The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-09-25
ADDRESS
To the Members and Ex-Members of the
Farmers Alliance Of Maryland.

BROTHERS :-Allow me in this man
ner to bid you farewell as State Lee
turer.
have served you two terms in this
capacity as faithfully as very unfavor-
able circumstances would permit. l
was elected and installed in August,
1892, and had the promise Of a small
salary and the Reimbursement OF all ex-
penses I should incur in the perform
ance of the duties. But I found an
empty treasury. I have eve received
one cent of salary, and notwithstand-
ing my economy, walking hundreds of
miles, doing without meals and living
on crackers, / have never received one.
third of the amount I have paid out n
the lecture service.
God knows never wanted the office,
knowing full well that / vas financial
" unable to give it the attention it re-
quired. But it was thrust upon me
both times, and I took charge of it as
a strictly non partisan official, and my
whole strength has been devoted to
efforts in the interest of the Order in
accordance with the first declaration
of Alliance principles, which says we
are organized ITO labor for the educa
ton of the agricultural classes in the
science of economical government IN a
strictly NON PARTISAN spirit" This is
the foundation upon which l was obi
gated as a member Nov. 90, 1889, and
upon which I was sworn into office,
the first term, Aug. II, 1892, and the
second term, Aug. 8, 1898, obligations
which, thank God, I have v vic
lated in thought, word or deed.
From the beginning of my service the
non partisan feature of the Alliance has
been sneered at, and my humble efforts
in Alliance work have been antagonized
in every conceivable way. Further
more, at the time I assumed duties as
Lecturer, the blacklist kind Of partisan
influence was getting in it's deadly
work, and for my non partisan, non
sectarian, temperance and genuine Al
lance principles, I and the Alliance
have been bitterly assailed from every
partisan standpoint save one, and for
two years Ihave been the worst abused
man for the least aus Of any man in
the United States, except Hon Tom
Watson, of Georgia. But I have meek
" borne it all; ''stood up to the rack,
hay or no hay" as the saying goes,
have labored hard, put up with per
sonal abuses, sacrificed friendships,
personal and family comforts, all in
the support of Alliance principles, yet
on account of numerous prejudicial OBJ
stacles and venomous thrusts at me and
the Order very little advance could be
made in this line. However Ihave the
consciousness of having done my whole
duty in the premises to the extent of
my ability, having been greatly en-
couraged inmy efforts for the cause, in
the gloomiest hours, by my little wife,
who is a true, self sacrificing member
of the Order; and I fully believe that
to my untiring and persistent zeal,
aided by two or three Alliance brothers
of the right stripe, may be attributed
the fact that there lives a Sub Alliance
in Maryland toGay.
/ am a o partisan Allianceman,
first, last and all the time. But I can
discriminate between non-partisan and
non political; and l know that the Ali
ance, to fulfill it's mission, must handle
politics and work for political reform. |
I also am aware that peaceful political
reform, to benefit the people and the
government, must reach them through
some party at the ballot box. Therefore,
fully believing in the redeeming power
of the Alliance demands, I support the
Peoples party, because it is the only
party that demands the enactment of
Alliance demands into law. am one
of its original founders in this State; ad
vocated thong before it was organized
and have ever been true to its interest
in every particular, because through it
I support what I earnestly profess-un-
adulterated Alliance principles. I am
even more aggressive in the line of re-
form than its present .reputed leaders
claim to be, believing that it is all right
as far as it goes, but stops short of what
the country really needs. For I believe
the party that will finally triumph in
carrying the stars and stripes On to the |
liberty and glory that is prepared for
and awaits us as the greatest and
grandest nation on earth, must be one
that will adopt every honorable means
of UNFOLDING all right and opposing all
WRONG among ividua and or0oni