The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1892-03-10
AN ADDRESS
TO THE BROTHERYtpOD OF
THE FARMERS ALL
ANCE OF NORTH CAR
OLIN!A.
The Great Industrial Conference

Z. u
is on the 22nd inst, we, the under
sign. deem it due that we should
render, at the ear lest practical ulu-
ment, truthful statement of the
work accomplished and of our action
as your representatives in tn It body.
The six organizations embraced in
the official call issued by the Com
mittee on Confederation, were rep
resented by seven hundred and thir-
ty seven properly accredited dele
gates. To these were added the del
gates of seven other kindred organi-
iZatiuns, Ton the recommends, ion OF
the Committee on Credentialsl max
In the aggregate over one thousand
delegates, and representing almost
every Stale in the Union. The Com
mittee on Platform consisted of one
hundred and twenty members, rep.
resenting every State and every or
ganization. This Committee labor
ed faithfully and without intermiS-
sion for fourteen hours and present.
ed as their unanimous report the fol-
lowing:
PREAMBLE.
This, the first great labor confer
ence Of the United States and the
world, representing all divisio rs of
urban AID rural organized industry.
assembled in National Congress, in
vOking upon its action the blessin q
and protection Of Al lightly God,
puts forth to and for the producers
of the nation this declaration Of uni
on and independence. The condi-
tions which surround us best Justify
our co operation. We meet in the
midst of nation brought to the
verge Of N raj, political and mate.
rial ruin. Corruption dominates the
ballot box, Legislatures and Congress
and touches even the erinine of the
bench.
The people are demoraIized. Mary
Of the States haYe been compelled
to isolate the voters at the polling
places in order to prevent universal
intimidation or bribery. The news
papers are subsidized or nuzzIed;
public opinion is silenced; business
is prOstrated; our homes are cover
ed with mortgages; labor is impov.
erished and land concentrating in
the hands Of capitalists; urban work
men are denied the rights of organ
ization for self-protection; imported
pauperized labor beats down their
wages; hireling standing army,
unrecognized by our laws, is estab-
lished to shoot them down and they
are rapidly degrading to the Euro
pean conditions; the fruits of toll
Of millions are bodily stolen to build
up colossal fortunes unprecedented
in the history of the world, while
their possessor5 dispise the republic
and endanger its liberty.
From the same prolific wound of
Governmental justice breed the two
great classes, paupers and milii1 n
aires. The national power to create
| money is appropr ated to enrich
bonaholders; silver, which has been
accepted as a coin since the dawn of
history has been demoralized to add
to the purchasing power of gold by
decreasing the value Of al forms OF
property, AS we'll as human labor,
and the supply of currency is pro-
posely abridged to tatten usuers,
bankrupt enterprise and enslave in
dustIy.
A vast conspiracy against man
kind has bee. organized on the two
continents and is taking possession of
the world. IF not met and over
thrown at once it forbodes terrible
social convulsions, destruction OF
cilization or the establishment of an
absolute despotism.
In this crisis of human affairs the
intelligent working people and-pro-
ducers OF the United States have
come together in the name of peace,
order and security, to defend liberty
prosperity and Justice We declare
our union and independence, we as
sert ouI purpose through our poiiti-
cal organization, which represent;
our principles; we charge that the
controlling influence, dominating the
old political parties has allowed the
existing dreadful conditions to de-
velop without serious effort to re-
strain or prevent them. Neither dc
they now inteud: to accomplish re
form. They have agreed to ignore
in the coming campaign every issue
but enc.
/ They propose to drown the out.
cries of the plundered people will
the uproar of Il sham battle over tht
tariff, so that corporations, Nationa
banks, rings, trusts, "atered stocks
.. decentralization Of silver and the op
preston of usurers may be lost
sight of. They propose to sacrifice
our homes and children upon the al
tar of mammon; to destroy the nope
of the multitude in order to secure
corrupt n funds from the great lord
J of plunder.
We assert that political Crganiza
ton, representing the political prin
ciples hersln, is necessary to redres
the grievance which we complain, as
sembied on he anniversary of thu
birth of the illustrations man wht
led the first great revolution on thi
continent against oppression; filled
with sentiments, which actuatet
that grand general, we seek to re
store the Governmental of the repubil,
into the hands of the s.plain people,
with whom it originated. Our door
are open to all parts of the compass
We ask all honest men to join Will
and help us, in order to restrain ths
extortions Of aggregated capital; t
drive the money changers out of th
temple; to fern perfect union; es
tablish justice; insure domestic tran
quility; provide for common defence
promote the general welfare and Sc
cure the blessings of liberty for ou
posterity.