The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-11-29

demands test of eligibility to mem
bership in the Order. In that way we
would avoid the anomaly of having
members fighting our demands. One
member opposing our demands can do
more harm than ten who are not mem
OerS.
l hope the Alliance will never be
come partisan organization, that is,
the tool Of any political party. So
long as other classes remain organized
we must perpetuate and perfec5 our
organization or remain at the mercy of
the ORGANIZED classes IJ is not enough
thai political party has adopted our
demands-we are yet only on the
threshold in this movement. We must
cOutnue the work Of education on the
economic principles Incorporated in our
demands and this can be done much
better inside our organization than
through political party.
In too many localities the mistake
has been made during the past year of
concentrating all effort for the success
of political party, neglecting the Al
lance organization. We must now
turn our whole energies to the upbulld
Ing of our order on d more solid basis.
and the work OF this session should be
devoted especially to that Inc of work
We should econOmiz9 wherever econ
Omy can be practlced without impair
ing efficiency. Further recommends
when [ have had time to investigate
the reports Of the executive committee.
rhe most perplexIng problem for us
to solve and the greatest obstacle in
tie way of economic reform IS to be
found III my judgment III the South.
Thrc5 years ago al St Louis two of the
gTea Stumbling blocks IN our way
were happily removed when the ALI
ance OF the North and South resolve d
TO unite as rapidly as possible, thus re
moving the sectional barrier and the
compact entered into with the knights
OF Labor, paving the way for unity OF
action at the ballot box on the part Of
labor III the field, shop and mine. In
each If these our progress has been
phet1>.s,..-nal. a. t,V.dr need by the great
gather ng Of labor at st Louis last
February, IN which twenty-five great
la Dor organizations participated, ana
without d dissenting voice united on
Il Tho tEj jrT ,yrOaf haVriCv.
and the one we find much harder to re
III I'VE, is that blIud Id DlItry of party
peculiar to our Republic. The nuVe-
menJ for its Obllteration took root in
the Northwest and spread rapidly to
the East and South, bidding tar at
one time t. develop a majority who
would vote for principles irrespective
OF party. Kansas, Nebraska, Mime
sofa and South Dakota had shown
their devotion to our principles as early
as 1890, giving form and stability TO
The movement hitherto lacking, a
nucleus around which the reform
forces might gather Education IN the
South on our demands progressed with
Zeal, power and force unparalleled
IN the history of any reform move
menG of the past. The South seemed
I, auy once more to assume It's place
lost TOR thirty two years-aS a potent
factor III shaping the live issues OF pO
IItlcal economy, some thing she never
Can hope for So long as she remains a
solid SJutn on sectional lines or partI
san pre- tjudIce. the result of the fiery
ordeal through which we have passed
III the last few months mas been dis
appointment and developed this great
OUjecU IN our path way, more powerful
tuan any yet Encountered, and one
more difficult of removal because less
understDUd-Indeed, lncOmprehensIble
TO US having no experience with the
race problem W men the great ST.
Louis conference, called at the Sugges-
lIUn of this body and III whose cOunseis
We were u potent factor, closed is
session our friends III the South were
enthusiastically hopeful that the New
SOu,h would assert Itself by oOliCerat
ing sc 'JIUnallsm, parUisanshIp and
pre- juGlCe Organized laOOr was hope
tul as 1t had never been in the past.
We all returned to our homes, North,
South, East and West, courage re-
ne~ed, Zeal intensified, radiant with
nope, confident of speedy victory for
our principles and the cause prospered
a5 never b. fore.
The first sign of new obstacle ap-
peared whea Alabama spoke, or tried to
speak III August, ana her voice was,
Dy fraud unparalleled, stuffed and per
verued. This dld not discourage us.
rne fraud was SO apparent that we