that prompted the action of the
National Legislative Council in ma
turing plan for lecture system and
for presenting it to the Order for adop-
ton. The ultimate, inevitable and tri-
umphant success of our principles is
assured, if this system be actively and
faithfully prosecuted for the American
farmers and all other classes and inter-
ests which are so intimately related to
them will not fail to stand together for
right, justice and equity, if properly in
formed. If prosecuted as designed,
this system will engage the services
during this year of not less than 35 900
lecturers in our cause l earnestly in
woke the aid and cooperation of the
entire brotherhood in securing faith
full lecturer for every subordinate and
county Alliance and for every Con-
gressional district within the jurisdic-
tion of our Order throughout the whole
country.
Arrangements are also being made
for the holding Of two or more grand
Alliance mass meetings in each of the
Alliance States during the year, or as
many more as the brotherhood may de-
sire. Let us have your active and
earnest sympathy in making this the
great educational campaign year in our
history. and thus be prepared to meet
any emergency that may arise.
State and county officers especially
are earnestly admonished to push this
work In their respective jurisdictions
zealously.
The enemy is actively on the alert.
1t Is his purpose to buy or control our
press as far as possible. Failing with
money he will substitute Office Oh its
patronage. Failing in all this he will
strive by every means. foul or fair, to
create divisions and dissensions in our
ranks.
If convention of the enemies of the
National Farmers Alliance and Indus
trial Union was called to devise a plan
for the overthrow and destruction of
the Order it would doubtless adopt, as
the most speedy and effectual, such
methods as would create dissention and
strife among the membership. How
eagerly and how exultantly they hail
the least indication of thisl If an err.
ing brother so far forgets his obliga-
tions to the Order as to assail its prin-
ciples publicly he Is heralded by the
politicians and the partisan press as a
hero. If a paper which has been desig-
mated representative of the principles
sacred compact and assaults our mem
bers or our principles. it thereby gains
speedy admittance to the respect and
confidence of our enemies. If influen.
tial or prominent members, disregard
ing their obligations to each other and
to the Order, engage in public per-
sonal warfare through the press or
otherwise, our enemies are abundantly
satisfied.
No member of our Order has the right
to assail another member publicly,
as their names are on our roll OF men,
| bership. Such an offence Is a violation
Of his obligation, and should merit ex-
pulsion. No paper vested with author
| ity to represent our Order officially has
the right to assail our principles or any
member of the Order while acting in
such IA capacity. Such an offence
should cause all true Alliance men to
repudiate such paper promptly. No
member, while his name remains on
our rolls, has a right to assail the prin-
ciples of the Order publicly. He is not
only permitted, but Is encouraged by
our law, to discuss any and all meas
| ures coming within our province with
the utmost freedom and to any extent
he may desire within the Order. But
the will Of the majority is the law of
the Order, and If he cannot acquiesce
in the decision of the majority, and
feels that he Is conscientiously impelled
to 60 before the public and assail our
| principles, he should first divest himself
of his Alliance uniform. With what
! consistency could Baptist or Metho-
dist 60 before the world and publicly
oppose and denounce some Of the most
cherished tenets of his Church? How
long would his name remain on his
church bookp How long ought 1t to
remain therep Why should he expect
or desire to remain in the church,
Loyalty to Alliance principles is the
only true Alliance test. not only as to
membership, but 1T should faithfully
be applied in the selection of all officers,
from the steward in a subordinate Alli-
ance to the president of the National
Alliance, and it must be applied in the
selection of those who are to make and
execute our laws, If we would reason
ably hope for the reforms which we
seek.
We want no foes within our camp
We can live better without them than
with them. Let the membership be
watchful and faithful, and gua"a with
untiring vigilance the principles of the
Order. Never was the outlook for our
cause 80 hopeful and encouraging. We
have only to be true to our principles,
true to our obligations, and to our noble
Order and all win be well.
Fratefnally, l.. L.. Polk,
President N. f. A. and 1. u.
= M6dern Abraham.