The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-08
nannsr Within thu Alliance.

The special dispatch from Galveston
published in our dispatches yesterday rele'
tive 70 the determination Of colored cotton
pickers to demand 81 for 100 pounds for
picking cotton between Sept i anu NOV.
! |. cannot be otherwise than alarHllug 10
! cotton growers. Even at the price hereto
! fore paid for picking cotton the growers
| And II difficult. II not impossible. 70 produce
cotton proftably at the prices "hich nave
nrsvailed during the present year. DO"
then can they afford TO pay such very
oraa. increase as that which IT IS proposed
And The unfortunate part Of the matter is
that the organization of the cotton pickers
in behalf OF higher compensation is not
confined to any section OF
state or TO any STATE. 1t
exists in all the states of thu cotton belt. if
the information contained IN the Calves
ton dispatch is correct.
But such complete aud far reaching or
gauization would not be possible if it were
not for the alliance. The white branch Of
the alliance has encouraged the forming of
a colored branch, and in all OF the cotton
growing states there are sub-alliances OF
oolored men. These sub-alliances are COM
posed of small farmers and farm lsborers.
It has been supposed all along that the
colored wing of the alliance was in pretty
close sympathy with the white wing Of it g,
but it seems to be 50 only to a limited extent.
The colored allianoemen see how they can
use their organization for the advancement
Of their own interests. and they propose to
make the most of their opportunity.
II the colored alliancemen are really in
earnest in this matter, and adhere strictly
to the instructions given them by their
general superintendent, it is going to cost
considerably more per bale TO harvest the
present cotton crop than any previous
crop. If the prices Of cotton were high
the situation would not be 50 serious. The
cotton growers could afford TO comply with
the demands of the pickers, but they are in
no condition to do 30 now.
When the alliance was organized it was
not thought, perhaps, that colored alliance
mems interests would ever be hostile to
those of white alliancemen, and it is some
what remarkable that the condition of
affairs that has arisen was not foreseen. 1t
may be that it was foreseen and ignored but
IL so great mistake was made. Colored
allianoemen in their present organized con-
dition are in position to give employers an
immense amount of trouble. What the
rank and file do not think Of willy and I'M
scrupulous demagogues will suggest, 80 that
in very little while we may reasonably
expect the interests of the majority Of col
ored alliancemen and those of white
alliancemen will be 50 antagonistic as to be
injurious TO both.
And it is probable that the colored alli-
ancemen will follow white alliancemen into
politics, but they will not act with them.
They will act with the Republican party
almost TO a man. Finding that they have
an organization which can influence the
whole voting strength of the colored people
it will be strange if they do not seek to gain
for themselves all the power they can.
From present indications, therefore, the
alliance, instead of controlling the colored
people and freeing politics from the Sec
Lional and race features which, for nearly
4 quarter of century have characterized
t, ha brought about a condition of
affairs in which these features are likely to
De given greater prominence than they have
sver had. The alliance would not have rea-
ION to congratulate itself upon its achieves
nents if 1t should be instrumental in bring
ng about more marked antagonism be-
,ween the races with respect not only to
politics but also to labor matters.