Mexico weekly ledger., 1894-02-15
The FARMERS ALLIANCE SUP
PRESSES ALL PROPOSED
CHANGES.
Question of Equal Suffrage Vas En-
tirely Ign0red-An Address TO
The People.

l.. Gilbert of California; secretary
and treasurer, D. P. Duncan OF
South Carolina; executive commit
tee, Man Page of Virginia, H. c..
Demming OF Pennsylvania, l. E.
Dean of New York and III. L..
Loucks of South Dakota. The
gentleman who came around with a
new-fangled ritual vas suppressed,
and the ~initiatory service of the order
remains as origially adopted. A
| Western delegate who examined the
proposed ritual cast it aside with
the remark: "Farmers will have
plenty to do in the next twelve
months without learning a lot Of
horse-play."
A few changes were made in the
constitution, the principal change
being in regard to the election of the
national lecturer. This matter was
taken out of the hands OF the con-
vention and turned over to the exc
cutive committee.
Ben Terrill of Texas, the present
lecturer, is q candidate for re-elec-
ton. The job pays $4,000 a year.
1t is the best officein the order. The
presidents salary is $500, and the
executive seeretary's $2,250.
The people of the West, especially
in Kansas, watched the proceedings
of the convention closely to see what
would become of the equal suffrage
question. The question, however,
was not brought up. The friends
of equal suffrage made a canvass of
the convention and found a "solid
South" against it, and a "divided
North" They were satisfied that
a resolution favoring equal suffrage
would be showed under, if introduc-
ed, SO they thoughtIthe cause would
fare better by allowing the eonven-
ton to ignore it. The convention
issued the following address:
To the members of the Farmers
Alliance and Industrial Union,
and to all Whom it May Con-
Germ:
Since the inception of the grand
organization there have been those
who thought that when some politi.
cal party championed our political
demands that then the mission Of
the organization was ended. This
belief is based on the belief that a
political party will take care Of the
interest of tine farmer. This is a
fatal mistake. The history of all
parties proves this. Besides, it is
proved by the acts of other class Of
citizens Except p~olitieians), that
they do not rely on parties alone,
but organize for influence on any and
all parties. Every wealth producer
of America should keep the follow.
ing truths before him:
First-That sooner or later all
political parties are controlled by
! politicians.
4 Second-That politicians never
serve any cause or class of citizens
from a sense of justice, but always
through policy, fear or gain. There
fore, the class Of citizens represented
by the Alliance can never hope fol
or secure relief or justice from any
political party, not even from one
that claims to champion and indorse
its every principle and demand, un'
less they maintain an organization
that will ever stand as an effective
support to the man and the party
that dares to do right and be 6
constant menace to those who dare
trife with the rights and liberties
of the people. Hence the supreme
council solemnly warns those who
are true to the principles of the
Alliance that they would make g
most fatal mistake If they should
give up the organization which is
the only power that can force these
reforms through any political par.
ty.
The supreme council calls upon
you to aver remember that the or
ganization has a great mission to
perform outside Of political reforms.
II the wealth producers of America
are to keep pace with the march of
| civilization they must do it through
contact. We have not only grown
in mind and heart by such assoeia-
ton and contact, but we pool our
intellects for the mutual advance.
ment of our best interests. The
supreme council appeals to every
one who believes in the principles of
the Alliance to stand by and extend
the order, not only to secure the
benefits to come from organization,
but also to make certain that some
! political party shall enact their de-
mands into law.
The time and place Of holding the
next convention were left to the ex-
ecutiye committee.
Blossom Goss, grand daughter of
Prof. Strothsr, will give a party to
her little friends this evening from
6 to 10 in honor OF her 18th birth
day, at the residence of "a. P. War