The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-05-26
FROM POCKET ALLIANCE.
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
CAMNOCK N @

that many OF your readers would De
glad to hear something from this part
of the moral vineyard.
At the last meeting only the Presi
dent, Vice President, Secretary and
Lecturer we're present, and this was as
near q quorum as we have been able
to get together in the last six months.
By conference it was ~ascertained
that only one copy of The PROGRESSIVE
FARMER was taken at each of the four
postofices represented by the tour
members present, and that was taken
by the member himself. Thus it is
Q that the fires Of patriotism burn
low upon the altar of u common
cause Why is thie2 Is it because
there is no need of organization among
the farmers9 Think not. Nine years
ago this part of the country was full of
enthusiasm and hope at the prospect of
the farmers organizing for the purpose
of securing fair play under Jul laws
for all glasses and conditions of the
people.
They did organize. That organiza
ton was complete and wonderful. II
vas founded upon the fear of God, the
love of righteousness and truth and
justice. If the organization has not
accomplished all that was intended, it
is because the farmers did not want it.
II the organization has proved a fail
ure, it is because the farmers them
selves have mbde it a failure. The
farmers can win if they try. They
ought to try. They ought to win.
They ought TO have fair play.
At this stage of our progress what
shall we do2 Shall we go on to diein
tegration and decay? Or shall We elm
mate the mistakes we have made and
take new life and new purposes to win
the goal for which we set out and Sc
cure a better condition for the farm
ing and Iaboring classes of the peoplei
trust, Mr.. Editor that you, as the
organ of the Alliance, will take up this
question and discuss it. This is the
main question. Shall the Alliance be,
come an independent, self-sustaining,
self respecting organizations Or shall
it drift into party politics. hold that
the Alliance cannot b.. itself q political
party, or the champion of any politi
cal party, or the advocate OF fusion OF
CO operation of any parties. 1t shall
champion only the principles which
will make the farmers an independent,
unmortgaged, out of debt class. l,
should teach that obedience to law il
the foundation government; that Dc
tween law and lawlessnees, government
and anarchy there can be no eecure
ground. One well defined declara
ton by the Alliance, that the law is
and shall be supreme, would do more
to quiet the public minds and clay dis
content than any other %utterance il
could make on any subject. 1t would
restore confidence, r, vIve and estab
lish the industries, build up u waste
places and establish the Alliance upon
the solid foundation of truth. We
should correct the abuses i'll the gov
eminent, but support the gov, rnnnent
itself. We should abolish all useless
offices, reduce salaries and fees TO
about half what they now are, abOliah
the credit system with merchants and
lawyers, reduce interest to three per
cent in all cases where the debt is se
cured by a mortgage on real estate.
reduce all rents to three per cent Of
the assessed value Of the land or prop
erty rented, exempt every home from
taxation. Every income over one
hundred dollars q year should be taxed
by the State. Homes and schools for
orphans and poor children should be-
maintained in every county. Iudus
trial schools should be established and
maintained in every county.
These are the subjects, Mr.. Editor.
which should engage the attention and
which, in my opinion, would restore
the dignity and usefulness of the ALI
ance.
The National government from It's
beginning has been administered by
one Or the other of the two great DO
lttical parties-the Republican Or the
Dem7cratic party. Those parties are
we'll defined The lines between them
are well drawn, The Republican party
represents tbs centripetal and the
Democratic the centrifugal or States
rights idea Of the government. Both
within certain limits are right; both
beyond these limits ere wrong. The
ruN ~rrnnorlv ID iI1ntnA ILL.,