The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-08-20

oi tann.Ey. and Ib~ fuanat.rIEtv ~
shoe, a. the work eft North tsrnliua
Farmers state Alliance " hat-V~r q ~
ference At opinion may have existed
hitherto smong bret hrrn. am incline
Ia believe that = murr eligible ln-afiau
could hardly have b-~u chu.,u. Ia
the historic tow of IIiil.Susu, c-nt-a :
y located and conveniently - what
ever our business may rrQuir-. We ar
In the midst of friends " be- cr-irs our
prosperity and permAn.rc~. sut here
We are not iike'y To suffer any uuiu.t
discri Elimination that We should hs4r
avoided els-w where.
The credit for the accomplishment
OF what - before you - due IL your
Executive tomIu';t-r aud resident
officers. When you have hear. the r
detailed reports OF progress Ana plans
you are expected "a pass your iatb.-
ment upon their labors and Uo dIrrrt
their future operation. The possisll-
tiles of this enter prise "a II MAY b.. *
tended and developed are too sr.a',
both the upbuiidIug of the Aiilanc.
and As factor in the industrial de-
velopTnent OF the State, not to cisia,
very earnest and mature consideration
at your hands. For IL We sucrrsd IN
this small beginning. - We shall " .v
are 80 determined. this venture Will
mark new era III the life ot our ar
ganizstion, and Illustrate the pos -ih.l-
titles of coop .ratiye Industrial enter
prise.
We are now upon .he eve Of a pcliti-
cal campaign which promises 10 be a
very remarkable one ia our country :
history. The Importance OF the issue,
the uncertainty % the event, the graf
itication which every Allianceman
feels that the lines of battle are drawn
at length upon his fundamental con-
tention of financial reform unite Il
surround the campaign with unusual
activity and interest, while perhaps
little, therefore. could be done in the
way OF reyiving and recognizing the
Order until after the election, too lit
tie. | fear. could be done even then
with our present disregard OF the
value OF the lecture system. Deeuing
this matter of the utmost impor-
lance, urge that you shall not close
this session until you have devised
some plan to keep the lecturer con-
stantly in the field during the coming
campaign.
The direction Of tine Agricultural
Experiment Station has recently re-
quested through the Progressive Far
mer that each Sub Alliance appoint
an agricultural committee to commu-
nicate with him upon questions of
farm interest. This was done after
consultation with he. / hope the
membership will avail itself Of the in
formation so freely offered.
II wonnay not thereby increase the
market price OF our product, We may
learn TO lessen the cost Of production
and lessened cost is equivalent To an
increase of price in so far as il may
add to our profit.
Conditions Just now confronting US
seem TO be unusually favorable for re-
neWed growth Of the Alliancc. Until
four years ago this organization was
in fine favor with a majority Of our
agricultural people. This favor wa,
not withdrawn to be replaced by mis-
representation and persecution until
the existence and teachings Of the Al.
lance had begOtten intense convic-
tiOns to the hearts of p large and unim.
peachable portion Of its membership
The unbiased study of economic con
ditions and problems gave rise 10 /;
=
ter experience, had lost all confidence,
in the honesty and helpfuiRess OF ex
listing party organizations. Thes,
men were four years in advance of ,
vaster host that could be mum bered to
day. We had presented our demands
to national conventions and legIsla
lures Of these existing parties. we ha'
urged upon them the justice Of OF
10. l,,f .a1
effective remedy, we had declared on
| Willingness to strengthen the part.
that would care for our interests, an,
we had received nothing better thar
scant courtesy for the moment, will
ridicule and cOntemptuous disregard
Ii State and local conventions scenes
| to acquiesce in our demands. it wa
only to give us the place Of a neglecte,
platform, while our shrewder enemie
were given too often the body an
soul of the candidate. The lack q
good faith on the part OF party leader
in whom We had cOntided became dis
gustingly evident TO many, To whor
there seemed left no course consisten
with their convictions but to all
themselves with a new party Of pro
test, protesting friendliness to thei
interests and incorporating their De
mands into its party platform. The
began at the hands of dominant pal
tisans in North Carolina campaig
of cruel and bitter misrepresentation
Of the Alliance and of the motives thf
actuated the majority Of Allianceme
of later day.
Former AlliaDcemen, of too muC
brain not to compre bend the injusti,
and falsity of their own utteranc
and the ruthless purpose Of our en-
mics, declared from platform an
. through the press, that the organic
, ton had cleft the principles aud gol
into politics" Upon the false plea
detection from original principles, M
, justified their own abandonment
the Alliance and drew away with the
thousands of coufiding and sincere 4
, liancemen. From the beginning, {
Alliance was not designed to be me
agricultural club, or an annext0 al
political party.
Feeling the necessity of popular p
lititical education, its originators s
it forth on this special mission.
withdrawing our support, thereto
from a party We deemed untrue to o
best interests, we went into polIti
only SO far as our original prlncipl
contemplated and justified.
Under such circumstances We G
> countered the terrible shock of t
campaign of 1892. campaign viii
> for intense conviction, desperate
termination, and educatiye effectig
ness is without a parallel. When I
smoke of that battle had cleared ava
the partisans who desired the destru
ton of the Order because, instead o.
harmless plaything, it had become
: powerful menance TO continue unfait
;, fuIness. declared with strange mi
i; ture of feigned regret and evident 81
isfaction, that the Alliance, havil
gone into politics, had killed Use
, Nevertheless the Order survived tn
terrible onslaught. Your lecture
l. took the field the following year wi
a determination to rebuild.
They inspired new hope and fire
: courage in hearts that felt the CONT
ued need of the Alliance, which tn