The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-02-23
THE ALLIANCE AND POLITICS.

IL Is always a dlfI1culG maGGeT 10 Keep
any organization quiet during a cam
paign. No matter what its nature,
| some of the members feel that because
they happen to think a certain way or
favor a certain party that all of the
members should think and act just as
he does. Politics even are carried
into churches, and some member of a
church thinks all of the male members
should vote for a certain party or can
didate. Ali this is more or less unfor-
Junate.
The Alliance has had some trouble
every two years on this account.
Everybody cannot think alike. We
should not expect it, This paper has
repeatedly made suggestions along this
line, and as the approaching campaign
warns up, a good deal of caution will
be necessary.
The number Of people who think the
Alliance should become a political
party is small. But there are quite a
number who think it should vote solid
ly with the Peoples party. Still an
other large crowd think every Alliance
man should vote the Democratic ticket.
Not a few think the same in regard to
the Republican ticket. This feeling is
not confined to Alliance membership.
Party papers, speakers and organizers
cling to the idea that Alliance members
should all vote with their party. There
are members of the Alliance who will
vote nothing but the Democratic tisAet.
Others will only vote the Republican
ticket. Others want to go to a new
party.
We will not attempt to dictate how
any man shall vote. But taking the
Constitution as a guide, will try to de-
fine its meaning. Alliance member
ship does not interfere with your po-
lltical or religious views. That is plain
to all. The Constitution says that par
tisan politics must not be discussed in
Alliance meetings. That should be
sufficient to keep out all partisanship,
and every President should see to it
that partisan stuff is not brought in a
meeting. No President who does his
duty will permit it.
AS an educational organization our
speakers and organs have urged our
membership to stand by our principles
and to vote only for men and parties
that agree to carry out the same, This
is the only way they can do and there
can be no reasonable objection to such
a course. If all could think alike, |
naturally all would vote with one
party, But this cannot be expected.
Hence there should be no quarrel be
tween members.
The only safe course to pur-ue is to
educate the people, keep them informed
and then they are likely to vote intelli-
Above all things keep partisan
out of the Order. Presidents can
do this if they will. They must if they
mean to do right. The enemies of our
Order would be glad to see it disrupted
by partisanship. Above all things they
like to see the Alliance emerge |
into a party, They could then have a
It would lose all that has been
and would have no further in
duence as an educational organization.
Be cool, be conservative. Keep your
eyes open and be ready to act the best
way at, the proper time. Don't let
craftsmanship drown out everything
else. Let the organization be first,
second. Don't let party or
neighborhood differences enstrange
you. We will continue to do all we
to keep things right on this line
and suggest that all other papers do
he same. s