The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-02-09
LETTER FROM MCDOWELL
COUNTY.
How the Alliance is Getting Along in the
Mountains.

How the Alliance is Getting Along in the
Mountains.
Mr.. EDITOR AS we of the county
that lies In the shadow of the Blue
Ridge have never seen anything IN our
StaEe organ from the field in our
county, [ will proceed to give some
news as to the condition of our Order
in these parts On Thursday, the 21st
inst, | met our beloved District Lee
turer at Allen Schoolhouse, near the
Rutherford line. Allen Alliance was
out and gave good attention to mas
5erly address by Bro. j. S. Davis, IF
Haywood, who talked for one hour and
half of the principles and demands of
the Alliance, telling the people of their
condition and suggesting the remedies,
such as the repeal of the national
banking law, the free coinage of silver,
the land loan and Sub Treasury plan
An amusing incident transpired dur
ing Bro. Davis's speech. Just as he
finished an eloquent appeal for the
free coinage of silver there was a great
jinglng of coins on the floor from the
pocket of one of our country merchants
who was with us to hear the speech.
This, you know, brought down the
house. By the way, the gentleman is
III full sympathy with the Order.
After the speaking, we went with
the President, Bro. Goforth, to his
house where he kept us for the night
in true Alliance style. The next morn
ing we started early for Marion, the
county seat, where we arrived cold
and muddy, and found no stove in the
court house. This, though little dis
cOuraging, we overcome, by the help
of our efficient President, Bros. Gray
son, Pendergrass ard some of the
brethren putting up the stove and
hunting in the Registers office for lot
of wood and setting it on hre-I mean
after we got it in the stove. After the
room got warm Bro. Davis took his
stand near the stove, and though the
crowd was small-only few delegates
when he began, it increased to a re-
spectacle size before he was half
through. About this time some of the
town people came in Then thespeaker,
seeming to understand that they were
opposed to the Order, appeared to rise
in dignity and power, losing all his diff
| fidence and uncertainty, and towering
in the strength of his argument far
above anything we had heard before,
and causing inexpressible flashes of in
tellectual sympathy to run all through
| the crowd, bringing tears to the eyes
though they were brilliant with the
| light of sparks from the Alliance forge
which were being so vigorously famed
into fame by the immortal ideas 81 t
! forth SnY the speaker.
| After the address we had q short
session of the County Alliance and per
| fected a lecture system.
Then we started on our way. to NebO
spending the night with BIO George
Conley, Secretary of Nebo Alliance,
where we were feasted and entertained
in the true Carolina style. At NebO,
on account of the grippe having pluto
| cratic grasp on almost all the people,
we had a small turnout. This Is a
strong Alliance for this section, numeri
cally and they take advantage Of the
| agencies and place most of their cash
| with Bro. Worth. Here, as before,
| Bro. Davis made a rattlmg speech, as
we used to say Of Bro. Bell. We think
| the Alliance flock will follow the beIIed
! lCeGtb>r.
In the evening, after refreshing our
! selves at the Mcdowell Parsonage with
| Bro Edwards, we rode Is miles where,
| at the house Of your humble scribe, we
gave our brother as good as ourself and
frow could get up for him. On Sunday
morning, in opposition to our desire
and command, Bro. Davis started for
! Haywood, but on his explaining that
when he left home his duicina had the
grippe, we wished the parting guest
| GOG-speed.
The Alliance in this county is in fair
condition, l think True there Is that
laxity in attendance which IS the out
growth Of carelessness and Indifference
as is found III all organizations after
the first excitement wears off; but in
the hearts Of our peopleare planted the
principles Of the Order, and they are
growing, and there are no farmers but
indorse all of our declaration of pur-
poses, and almost all of them are on
the Ocala platform with us.
There is one thing in this county
which we think is against us as an
organization, and that is the manufac-
ture and sale of whiskey. We have
this devil to fight but when the fight is
on at it's hottest, look for the boys OF
Mcdowell. JOHN =. Brown,
County Lecturer.