The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-05-02
THR FARMERS ALLIANCE AND
ITS PURPOSE.

the purposes and principles OF the
Farmers Alliance and Industrial
Union-a subj 3ct Of which far too
many are far too ignorant. The prin
cipIes Of the Order are too grand and
too noble for the narrow souls OF many
men. Some of these men have never
Joined it; they have abused the Order
because they did not want the laborers
of the country to CO operate in the
work Of bettering their condition,
mentally, morally, socially, and
financially" Some Of them have
Joined is-joined it in the hope Of
t%urthering selfish schemes, Of sowing
the seeds Of discord, or of turning it
from its great purpose. Others who
are neither narrow souled nor narrow
minded, have opposed it because they
are ignorant of it's lofty purpose and its
noble aim. What other explanation
for a broad minded mans opposing it
when
The brightest jawels which it gar
ners are the tears Of widows and or
phgns, and It's imperative commands
are 90 visit the homes where laCerated
hearts are bleeding; to assusge the
suffering Of a brother or sister bury
the dead; care for the widows and edu
cate the orphans; to exercise charity
towards offenders; to construe words
and deeds in their most favorable light
granting honesty Of purpose and good
intention TO others; and to protect the
principles Of the Alliance unto death.
Its la va are reason and equity its car
dinaI doctrines inspire purity Of
thought and life; It's intentions are
peace on earth and good will towards
men,"
Some OF its members and some Of
its officers have, tits true, lost sight of
this noble purpose, but the Alliance
of North Carolina has nearly or com
pleGeIy purged itself Of these members
and OF these officers. So far, 30 good
But while losing some unworthy mem
bers, it has lost far too many worthy
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. who should nov
reuur1-in fact, should have long ago
returned to the fold and joined the fire
tried members In their effort to pro
mote these great principles.
One of the absurd charges brought
against the Alliance is that it has for
gotten one of it's great principles-'to
labor for education in the science Of
economical government in a strictly
non partisan spirit" This charge is
mRnitestly false. We do not deny that
some individual members have forgot
ten this greaF principle, but the ALI
ance as an organic alton has not. In
dividual members OF the church have
failed to live up to the stand and set by
Christ, but this does not prove that
the church ia IN Christian.
Even the editorials in The Progress
i've Farmer have perhaps at times in
years taken on a partisan tinge,
but IN this it did not-and did not at
teuptto-refect the sentiments OF the
Order. These were expressions OF In
divitual opinion not more binding
upon the Order than the position taken
by The Progressive Farmer in the
Clark Kilg0 controversy last year.
Nor do we believe that the Alliance in
selecting this paper as the means of
communication between the officers of
that body and the far mers Of the State
intended to give these expressions of
individual opinion any heartier en-
doraement than it gave the political
opinions Of those staunch Democrats
and sterling Alliancemen, Business
Agent T. B Parker, and our Trustee
of the Business Agency Fund, Major
VIM. A. Graham, in selecting them to
fill their respective officers. And it
may be said IN passing that to Bro.
Parker the State Alliance has given it's
best salaried eff &c, and to Bro. Ora
ham has given the honor OF serving as
al eff er Of that body for a longer
period than any other man in it's his
tory Now, more than ever befoIe e the
people need the Alliance and the
time for re organic stion has come. Its
purpose is lofty and noble; it's prin
ciples, broad and grand it's laws, rea
sonRble and orderly it's influence, pure
and ennobling; it's motto, unity and
charity !" it's inspiration, worthy and
Ohrist-like; its mission, not yet full
filled. In the effort to re organize and
strengthen it, there is place for labor
ers and newspapers of all political
faiths. Let all who have ever been
members Of the Order get together and
rally around the old banner and the