The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-07-29
THE STATE ALLIANCE.
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ORDER IN
\THEcITY OF COLUMBIA

President Ksitt Makes Timely and Patri-
otic Address, In Which, He Eadorscs the
Democratic CaudIdate-Wri Fight the
Cotton Tie Trust.
COLUMBIA, s. G, July 20 The
Farmers State Alliance met in the
Senate Chamber last night at half
past 8 o'clock. and was called to order
by President Jos L Keitt AS soon
as the body had gotten into working
shape a committee on credentials was
appointed, consisting of Mes7rs. J. B.
Sanders of Oconee, W. Ii. Bryant of
Pickens and w. Edwards of York.
This committee soon reported and
the roll was made up as follows, the
being very good:
Abbeville-W. j. Gaines, Bradley.
Aiken-B. H. Zimmerman, Tim.
norman.
Anderson j. B. Douthit, Ander.
son.
Barn well-W. 8. Bamberg, Bam.
berg.
Chester-T. w. Shannon, Chester.
Colleton-C. J. Allen, Giohans.
Edge6eld s.. NJ. Smith, Trenton.
Florence L. Mum, Hyman.
Greenville VIM. Verdin, Walker.
vile.
Horry-C., B. Todd, Finklea.
Lancaster A. Plyer, o. K.
Laurens-M. A. Summer.ll, Lau.
rens.
Lexington-D. F. E6rd.
MariGn-W.: Innis, Carolina
Newberry-John +. Banks, Franks.
Oconee-J. d. Sanders, Oak way.
Orangeburg-J. VIM. Stokes, Or
angeburg.
Pickens-W, Il. Bryant, Easley.
Richland-E. P. Whitman, Pleas.
ant.
spartanburg-B. F. Todd, Boiling
Springs.
Union-J. F. Bailey, sedalia.
York--W. Fl. Edwards, Rock Hill.
The counties OF Beaufort, Berkeley,
Charleston, Chesterfield, Clarendon,
Darlington. Fairfield, Georgetown,
Hampton, Kershaw, Marlboro, Sum
ter and Williamsburg had no repre-
present last night.
Other prominent Alliancemen pres
ent were Messrs j. A. Sigh, D. P.
Duncan, Norman Elder, L. J. Will
Jams and others.
All the officers and members OF the
executive committee were present.
So were the members of the board ol
directors af the Slate Alliance to ex
change and editor Jesse CAN'T OF the
Cotton Plant, the organ of the Ali
ance.
PRESIDENT KEITr's ADDRESS.
After the organization had been
completed, President Keitt proceeded
to deliver his annual address as fol
lows:
Brethren of the Farmers Alliance and In
dustrial union of South Carolina: We again
meet under the mandate of our organic Law
to counsel for the advancement Of our pur.
poses. In reviewing the works of the pas
year, report of our financial condition will
be made by the executive committee. The
directors of the State exchange and the Cot
ton Plant committee representing two arms
of our Organization will report in full re
spectively. will therefore leave the pres
entation Of the matters in their charge en-
tirely to them. Since our last meeting al
the time and labor could bestow has beer
devoted to the work Of the reorganization
This year have attended the county ALI
snces of Abbeville, Anderson, Oconee, Pick
ems, Greenville Spartanburg, Union, York
Chester, Lancaster, Kershaw, Colleton anG
Edgefeld, besides doing local work IN Fair
field and Lexington. Twas accompanied o.
most of the county meeting by our STATE
lecturer. It gives me pleasure to acknowl
edge the hearty cooperation have received
from Brothers Wilborn and Reid, our eff
cient State officers. How fur we have beer
successful in our work may be shown by 6
comparative statement of the membership
The numerical strength Of the alliance is by
no means as great as it should be, but fee
assured that the organization is now upon 6
firm foundation and is moving upward. The
alliance sentiment everywhere appears as
ever. All agree that the alliance is a good
necessary organization for the protection
and advancement of the farming interests
and ought to be kept up. But too many
through the inertia of what presume they
consider ''innocuous desuetude" permit i
to be kept up by others. With the genera
sentiment so favorable it is important tha
this alliance should invetigate closely the
conditions and, if possible, remove the caus
es that have produced this feeling ofapathy
My observation convinces me that it pro
ceeds from the alliance in both its local anc
general application. Absence of direct ano
Immediate local benefits is q prevalent cause
of apathy. In contrast, it is notable tha
those alliances that continue strong in senti
ment and membership have achieved loca
benefits by the application of business meth
ods to the letter and spirit of our constitu
ton. Failure and disintegrstion can bt
traced extensively to financial losses from
disregard of business principles. There arr
members on our rolls whose loyalty to the
high purposes of the alliance has risen above
personal consideration. Their example
challenges our admiration, and their expe
rience cannot fail in the future to be source
of profit. Any sub-alliance IN the State cal
by intelligent cooperation be productive o
fnacial local benefits sufficient to hold thu
membership together. The moral and in
tellectual development that results from or
ganization and regular meetings cannot b
overestimsted. The isolated lives We lead
the meagre opportunities for reading ant
study, and the natural feeling of indepen
dence inculcated by farm life initiate agains
sociaLand intellectual progress. The merits
of stagnation can best be overcome By or
ganization, and our lecturers can render NJ
more effective service than to impress upol
our farmer the individual responsibility tina
rests upon them to organize. Every farme
who is good citizen should be O member o
the Farmers Alliance.
The achievement Of general benefits vii
demand II non the atrenoth and loValty of th