The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-02-23

AGAINST THE HtGH.HEaOEO AND Uk
WARRAk- ED ACTION or THE LEG
fSLETURE,
REASONS WHY SIGH ACTION WOULD
RESULT IN MUCH LOSS To THE FAR
MERs AND LABoRERs OF THE
STATE.
RALEIGH, N. C., Feb. Is.

RALEIGH, N. C., Feb. Is.
After the House had passed the
bill to repeal the charter of the State
Alliance in such indecent aud un-
fair haste, the officers of the Alliance
arrived in time to call halt on the
Senate They demanded that the
bill not be acted on by the Senate
till they could have hearing. This
act of common justice was begrudg-
ingly granted. The bill went before
the Committee on Agriculture. The
following memorial was submitted
MEMORIAL OF VIM. A. GRAHAM. TRUs-
TEE OF THE STATE BUSINESS AGEN-
CY FUND, w. H. WORTH, THE STATE
BUSINESS AGENT AND W. s. BARNES
SECRETARY AND TREASURER OF THE
FARMERS STATE ALLIANCE OF
NORTH CAROLINA, TO THE SENATE
OF NORTH CAROLINA AND ITS COM
MITTEE ON AGRICULTURE.
We, the undersigned, thanking
your Honorable Body and its Com
mittee on Agriculture for the courte-
sy of granting US, in the interest of
those concerned. a hearing before
proceeding with legislation affecting
the private interest of so many, re-
spectfully submit the following me-
mortal to be first considered by your
IL anI fhny. aI
through it to the Senate of North
Carolina:
l. That great benefits have accrued
to the farmers and many others of
this State by the organization and
conduct of the Farmers State Alli-
ance of North Carolina and subordi-
nate Alliances, and especially by the
Department of the State Business
Agency: (a) Great actual reduction
of prices has been accomplished of
all goods and merchandise commonly
in use among farmers, both to the
farmers themselves and to many 9TH
citizens of our State. (b The wide
spread publication and advertise
ment of the PRICE LIST of the State
Business Agency, has been the means
of informing the farmers and the
public generally of the prices of
goods and the state of the market as
to all goods most used, and has caus-
ed a general reduction of the price
Of such goods. (Subjoinsd hereto
the Committee will find copy of the
price list.) This publication and ad-
vertisement has been so extensive
and systematic, that now many thou.
sand farmers are we'll posted in the
matter Of prices, who before were
almost at the mercy of those better
informed.
II. That the Business Agency De
partment and the present method of
securing ond giving credit to it's op-
erations by means of the Business
Agency Fund, was designed and put
into operation by the Alliance, by
and with the advice and consent OF
such distinguished Alliancemen and
citizens as Hon. Elias Carr, S. B.
Alexander and others, and that it is
now engaged in doing a large and
prosperous business for the benefit
of the Alliancemen and the farmers
in general, that many thousand
farmers are this year looking to il
for supplies, and that the present
business cannot be interferred with
or in any way injured by Legislative
enactment without doing serious
damaged to the thousands so inter
ested and concerned.
III. That the Business Agency
Fund in the hands of William A
Graham, Trustee, is a necessary par
of the basis of the said business
giving to the said Agency character
credit and standing in the CONNER
cial world by means of which 1t is en-
abled to procure goods and merchan
disc upon better terms for its custom
ers, and that the effect of any legis
lation which shall destroy, disturb
or in any way materially lessen thi
fund will be to also materially injur,
the conduct of the State Business
Agency and the interests of those in
terested and concerned; and that nov
just as the farmers have completed
and are making arrangement to com
plete their contracts for this year
legislation which will cripple tn,
Business Agency will be d crue
blow to them and will create ant
foment serious ann lasting dissat
isfaction among them.
". That they are ignorant o
any charge or allegation that ther
has been any violation of their char
ter by the officers OF the Alliance
and no evidence has been adduce,
of the mismanagement of its business
but, on the other hand, they say tina
there has been no mismanagement
and they substantiate this allegation
by the following statement, mad
February 10, 1893, and by the Execu
tive Committee, and published in tn
newspaper:
''In regard to the Business Agency Fund
it remains intact and has not been perverte
as has been charged by the enemies of tn
Order; not even has the State Business Agen
been called upon to use any of it to pa
. overdrafts or deficiencies which it wa
thought might occur in the regular order o
business when the Agency was established
In meeting of the Executive Committee te
day. upon examination Of the books of tn
Secretarv-Treasurer and Business Agent, "
find them all correct, and the charges ths
3 any of the funds of the Alliance had bee
used for political purposes are utterly false.
which was signed by s. B. Alexan
der, J. S. johnson and J. M. New
{ borne, the State Executive Committe
. of the Alliance.
V. That they are advised by coun
sci learned in the law that the pend
ing bill is without precedent in tn
history of North Carolina legislation
that the general law of the State Pre-
/ vides and prescribes remedy sufH
. cient for all persons having Lawful
grounds of complaints against ther
: II any such there be, and that tn
" courts OF law are the natural, usus
d and proper place of resort for an
h violation of their charfor. ;e