The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1891-03-19

ICaT or 1AVOT.
Portisan democrats, partisan repuh-
licans and partisan third-party friends
within the order have had much to say
about the duty and position of the
Farmers Alliance politically, and the
Economist has seen fit To publish so
many of these conflicting views, that it
now seems necessary the Economist
should, before partisan strife becomes
again fierce, define the position of the
order on this important question, and
outline the course it will pursue as the
official organ. This is also necessary
because a large majority of the COM
murications received and published by
it are in favor of the third party move
mcD'.
TIE Farmers Alliance is a strictly
farmers organization, for the purpose
of securing mental, moral, social and
financial Improvement" AS in the
plainest terms expressed in its organic
and fundamental law, it has been
strictly non-partisan from the very be-
ginning. With that understanding of
its object everywhere taught by every
member and every alliance publication,
the order has had phenomenal growth
and prosperity. Experience has shown
that this conception of the objects of
the order is a solid and acceptable
foundation, ample for the largest and
mCst durable superstructure. All this
being true. it follows that it would be
very unwise to change the policy. More
especially is this true when the antici-
pated policy is one that has so often led
to failure, and the present policy has
been attended with greater results and
rewards. Why then any necessity for
change? 1t should be remembered
that nothing succeeds like success"
and that it is always well to ''let well
enough alone" The order, as a non
partisan organization, can stand the de-
moralizing effects of the coming cam
paign of 1892 and continue to grow, even
though its members agree individually,
and practically all act as partisans in
the same party, whether that party
shall succeed or fail. But should the
order participate in partisan strife it
would be damaged by defeat and per-
haps destroyed by success. Whatever
the order is the Economist must be.
while it is the official organ. Every
thought and idea it has must come from
the order, and every word it publishes
must be for the good of the order.
The course pursued by the order up
| to date has been very wise. Measures
have been indorsed and advocated. \
meeting has been called for February,
| 1892, for the purpose of comforting with
all organizations of producers willing
to cooperate with the order and agree
ing on such demands as all are willing
to indorse, and to decide on the method
of enforcing these demands. This is
perfectly right and proper 1t could
not be said that the demands had the
Endorsement of the people unless they
come from delegates elected by IL peo-
pie and instructed on those pointg. The
time intervening between the notice
and the meeting gives ample ti1le for
such election and instruction. The de-
mands would amount to nothing unless
some plan or power of enforcing them
is known to exist. But many felr that
the plan for enforcing the demands will
be third party. Such fears are ground
less, because should that course be
pursued there is no ground for
| apprehension. Whenever the rank and
file of people land they will surely be
represented at that meeting) say a
third party is necessary it vii come,
and it should come, and all good citi-
zenS can afford to hail it with JOY as
citizens, because it would for time at
least abolish corruption. Bat the
| Farmers Alliance as an order could not
have such political party as branch
or a so-callcd 'side show an the
alliance. The very existence of the
order would preclude it from accepting
a subordinate position in the party. The
party and the order could not both be
supreme over the same subject at the
same time. Both are organizations, and
must be kept separate. The members OF
the order, when they have
received that degree of education as to
the principles of the reform movement
that causes unity of sentiment which
cannot be disturbed by agitators, will
naturally all vote alike, and it matters
| not whether they do that as democrats,
republicans or reformers, SO they do it
and secure the needed reforms. The
order should preserve its high position
as a great reserve force always sup
porting the right, strengthened by de-
feats and solidified by success. The
official organ should and will advocate
the order and it's interests above every
thing else. 1t will closely observe the
individual acts of the membership
in partisan politics and encourage
or condemn as the best interests of
the order demand. Among the worst
enemies the order has to-day arc those
brethren who. are so blinded by partisan
zeal that they fail to see the truer and
higher mission of the order, and would,
to secure peace with the partisan press
and stop its false and unjust attacks,
compromise by removing the objectic n
able features from the sub-treasury
plan and the other alliance demands, so
that the democratic, or the republican,
or the union labor party could swallow
it. Nothing could be more false to the
order; and he who would make tllis
movement branch of any party is a
traitor to the cause and should be in
trusted with no authority in the order.
Let the third party come by all means
If the people say so. But let it be
peoples movement, and not an alliance
party. Let it embrace in its ranks all
classes of society and protect and serve