The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-11-29

Requirements nave Dean mm6sa9 e -
membership, is not true.
And as an evidence ef this U pres
emit Business Agent, who enjoys
THE HIGHEE sALARIED OFFICE u sTHE
- ALLIANCE a., ,4c- -
d a, DEMOCRAT. He vas elected 70 this his
position bys Populigte, TOR at least at nlne
tenths of the present sEm ri p ere
Populbts. No question has ever been
asked him be to his political creed t any
more than laa to his religious belief.
The same is true Rs to the trustee OF
the Business Agency fund. Maj w. a.
Graham. THIS gentleman he's never
quilted the Alliance or the Democratic
party Yet at the late State meeting
be vas re elected by unanimous vote.
Nov does it stand to reason that il the
lines had been drawn, as has been
charged. that Popuiists would have
given the best places to Democrats or
Republicans, especially when they had
men Of their political faith that would
have gladly taken themG / think not.
So much for this unfair charge-a
charge made only to break ranks
and weaken our power. There is still
other evidence to contradict this
charge, to-wit:" The reports in this
Office to date show that the
DEMOCRATIC COUNTY OF ROWAN
is the banner Alliance county Of the
State. (Chstham has oiled this posi-
tion until recently. Then take Samp
son, n of the stropgholds Of the
Popnlist party, and at the same time
one Of the weakest in Alliance work.
Gan anyone view these facts and truth
fully charge the Alliance with parts
RnehipG We point with pride to the
fact that We still have an organization
that all farmers ought to belong to.
While this is true we would pay a just
tribute to those members who have
stood by their Alliance through it's
dark hours, and by their sacrifices
have and are keeping the Alliance alive
and we believe that at least 80 per cent.
of these are Populists. But they have
shown no disp~ sition to make party
preference. a
Thus while we behold these condi-
tions, we have at the same time the
pleasure of seeing our demands forced
to the front until we find them or the
issues that r dividing the great pc
litical parties of to day. They contain
go much truth; they are so laden with
Justice; they are 80 filed with the very
essence of pure Democracy, that they
will not down until the very life Of the
Republic has ceased.
But there are still other reasons why
the Alliance has weakened-reasons
that cannot be charged up to partisan
ship. And this is because of
DISCRETION BY THosE WHOM II HAS MADE
PROMINENT.
One Of the greatest misfortunes the
Alliance has met with is right on this
on this line. That it has made Cover
nors, Congressman, legislators, county
officers from clerk of court to con-
stable, no one will deny. And yet it is
only too true that men who have been
thus honored, thus preferred, have
neglected their duties as Alliancemen.
Nor is this confined to any party.
There are men who have in the past,
and who are now filing places of trust
and profit, who but for the Alliance
would not be known beyond their
township limits, and yet as fast as these
men have been preferred the Alliance
has lost them, or go nearly so that
those who have stood fast have become
the exceptions, not the rule. These
facts, discouraging as they are, are
nevertheless facts. Andagain I repeat
that this action is not confined to
Democrats, but applies to Populists as
we'll, and strange as it may seem, does
not apply to those who have been dis
appointed in their aspirations and
thereby have become soreheaded, but
to the other class who have enjoyed
the honors as stated.
Having taken a retrospective view
Of the political side, let US turn the pic.
ture around and see whether or not the
Alliance has done anything to merit
the approval Of the farmer. Let US
look at it from z business standpoint:
While in the zenith of it's power, it
concluded to enter the commercial
arena. To this end it gathered together
a special fund known as the Business
Agency fund. For many years past
the Agency has stood guard over hnan-
cial interests OF the farmer of North
Carolina. How much in dollars and
cents it has saved them in prices no
n can compute. To day the farmer