The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-07-11
Timely Suggestions to Alliancemen in
North Carolina.

HanceS III North Carolina Will meet
in regular quarterly meetings. This
is really the beginning of the ALI
ance year and at the county meet
fngs this month an inventory of last
years work should be taken up and
also the possibilities of the ensuing
year discussed.
The meetings this month will be
of more than ordinary Importance.
The laying of plans for the years
work; the election of officers for the
ensuing year; the election of dele
gates to the State Alliance and 9th
er questions of vital Importance will
come before the various Alliances.
Let the brethren remember that a
misstep or an unwise action at these
meetings may do ~incalculable injury,
therefore let prudence and wisdom
mark every step taken. In the selec-
ton of the various officers, let fit
ness and qualifications for the officers
to be filled be the first consideration,
thus looking after the good of the
order rather than the personal adj
vancement of some brother.
Let us remember that the Alliance
is being watched very closely, and
by many who are in full sympathy
with US and are only waiting for an
opportunity to cast their lots with
us; while others are watching to see
if they cannot find something calcu-
lated to excite alarm. There are peo-
pie, we should remember, who pride
themselves ON their long memory and
never forget anything, especially the
things they do not. want to forget.
These people r every ready to cry
out wolf; but let there be nc wolf
even if they do cry out.
The present price of cotton has
proved, even to those who doubted the
good of organization and co-opera-
ton, that farmers by wise co-opera-
ton can materially help themselves.
The present advance in the price of
cotton is only one instance showing
the general benefits of co-oDeration;
UnO1S arc many UJnCI ways NY WHICH
the condition of the farmers could be
bettered by organization. such as the
Alliance offers the farmers of the
State. This fact is admitted by our
best business men and should be. &C
cepted and acted upon as a funda-
mental truth w the farmers all over
the State. The leaven is working,
and l am very hopeful as to the final
results. The outlook for the Alliance
at this time is very bright. The
field is ripe and the harvest would be
large if we only had suitable organi-
GERS to go out among the people.
This feature of the Alliance work can
be p~roftably discussed at the meet
1ngs this month. Let us depend
more upon our own exertions and
less on the help of others. Brother
Gates is doing all he can, but he is
human and can do only one mans
work, and be in only one place at a
time. He will get around as rapidly
as possible; but let no man await
his coming to reorganize an ALI
ance. Do the thing among your
selves, and then when he gets around
to you you can greet him with a good
membership, the result of your own
labors.
For the encouragement of the
brethren, and for that matter for all
people, I will say there has not been
in North Carolina a more loyal peo-
pie to the farmers best interests in
the present cotton situation than the
members of the Alliance. They have
stood manfully by the propositions of
the Southern Cotton Association