The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-09-19

lOlQLQB.
The N. Q. r. 8. Alliance has for the
present severed it's connection with
the National Order, and is governed
only by its own Constitution and regu.
lations. Should it ever become desirable
to resume connection with the National
Alliance it can be done.
In some sections Of the State there is
a contention for a new farmers organ.
ization. Under the liberal charter
granted US by the State, the Alliance
can be made to accomplish anything
desirable we may wish. There is Ger
tainly nc need for a new organization.
Il will be far better to re organize the
Alliance, avoid the mistakes of the past
and live up to it's principles in a spirit
Of fraternity and brotherly love.
Let it be understood that the farmer
ls In business" just as the merchant,
the banker, the manufacturer, or any
other business" man, and ia entitled
to the same consideration in the legal
and economical regulations Of the
country. But the farmer while an i'm
portant class is not the only useful
class Of our citiz snship. Every legiti-
mate business benefits the whole popu
lation. We therefore should labor in
our sphere, not as enemies, but as
allies Of other useful professions, and
do nothing with the sole desire to iu-
jure others.
There was a time when the farmers
we're the happy contented class of our
country, and a yeomanry OF prosperous
home owners, no matter how humble
the home, is the bulwark Of a country.
Our farmers are not in a prosperous
condition to day. There are those who
either deny this or attribute it to lazi
ness Of the farmers, but in the next
breath contradict themselves by at.
%tributing it to overproduction.
The Alliance would afford opportuI-
ity for a study of the causes of this
condition and for exchange Of views as
to the best methodist of producing crops,
raising and fattening animals, prepare
ton of fertilizers, improving lands and
highways, marketing crops, and many
details in farm work, etc and the beet
ideas could be put into practical use.
1t could arrange programmes for farm
ers' Institutes to be held in the neigh,
borhood. Among other things it might
also arrange for a system Of storage,
warehouses, etc, Or some means by
which the crops would not be thrown
on the market in a lump, but the sales
be regulated, so as to place the differ
ent 0 ~perishable crops, especially
cotton, on the market systematically
throughout the year. And last, but
by no means last, and which we have
not hitherto appreciated and developed
as we should have done, is the social
feature Of the Order. We are more
or less isolated and need these gather
ings for the best development of our
young people into noble and useful
women and men, as well as for the
benefit Of the older people.
We meet few persons who were ever
members of the Order who do not say
that they are ''ss good Alliancemen as
ever, but" They then relate some
grievance which ia frequently imagin
airy or the result of their own conduct
and which could be easily remedied by
their own action.
The Alliance elevated the farmers Rs
no other institution ever has done. 1t
taught them to think and by it they
learned more of matters in which they
interested themselves than they had
learned in in all the years before. That
there were some cranks and men hasty
to act was to be expected. The inter,
ests of Cae3a may in some cases have
overshadowed those Of Rome, yet the
aim of the Alliance was the good Of the
whole, not Of the few.
The necessity for organization and
the advantages Of CO operation have
only increased with each succeeding
year since we first joined hands in
1888 Every other class realizing that
in union there ia strength, is united.
In this age Of organization, we toe
must organize.
We therefore cordially invite al
eligible persons to unite with US in the
endeavor to rebuild the Alliance, with
the great objects set forth in u Dec
laration of Pdrposes-to develop a bet
ter state mentally, morally, socially,
and financially; to educate ourselves
upon all matters { IF citing our welfare
to maintain Law and order; to sup
press personal, local, and national