The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-08-22
REPORT.
Read at Greensboro Before the State
Alliance.
W. o. ELLIS, Sec'y.

To the ~ G. F. s. Alliance:
Lack of funds for the use Of this de
partment in consequence of recent
amendments to our charter, has made
it impossible for me to take the field
as lecturer, but as representing the
Business Agency by direction of the
Executive Committee. I have ad-
! dressed the public on some 70 occasions
in "a counties since the 18th Of April,
1898. Bro. J. T. B. Hoover has repre-
sented the Agency in a number of
other counties, and has done noble
work in upbuilding the Order. The
brethren everywhere have treated us
both with unbounded kindness and
rendered us material assistance in the
work. In the face Of all the order has
had to contend against it is now rapid
Iy improving both in spirit and in
members. Although sensible men Of
whatever party utilization see and
know that the charge so industriously
repeated by enemies, that the ALI
ance left it's first principles and became
parti an, is utterly unfounded in fact.
Yet the charge continues to be made,
and it will continue to be made by any
and every political party in turn on
losing the support Of a majority Of Al
liancenen. If the Order were partisan,
however, it would not be terrible in the
eyes Of partisans, and the charge Of
partisanship would cease. 1t has never
been brought by a party benefited by
the support of the majority of the Or
der. 1t is only where the party OK is
gored, through 'lack Of confidence"
by our non-partisan bull, that the OK
bellows out craftsmanship. If the bull
gored some other OK and helped this
one, in the eye of this OK such action
would be thoroughly non partisan.
The principles of the Alliance, as l
understand and teach them, are the
same to day as in the beginning. It's
first declaration Of purposes was ITO
labor to educate the agricultural
classes in the science of economical
government in q strictly non-partisan
| spirit" The mission of the Order is to
educate because all individual and ma
tional evils originate in ignorance; to
educate Tin the science of economical
government" which is p0Ittics-be-
cause the evils we complain Of are DO
lltical, fastened upon us by political
action grounded in political ignorance,
and to be gotten rid of only by politi-
cal action based upon political wis
dom; to educate Gin a strictly non
partisan spirit, because political
teaching and study in a partisan spirit
tends blindly to receive the supremacy
of a party regardless Of the effect upon
political truth and the popular vel
fare. And this exhibition of party
spirit is equally ruinous under what.
ever name. It is the true Alliance.
mans purpose to serve the ends of no
political party, whether Democratic.
Republican or Peoples, but to make
every political party serve the inter,
ests Of every legitimate industry, and
this can be done only as we educate
men to be wise and patriotic rather
than partisan; to look upon all parties
as faithless unless forced, and to be
rendered faithful and servants at all
times only under the constant eve of a
master ready to punish.
Along the line of such education we
have done much; and bitter expert
ence Of progressive ruin keeps a cease,
less school among the blind devotees
of all parties. The increasing burden
of oppression is the best
The most irresistible of all teachers.
the one seen and heard by the weaker
in every avocation is hard times. the
God of liberty's loudest appeal to men
to be free. The people are more near.
ly n~or-partisan today than ever be,
fore.
From the beginning the Alliance was
a political organization, and if true to
it's first principles, it will always con.
tinue to be. There could be no excuse
for its existence otherwise. But it was
not partisan in the beginning, nor is
it partisan now. If it were said to be
partisan in 1892, for as good reason it
was partisan in 1888 and in 1890, in
which years the charge of partisanship
was not made. It endeavors to teach, |
but in no other way does it interfere
with ones political notions. It desires
unity as essential, but it prefers charity
in all things as being the only method
of securing the unity desired. All !