Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-07-31
REvlvinG THE ALLIANCE.
Proceedings Of tho Annual Meeting In CoIum.
bIa-Presldent Alexander's Address.

Proceedings OF the Annual Meeting In Colum.
bIa--Presldent Alexanders Address.
Columbia, July 24.-The State Farmers
Alliance met tonight In annual session.
The chief purpose Of the meeting is to
reorganize and rejuvenate the organiza.
forty delegates of the State Convention
present. President j. G. Alexander, Of
Oconee, delivered his annual address to
the State Alliance as follows:
Brethren of the State Alliance: AS usual
1t is with much pleasure that /, as men,
Der and brother in this order, am
spared by High Being to meet you here
once more. in my humble way, have
tried to preside over this Alliance for
two years, and find, brethren, that while
l have been hOnOred by tho order and
have been treated with the greatest re-
spect by every member, ] feel that have
been unequal to the emergency. Our or
ganization has, fear, deteriorated under
my administration instead of building up.
The cause of this l don't know, unless 1t
is neglect on my part and yours to do
our whole duty in Encouraging our neigh
bors to join our ranks and help us fight
the battles of life. You cal remember,
| brethren, whom our order was full to
overtlowing with members; they then saw
SEQ it to-day. The object of the organi-
zation was to help the poor, to assist
| those who were unable to stand alone,
purely charitable thing, yet how many
have Withdrawn from our rolls, some by
death, but n largo majority from causes
known but by themselves. In the death
of Brother j. w. Stokes ono of our bright
est lights has gone out; his scat in our
order and in the nations Congress hall
will DO hard to fill. He was true man
in every sense of tho word, true to his
country, true to his constituents, true to
tho alliance and true to his God.
Let us ever cherish his memory. Now,
brethren, let mo thank you for having
place tho mantle of honor on my shoul-
dors as your president, and on retiring
from this scat want to assist you in
olecting some brother who can and will,
hope, far surpass all that your humble
servant has done.
The committee on credentials took up
considerable time in considering tho Gre
dentials and applications for admission
to tho Convention, which was held in tho
court house.
The following woro tho delegates at
tending tho meeting of the Alliance to-
night: Dorchester, w. M. Shiedor; Flor
enco, w. @. Kelly; Greenwood, p. S.
Dew; Lancaster, b. +. Miller; Lexington,
James b. Addy; Newberry, J. l.. Koitt;
|
B. Pickett; Orangcburg, j. II. Clafry;
Union, A. 9. I.ylos; York, w. N. Elder.
Delegates for subordinate alliances
Fish Dam, w. Il. Jetor; Ford, f. A.
IIingman; Rightwcll, M. X. Frick, and
Summervillo, j. H. Earglo.
The following officers woro elected for
tho year: D. +. Efrd, of Lexington,
president; w. N. Elder, of York, vice
president and State lecturer; j. w. Reid,
ticdvillo, secretary and treasurer; J. +.
Nesbit, Lancaster, dologato to National
Alliance; A. 6. Lyles, Carlisle member
executive committee, to sorvo threo years.
Most of the evening was devoted to
porfccting tho organization and to a
general discussion of tho Reorganization
of tho Alliance and gotting it into active
business shape.
Mr.. Crosland proposed that tho dircc-
tors set aside part of tho interest do
rived from tho Alliance fund now safely
invested and pay an organizer to work
up sub-Alliancos.
This plan mot opposition on tho ground
that the fund and interest was trust
fund and could not bo used for organiz.
ing work. 1t was contonded OH tho other
hand that it would bo for tho good of the
Ordor and tho fund. The matter was
freely discussed pro and con and the
general disposition was to put an active
worker in tho fold and organize the
State Alliance to take aotivo hold of cor.
tain business propositions.
Tho Alliance will moot again in the
morning to act finally upon pending pro
positions and to hear tho report of the
Directors of tho Allianco Exchange.
Columbia, July 25.-The State Alliance
concluded it's work this morning. There
was not much to DO done. Tho main
purpose just at this time is to reorganize
tho organization. Business, tho fertilizer
| hoip
made tho chief grounds for tho renewed
appeals for tho Alliance.
at tho meeting to-day contral com,
mittoe, consisting of President ID. f.
Efrd, w. N. Elder, Vico President and
State Lecturer, and A. g. Iylcs, Presi
dent of the Directors of the Alliance
Exchar 90, was appointed to arrange for
carried into effect. The bcst mcthod OF
pushing tho reorganization will be loft
to this special committee. The commit
too will consult with local interests in
each county as to how the interest in the
Alliance can bo best rejuvcnated, and
will try to carry out as far as possible
tho suggestions mado for tho various
counties. Tho committee will decide
whether it will bo best to employ an or
ganizer and put him into tho field as q
paid worker.
Tho Directors of tho State Alliance
hold q business meeting this morning
but did nothing. An adjourned meeting
Of tho board will be held at Columbia on
Wednesday afternoon of Fair week.
President Wilborn, Of the National Al
lance, attended the sessions of the State
Alliance.
President Eflrd, of the State Alliance
in taking hold of tho organization foi
tho next year, had the following to say:
Brethren You have elected me to bt
your President for tho ensuing year, foi
which thank you. In tho palmy days
of tho Farmers Alliance it was position
sought aftcr by many and has been filled
by some of South Cardinals most wOr
thy sons.
1T has boon currently reported tn &c
as All organization were dead. When We
look around and SEQ tho honest faces anG
hear the sober words of you Alliancemer
here in council assembled we arc made
to exclaim "It is false p We arc alive
and will remain so. We havo often heard
it most truthfully expressed "tiiat tho
darkest hour is just before the dawn OF
tho reorganization Of our beloved Order
ReOrganze! Why not ? Arc you ready
to give up the iightw whom wo havo accom-
plished SO much already Let us say VIC
will go forward, put a man in tho field, q
man with backbone, who will dare
and do, and when wo meet hero one
year hence this hall will bo filed with
delegates.
feel my inability to preside over you
but with your aid l hope to steer the
ship safe into tho harbor. now com.
mend you to tho work for the coming
year and ask you to go at it in earnest
and you will como back bearing the
| fruit Of yOur labors