The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1891-09-26
Cannot Bind Its Members.

A great deal of speculation and
argument is being INDUCED in of
late as to whether members of the
Alliance can be bound politically.
We asserted positively twelve
months ago that members of the
union could not be bound or con-
trolled politically, and that if any
such attempt was made it was con-
trary and opposed to the letter as
well as the spirit of the constitu-
ton. For SO holding and contend
ing we have met with considerable
unpopularity among the more
thoughtless members of the union.
Our position is the result of twenty
years experience as a member of a
labor organization, as well as in
formation obtained by reading and
associating with members of vari-
Gus labor organizations. Knowing
and understanding the Alliance to
be a kindred organization of labor,
differing only in that it seeks to
keep up the price of produce,
while the others seek only to sus-
tain fair and equitable prices for
labor, we have held all along that
the union has no right or power to
bind. its members politically, and
that any such attempt was an in
fraction upon individual right.
The late telegram from President
Polk to Mr.. Guice, while at Lafay-
cite, plainly and Enthusiastically
enunciates this fact. Says Presi-
dent Polk:
"Individual members of the Alliance
must be left free to act according to their
own judgment. The action of the ALI
ance cannot bind individual members to
support any party measure or platform =
Under this ruling, and the well
known fact that a guarantee is
given every candidate for admission
to the union that his oath will not
in any way abrogate or effect his
religious or political rights, it
becomes very interesting to know
how the third party agitators ex-
pect to hold the support of the
brethren to their wild and unrea-
sonble political theories.
In a talk with Mr.. b. A. Fortson,
on last Saturday, he said we were
perfectly correct in our position
that neither State, parish, nor SUBJ
unions have. the right to control
the political action of their men,
bers. When asked how, then,
were they to be held to the Ocala
platform, he said they could not
be held to it by any rule or right
of the order, but that nearly al
would support it from choice and
because it suited their views. We
then. asked if a majority of the
Grant parish union should deter.
mine to support the Democratic
party, would he feel bound to &C
with the majority; to which he
promptly replied no.
/ Thus it will be seen that while
Messrs. Fortson, Guice, Traylor
Brian & Co. are brewing their little
tempest in VIM and Grant, and
kicking like mustang ponies be
cause a majority of the order have
seen fit to go with the political party
of their choice, they have no power
to hold in line even the few whom
| they have hoodwinked by their
mistaken zeal and clamor. Al
individuals the majority of the
State unions had a perfect right t.
Ipledge their support to Democratic
measures, but that action canno
bind others, only SO far as they SCI
Ift to follow. True, the unwrittel
law and obligation to stand by thu
the decision of the majority vii
hold all sincere and loyal men t.
the compact made at Lafayette
and, with the exception of thu
unions of Grant and VIM, an(
possibly one or two other parishes