The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-09-25

But, brothers, while these things are
true in regard to my partisan afilla
tions, / have never SO far forgotten my
obligations to the Alliance or to my fell
low men az to try to twist ~partisanshlp
into q secret-sworn non-partisan organ
ization. .Iwant it distinctly understood
that / am in no sense an Office hunter,
and therefore I can very well afford to
tell you truthfully that I do not belong
to any political party on earth as the
word belong" applies to the political
ownership of several millions of blind
partisan slaves in the United States;
and I only use a political party as a
means to secure a desired end, as a
farmer does a plow, SO that when it
fails to do what I know to be right, /
have manhood enough about me to
throw it away for one that will perform
its duty to the people properly. The
party I affiliate with belongs to me. I
don't belong to it, however unpopular
this position may become, and in the
language of of old / can exclaim
Give me liberty or give me death"
Thus far incidentally now briefly to
the point:
The Maryland State Alliance as it is
now oficered is an organization of I'M
questioned ability, and with the undi-
vided support of all members it may
be made a greater power in the
land than ever before, provided, how
ever, craftsmanship iskept within reason
able bounds. I have unbounded faith
in the ~leaveniDg influence of Alliance
principles; and were it to die to day, |
the country would be better for it's hav
ing existed, simply through the educa
ton obtained in its schools.
But, brothers. let us not for a mo
ment contemplate it's death-it must
not die! For if this languishing nation
is ever revived and our government
fully restored to a government of, by
and for the people, it must be done by
the PRONUNCIATION of Alliance principles
through some political party; for these
principles, in their original lpurity, are
tie quintessenCe of Jeffersonian De-
mocracy and Lincoln Republicanism.
The Alliance is properly a school in
which these principles, our conditions
and the remedies, are taught; and if
this school is kept going and the les
sons properly taught, we may trust the
American people to eventually correct
the abuses now prevailing. We know
that our Order is the banner of justice
to all, ard it is our duty to sustain it
No man has a moral right to desert it
and surrender it to the wiles ST the en-
envy. Therefore let me beg you, ex
members, to throw away all prejudices,
self and all else save the happi,
ness and hopes you once enjoyed in
our noble brotherhood, and return to
your allegiance to the grandest order
on earth. And, brother members, you
who have stood the storm in a kind of
inactive way, let me beg you to discard
enmity against every member, re-
CARELESS of party affiliations, suppress
every particle of prejudice against all
Alliance officials everywhere, and
cheerfully give them a sustaining hand
in every legitimate effort for advancing
our cause.-the cause of the great labor
ing American people. I did not beg for
favor for myself when I was being
''boycotted" and my efforts were being
antagonized as an official, but I ask it
for those who have succeeded me, and
I pray that they will never have an ex
p~erience like mine.
Now, brothers, let us join hands, go
forth with renewed vigor, unite for
earnest Alliance work, do our duty in
the reform field, and let our watch
word always be Onward to Victory"
FRANK FL. JONES.
Elk Lecturer.
fredericksburg, Md