The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-03-01
THE eREAr CONFERENCE.

dress--Col. Polk Elected Chair
man--Hon. Ben Terrell and
Miss Willard. Vice
Presidents--Hayes,
Secretary.
Especial to THE Progressive FARMER.l
ST. LOUIS, Feb. %, 1892.
At two o'clock this afternoon was
ushered into existence a convention
from the deliberations Of which many
thousands of people believe will date
the beginning of the most notable pc.
litical revolution the world has ever
known. The men who comprise the
conference are educated in their prin
ciples, determined in purpose, >and
firm in their belief of what is right and
they will proclaim with no uncertain
sound that they intend to enjoy a few
of the benefits they have hitherto con
ferred on others.
Delegates and visitors began arriv
ing last Thursday and have continued
to pour in till several thousand are in
the city. Nearly every State and Ter
ritory III the United States is repre-
scented.
"a The conference was opened in Expo
Music Hall with about 2, 500 dele
gates and visitors in attendance. The
delegates from each State were seated
together, regardless of organization.
On the stage were many Of the most
prominent men and women in the
Third party movement, also several
leading representatives Of the Prohibi-
ton party which hopes to get a tenn
perance plank in the Peoples party
platform
Hon Ben Terrell, of Texas, called
the meeting to order, after which the
Rev. Ba5hor led in prayer.
Miss Alice Mitchell, of Kansas City,
sang The Star Spangled Banner" the
convention joining in the chorus, and
responded to a hearty encore with
The Old Folks at Home"
Mr.. G. p. Walbridge, President of
the St. Louis City Council, rendered a
welcome to the visiting delegates His
words were we'll chosen and hOspitable
in spirit and his address was received
with marked appreciation.
Mr.. WALBRIDGE'S ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
If my memory serves me correctly l
some weeks ago a notice In the
daily papers of the obsequies of the
Farmers Alliance and Peoples party.
Judging from the display before me it
must have been a mistake. Newspapers
generally tell the truth, but sometimes
typographical errors slip in. At any
rate if | were a candid ate for office l
think | should give the elements repre-
scented here to day credit for having a
vitality left.
The philosopher tells us that life is a
struggle for the survival of the fittest.
Most of US will readily admit the truth
of this proposition, especially the first
half of it. | suspect there are few men
in this hall who have not at some time
intheir lives had to struggle for exis
tence. But how about the survival of
the fittest. What is the fittest to sur
vive? At one time the fttest was sup
posed to be he who was strongest and
best able to destroy his fellows. When
Bruce and Wallace were breaking the
heads of Englishmen with their huge
battle axes, muscle was considered the
only fit thing to survive. When the
farmer Graded his grain and raked
and bound it by hand and threshed it
with a fail, when canals were dug and
railroads graded by human hands alone,
when the feetest messenger from st.
to San Francisco was the pony
express, it was very important that
muscle should survive.
But times changed. The battle ak
succeeded by the needle gun. The
and fail were followed by the
the self binder, the header and
thresher. Steam shovels and graders
and electric motors took the place of
Laborers in the construction of canals
and railroads. The telegraph and tele-
phone succeeded the pony express.
Labor saving schemes and devices of
tremendous import vel evolved from
5he brain of man.. Then there sprang
up a class who said muscle is of little
Importance, brains alone are fit to sur
yive. The contest which followed
speedily developed the theory which is
destined to govern the world viz. He
S best fitted to survive, who can best
bring brain and muscle into harmonious
cooperation. Then the world went
along the industrial line mo trust can
our intelligence. Let us organ
re" and they did organize.
In the Industrial pursuits of the
States alone 1000, 900 men
struck hands in the name of co opera
i've brain AMI muscle.
You have frequently heard the re-
mark, Competition is the life of
If competition be the life of
business why don't the F. M. B. A. offer
/ bonus to every man who will open a
firm? If competition be so desir-
IDLE why don't the K. of L. send mis-
iionarie8 into Europe to induce men to
come over here and compete with them
n their various avOcatiOns?
No, my friends, the theory is false.
The legitimate result of unrestricted
competition is to crush out the weak