The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-09-20
LAUREL HILL ALLIANCE.

vigorous Protest Against Attempts
70 Convert the Farmers Alliance
into a Secret Political Organ
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Adopted, Etc.
Editor Morning Star, Wilmington
N. c.: -.
Az a full meeting of Laurel Hill ALI
oneo No 2S. at which the delegate
from Richmond county who
the recent meeting of the State ALI
ence at Greensboro was present, there
was discussion upon the report made
nv orr delegate to the effect that the
Third party had captured the STATE
Alliance and was trying to make our
noble organization nothing more tnan
a Third party. a
After discussion by the Ders
it was unanimously ordered tha6 tne
President appoint three dlscreeC meHI-
hers to draft resolutions protesting
AGAINST the attempt largely s~uccessIul)
t6 oonver the Alliance into a secret
political organization, as seen In n
action of said State Alliance. In &C
cordance with this action the under
signed committee beg leave to otter
the following report:
WHEREAS, The pressing need IOr re-
lief from the burdens imposed upon
agriculture. which has brought the
farmers of country and State into
a condition the reverse of prosperous,
and in order to take organized action
TO secure the needed relief, the farmers
of America have banded themselves to-
gether, to labor for the education OF
the agricultural classes In the science
of economical government I'm a strict
lv non-partisan spirit" and whereas,
this organization acting according to
its original principles, and respecting
the pledge given to all, that member
ship in the Alliance would not inter
fere with any mans political or re-
ligious convictions, has made It's i'm
press for good upon public thought,
and upon the laws Of the country; and
whereas, there is pressing necessity for
continued cooperation along non
nolitical lines, in order to secure the
relief that agriculturists must have to
regain prosperity; and whereas, for
some time past we have viewed with
sorrow and alarm the tendency of some
of our trusted leaders to disobey the
principles of the Alliance, and lead a
movement to precipitate our organiza-
ton into partisan politics; and whereas,
this tendency displayed itself in the
recent meeting of the State Alliance In
many ways:
ResOLUed, That Laurel Hill Alliance,
No. %, speaking for itself and thou
sands of good Alliancemen, protests
(a) against the attempt to prostitute
the Farmers Alliance to advance the
fortunes of apolitical party, (b) against
permitting our State organ to become
a bitter partisan sheet, the equal in in
vective and Remuneration of any of the
subsidized partisan press which it has
abused, (c4agains permitting the State
President, In his official capacity, a
rying his purpose stated in the State
Convention of the Peoples party, viz,
to persuade all Alliancemen to join him
in his advocacy of the new party, which
jeopardiZes white supremacy and de-
feats all hope of financial reform for
years to come, Id against permitting
our State Secretary to make his Office
the rendezvous of politicians, and Civ
ing them access to the addresses of the
officers of our Sub Alliances and (e)
against permitting u new State Lee
turer to receive any salary or emolu-
ments for making partisan speeches,
or In using his Office in any way to ad-
vance the political fortunes of any
party.
2. That we love our Order, and we
love the Constitution of our State,
which we are sworn to support. That
Constitution, Article 2, Section 5,
which acknowledges the right of the
people ito assemble together to con
suit for their common good" yet for.
bids secret political societies as dan
gerous to the liberties of a free people
and should not be tolerated"
8 That we endorse the o partisan
spirit of late State Lecturer Bell, and
believe that the only hope for the per
manent usefuless of the Alliance is tC
be found in compelling its officers tC
refrain from pernicious political &C
tivity," and to devote themselves tx
the education of the people in a mon
partisan sense.
4. That we denounce as a p~erversiOI
of Alliance teachings, the attempt tx
brand every man as unit lie to the ALI
ance who does not bow the knee to the
men who, without any authority, de
clare that no Allianceman Is true tx
the Order who does not join the PEG
pies party.
8. That we call upon our State ofhc
ers not to pursue the course of tryins
to commit the Alliance to the new
party or any other political party. w,
warn them that such course persisted
in will give death blow to our nobl'
Order, jzopardize the reforms already
accomplished, and prevent any success
in securing further reform.
6. That we call upon The PROGRESS
sIvE FARMER to eschew partisan poll
tics, and to make our organ what i
once was, a strong journal for the i'm
provement of farmers In their practica
operations and their education OF
economical quest ions in a strictly nor