Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-17
THE FARMERS MEET.
ANNUAL coNvocATioN OF THE vlR-
GINA ALLIANCE BEGAN TUESDAY.
Reports Made by the President. Secretary,
and Executive Committed ommIttees
Appointed and other Work Done.

The Farmers Alliance Of Virginia con.
vened IN annual session in the ball of the
House of Delegates here yesterday at noon.
About two hundred delegates were present,
and prior to the opening of the meeting
the body presented quito an interesting
study. Prominent among those present
besides Major Mann Page wero J. Hsskins
Hobson, j. Brad. Beverley. Colonel Robert
Beverley, Julian Ruifin, @. II. Person and
Others who have made themselves conspicu-
Gus in the Thlrd-party movement. In
fuential Democrats observed were DR.. J.
b. Winston. W. b. Wescott, J. Richard
Wingfeld and others.
Soon after DIsPATcH reporter entered
the room ono of the dOOr-keepers ap-
| preached him and handed the scribe CIR
cular announcing that there would be
public speakngs by the Peopie. party
orators at Old Market Hall, the Richmond
Theatre. and at Donahue's Hal, last night,
tonight. and tomorrow night, respectively.
Those posters had been placed upon
every desk in the hall.
oTHEg TBIRD-PABrY LITERATURE.
Other Third-party literature wac being
I circulated. and noticeable was pile Of
books OF the door. They were the works
OF Congressman Thomas i. Watson, Of
Georgia.
Politics was the all-absorbing topic, and
| it was evident that party Affairs were
uppermost in the minds of q great many.
When Major Page raped the Alliance
TO order he announced that the hall would
not then be cleared Of non-Alliance men
| present but that they would be allowed
to remain inside until after he had con-
cluded the reading Of his address.
Secretary Sllveg proceeded with the roll
7 all ~ krol Nfnufnn stated
! the preNdents address was read at the last
! annual session with closed doors and Of
tered a motion that the same course be
followed IN this meeting. Some discus
sion follo~>&eand the president ordered
that the Alliance be purged of all persons
who were not qualified to remain in the
meeting
DELEGATE RULED OFT.
Just before the reading of the presidents
report the Chair ordered the Sergeant-at-
! Arms to take no the password. When
! Delegate S. :. Thomas, OF Clark. was APP
| preached By the Sergeant, he did not know
/ the secret word, which was required TO DC
| given by every member OF the body. Ar.
| Thomas was therefore eJected, and the
! Committee on Credentials directed TO IN
vestigate hrs case. An examination showed
/ that Mr.. Thomas was a duly accredited
| delegate, except that his county Alliance
! had not reported to the state Secretary, as
| every county organization "a required to
/ do under the consultation.
The Committee on Credentials returned
! to the hall at 1 O'clock and reported Ia
| yOrably upon the papers of Dlr. Thomas az
! far as he was concerned individually, but
the fact that his county had not complied
with the constitution IN making its report
TO the secretary kept the delegate out OF
| the body.
ASKS FOR HIS RIGHTS.
At 1903 o'clock Mr.. Thomas sent Major
! Page q communication setting forth that
| he was duly elected delegate and insist
| ing that he should be allowed to represent
his people in the deliberations of the ALI
ance. He had received no response to this
at 3 p. NJ, when he addressed another
communication to the President, again
urging that he be allowed to participate IN
| the meeting.
Mr.. THoMls's SECOND LETTER.
| In this letter Mr.. Thomas said
al have addressed yOu polite communication
| touching my rights Of Nom bership to the Farm
! er5' Alliance Conv snton, now in session. and -
which exhibited my credentials from the county
! Of Clarke. ! again appeal TO YOU and through
| you 10 the convention Itself, 10 admit me 70 the
/ body Of your convention in order tnat may
| participate In your deliberations and represent
| tho rights of my people ] hear questions OF
| importance are being discussed and / claim
! right to participate In these because my people
IF you and your body have determined TO ex-
cludo me from participating hope you Will DO
kind and courteous enough 10 notify me OF your
decision. In the name Of my people and IN the
name of the whole people Of Virginia, ask aud
insist on proper consideration and settlement
of my rights 70 n seat In your body"
It was just after the convention adj
journed for dinner that Mr.. Thomas
handed the latter epistle to President
Page and the president endeayOred 10 ex
plain why admission had been refused the
delegate from Clarke. Major Page sug-
gested to Mr. Thomas that he telegraph
the secretary Of his county Alliance for the
requisite report, explaining that he could
by prompt response on the part OF the
Clarke County Alliance secretary obtain
the necessary authority in time 20 be al
lowed to attend the session this morning
ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT.
When this matter had been disposed of
in the beginning of the meeting President
Page read his address, which touched upon
various matters that are now attracting
the attention Of the Alliance of the State.
la opening President Page referred to the many
conflicting views on the political and financial
situation surrounding the farmers ana urged
TINT all personal feelings and differences be laid
aside, and that energies be devoted 20 the oliid-
ING up OF a round business OF financial reform.
lowing 10 many drawbacks" said the pres-
dent, principally the want Of means and
failure to properly understand the operation OF
the Rochdale plan adopted NJ our last annual
meeting, Our business system has not been a.
tended with the success hoped for" lie assorted
that with the cooperation and proper support OF
the Alliance members the State Exchange would
soon be III a successful course Of operation. lie
recommended that the Committee on BUSINESS
system be directed 70 report az soon as prac-
tlcabe during this session such changes aud
recommendations az may be deemed necessary.
NO INCREAsEIN MEMBERSHIP.
In speaking OF the strength OF the Alliance
~. -. d.. a
While the nanber OF alliances and our
membership have not increased during the past
year, as We hoped aud desired, yet the rmcien-
cy OF our organization has boen greatly
strengthened through the formation OF legislH-
tive councils and the yisitatiOns OF our state
ard district lecturers have done much 10 edu-
cate our people and TO muse new life INTO
langushing alliances. Some districts, regret
to say, have not beeA so eficlenty worked as
they should have been.
] would, therefore, recommend that the Olsulct
lecturers be elected annually at the state meet
ing, aud that al vacancies from failure TO &C.
cept or discharge the duties Of the Office be
oiled by appointment by the president
Ia regard 10 the duties OF the lecturers fresl-
dent Page stated that re mad ruled that when
mombcr accepts the position OF lecturer 10 Is
his duty to subscribe 30 and advocate the prlhcl-
pies and demands OF the order.
Mr. Page explained that the failure OF many
OF the sub and county alliances 10 collect ana
remit promptly their dues TO the State Aulahco
has seriously embarrassed the Executive COM
discharge OF the duties, thus causing want OF
means, witch made IL impossible 10 supply the
demands for speakers and lecturers.
In alluding TO the press Of the country and its
influence Major Page claimed that partisan
papers had interfered with the growth and har-
mony OF the order; that Misrepresentation had
preiudiced many readers against the oble;ls ana
purposes of the order. lie said they had sue
cecded in establishing press OF their own, aud
that the number OF reform papers was incrcas-
ing
NOT A POLITICAL PARTY.
In his reference TO tho political situation,
Major Page declared that tho" Farmers Alliance
and Industrial Union 81 not a political parry,
since the obligation taken bS each member guar-
antees TO him the freedom OF his religious ana
political views.
lie spoke AT some length upon the convention
held in ST. LOUIS, held ia December 10 1883, ana
at which the Farmers Alliance and Industrial
Union was formed and constitution adop1e!
imperatlvely demanding equal rights Tor M,
unity OF action, the suppression OF sectional ahu
national prejudicos, the education OF agrlcultu-
raj classes &c. Ho also stated that these oe-
mands we're formulated and presented 10 Con-
gross but received no consideration.
MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS.
in the report of President Page ne read a