The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-07
THE ALLIANCE, ITS PROSPECTS, AND
HOW ITS WELFARE MAY BE
PROMOTED.

the nClu0uG thO1OCO viii
have passed away. AS intelligent
citizens, it behooves Us now to take
a survey and Immediately plan for
another campaign, not a political,
but an educational and industrial
one,f for the betterment of the agri
cultural interests of the State, and
the elevation of the farmers to
broader fields of self-dependence. As
is well known, the Alliance has not
been active in its work of re-organ-
ization during the political campaign
now ending. But the time is at hand
when we can come to the front again
and raise our voices and WELD our
pens in the interest of the farmers
without fear of being misunderstood.
What of the situation? Are we en-
loving the measure of prosperity
that our vocation should entitle us
to? Are we satisfied with the re-
turns or account of sales for our
products, upon which we have be-
slowed so much labor and care? Are
we as a class taking steps to benefit
ourselves and protect interests
from the schemes of corporate or or
ganized greed? Is it not a duty that
we owe to ourselves, and to those
who. are dependent on and look to us
for protection, to place ourselves in
a position to protect our interests
from the demands and enCrOachE
ments of trusts and combinations of
every description? The live, wide
awake farmer, will unhesitatingly
say that we are not doing III duty
in this respect, that we r not tax
ing advantage of the opportunities
that are within our reach.
We need to take lessons from other
industries, and from those who would
grow rich from our labOrs. The key
to their success is organization. Or
g~anization and cooperation can ave
the farmer from the gulf that is
seemingly ready to swallow him.
Our best and most practical farmers
will tell US that by the power of or
ganization we can accomplish much
that is needed, and that would be
helpful to US as a class. Then, "Why
stand we here all the day idle?" But,
some will say, eve can't get the
farmers to organize" forgetting that
stained glass lends it's color to the
view. The man who thus talks
openly proclaims that farmers r
imbeciles, and will never succeed in
organizing them. With a strong in
fuential man in each county who
sees the need of organization, and
who says they can be organized, sue
cess in that direction will be certain.
The Alliance stands with open
doors and invites the farmers of
North Carolina to come in and pos
sess it, use it's machinery for the up
building of the agricultural interests
of the State, observing faithfully the
purposes for which it was founded,
guarding it against unworthy and
INSCRIPTIONS persons who would
prostitute it for their own personal
advantage. But, say some, preiu-
dice will prevent many from again
taking hold of the Alliance and it's
work.
Let the farmers of North Carolina
prove that they are men of too much
good common sense to allow preju-
dice to stand in the way of duty, that
they are men of too good Judgment
to permit themselves ~sidetracked in
any such may especially when duty
and Judgment point to the better
ment of their own people. The ALI
ance car and will be what they make
it. 1t is, and should ever be, truly
a farmers organization, proving it.
self loyal to the best agricultural in
terests of the State. This can be
done in part, by encouraging educa-
ton, and the social feature that once
marked Alliance gatherings. The
Alliance is not bound by the narrow
confines of partisan nor s~ectarian
limitations in politics and religion,
but broad in its scope, reaching out
and proving itself a benefaction to
the people. Such were the purposes
of its promoters such should be the
purposes of it's members. With
commendable purposes like these,
there Is no reaSOn why the Alliance
cannot be re-organized into the strong
organization that it was in it's pros