The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-02-21
Mr.. w. A. GRAHAM, TRUSTEE OF
THE BUSINESS AGENCY
FUND, REPLIES TOMR.
]. s. BELL.
LFor the State Chronicle ]


Mr.. EDITOR:-By direction of the
Executive Committee of the N. @.
Farmers Alliance, send you the fol
lowing in answer to Hon J. s. Bells
article concerning Alliance m alters in
your issue of the 4th inst, and respect
fully ask publication:
The Business Agency Fund What
is 1t? In order to give the Business
Agent commercial standing, so that he
could make arrangements with fac
tories and merchants for goods and
have the goods sent to purchasers for
examination before paying for them,
the State Alliance, through it's Presi
dent and Chairman Of Executive Com
mittee Hons S. B Alexander and
Elias Carr called upon the Alliances
and members of Alliances to vOlun
tarily contribute to raise fund to be
designated the Business Agency Fund.
At the session of the Alliance in Raleigh
in 1888, regulations were adopted to
raise and govern this fund; these com
pose what is known as the Business
Agency arti lie in the Constitution. 1t
was determined not to have Alliance
store Or stores, but to deal with stores
and factories using the fund as security;
that the fund should not be put into
over due accounts, and that when these
accounts were collected the money
should be returned to the fund, and in
case the Alliance ever ceased to exist,
the money should be returned to the
contributors.
The funi was put in charge Of
trustee to act under control of the
Executive Commit -ee trustee giving
bond in $50, 600 for safe keeping Of the
fund according to the regulations. Not
quite $35 900 was contributed and
turned over to the trustee after he gave
bond; $32,750 is in n. g. 4 per cent
bonds The balance is in two small
loans and in unsettled acc~un
There is no opportunity to use this
fund illegally except by the trustee,
with the cOnnivanCe Of the Executive
Committee. The trustee reports quar-
terly to the Executive Committee. and
annually to the State Alliance, and his
report is published in the proceedings
Of the State Alliance. When securities
are deposited 10 protect the Overdr ats
Of the STATE Business Agent, the bank
officer gives receipt for them, stating
that they are only to be used for this
puspOse; and so far there has never
been a cent drawn against them, but
The Business Agent has no control over
any portion Of the fund
[ do not know that the public have
any interest in the business affairs Of
the Alliance but as false charges or
in8inuatiOns have ceen made cOucarn-
ing their managements which refGc5
on the Trustee and Executive Com
nittee. Many good people who hold
them in esteem will be glad to have the
proof Of the false1es5 of these insinua
tiOns
Mr.. Bell was Lecturer of the State
Alliance in 1912, and should have un-
derst0od all about its workings The
Trustee asked his assistance in the
collection Of some accounts, and if
he has acted from ignorance his ignO
rance is without excuse. There is not
the shadow of foundation for the in
situations as to the misuse of the fund.
They are absolutely and utterly false.
The fund has been sacredly kept ac-
cording to the terms on which it was
contributed. Not cent has ever been
used for political purposes nor has the
Trustee ever received an application
for a loan loan for any political pur-
pose.
Would be glad to have papers in the
State which have published Mr., Bells
article publish sthis in justice to the
Executive Committee and the Trustee.
Very Respectfully,
WIN. A GRAHAM,
Trustee B A, Fund, N. @. Farmers
Moobpo1ob NJ X Vob 10 1909