The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-12-18
AN ALLIANCE
BY Bro. w. Fl. Yeldell, President of Edge
field County, S. c., Alliance.

While we all know that the success
of any organization depends largely
upon the diligence and efficiency of it's
officers, we also know that no progress
can be made, nothing accomplished
without the co operation and assistance
of its members. So, brethren, while /
promise to do the very best I can as
your presiding officer-and while l
may at all times and under all circum-
stances endeavor to declaim your will
and obey implicitly your commands,
whatever progress is made, whatever
profitable work done, will be in proper
ton to the interest manifested and the
efforts put forth by ou.
Let us by united effort strive to build
UP our organization, endeavor to make
it what it should be-a live, progressive
and a working body. An organization
worthy of representation In u State
Alliance and a component part of that
great and grand organization, the
Farmers Alliance and Industrial Union
of America. :
The Alliance, brethren, is an organ
ization the interests of which should
arouse to action and stir the hearts of
every farmer in this country, for it is
intended to devise some means by
which they "a elevate themselves so
cially and educationaly and better
their financial condition. An organi-
zation in which all political classes a
unite in enforcing certain reforms and
correcting certain wrongs and abuses in
our government, which all must agree
do exist.
An organization which has done and
is now doing more to educate the farm
ers and laboring classes in the service
of government, political and economic,
than all the organizations that have
aver heretofore existed. Yea, it has
done more in this direction during the
five or six years of its life, than has
been done for a hundred years before
The Alliance is an uprising Of the peo-
pie protesting against a system Of
finance which is rapidly annihilating
the resources of the farmers and almost
every other line of business. AGystem
of government which tends to make
the rich richer and the poor poorer,
To make m~illionaIres out of the one
and paupers of the other. A system of
government which has departed from
the principles advocated by our Demo
cratic fathers; and which is retarding
civilization and tending to a condition
which brought about the dark ages. A
system of government which is rapid
ly changing this beautiful land of ours
from a government of free and indie
pendent owners" to a government of
landlords and tenants.
How can you and l, brethren, how
can any farmer sit down with compla
cency and view with %unconcern a o
dition OF things which is gradually tax
ing from US our homes, driving us into
peasantry and serfdom and our chill
dren to become the hewers of wood and
drawers of water7 How, I say, a
we submit to this condition of things
without making ONE eff rt to avert it,
l tell you, brethren, it will be an evil
day for the farmers of this country
when, if ever, the Alliance is allowed to
disband; for it is the only organization
under the sun that promises US relief
The only organic alton in existence
through which we car proclaim cur
grievances, right our wrongs and en-
force our demands. Then, brethren, it
behooves US to use every means in our
power to keep up and maintain our
organization. But what TO do and how
to proceed to do this is a difficult ques
ton to solve. Our enemy is the invid
ious and ALMOST invisible money power
of the world, which with it's iron grasp
upon the government is using the
power of money to Cypress and the
power of the press to shape and mould
public opinion to perpetuate its power.
And by seductive arguments and mis-
representations it's aim and purpose is
to disband III organizations and de
stroy our unity and concert of action
This money power can and does com
mand the best talent in the land, and
from what we have seen during the
last Congress we are made to believe
that a great many of our leading men
North and South, if not the President
himself, are being swayed by it's inflI-
ence.
While we, scattered as we are, in the
rural districts, the masses of the people
uneducated in the principles of our Or
der. without oneY and but little liter