The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1906-04-18

- eNA-sssSs ~ A0A eAANANA0 = -
of the constitution of the Far
mers' Protective Union, print
ed and secretly circulated, con-
tanned the following significant
language: aThe clubs must for
ever remain non political and nom
sectarian, but this does not pre-
vent the clubs from endorsing and
voting for men friendly to the
farmers interests, or voting
against men who oppose them,
which is reasonable course to
pursue.
Took on a Political Cast and Hungry Of
fice-Seekers Jumped Aboard.
The organization kept growing
and new clubs were organized,
until it became very strong, and
political aspirations began to
assert themselves in the bosom of
somesof the smarter members. In
the mean time there were a lot of
disgruntled politicians who had
made their way into the Farmers
Protective Union. This was about
twelve months before the general
election in 1903, and these old
politicians, sly old coons they
were, soon began to figure on
self-interest and very mildly be-
gan agitating the nomination
of ticket to run in the coming
election. Then the obligation was
somewhat modified in order to get
people into it that would not sub
scribe to the oath as it was first
given. Following is oath No. 2:
DO you solemnly swear that
you will keep the secrets of the
farmers league a profound se-
cret; that you will obey all orders;
and if you are called on to >con-
tribute to the cause, and if you
are brought before the courts,
you will keep every thing a Sc
.cret; and you are warned in this
oath that if you divulge anything
death is the penalty, so help me
God.
No printed ritual was used and
these oaths varied some times
slightly in phraseology, but not in
substance.
Ifa fellow looked like he would
not stand for oath No. 1, then
they would apply oath No. 2, as it
was not quite so severe. Then
they began to 60 out into the by
ways and hedges and bid them all
to come and join the holy band.
In some places they succeeded in
getting a majority of the citizen
ship, and then those endowed with
political ambitions began to do
the work. 1t looked like a pretty
easy thing to ride into Office on
the back of the Farmers Protec.
tive Union. These same old pol
iticians had run for Office in the
Democratic party until they we're
thread bare, and had been con-
stantly defeated, and then when
the Farmers Alliance came about
few years ago they joined that
and finally turned that into the
Populite party and began to run
for Office on the Populite ticket
and kept on running until that
party played out, and still they
had not gotten possession of the
court house keys. After they had
run completely out of the Demo
cratic party, run the Farmers
Alliance into the ground and run
the Populite party to death. these
same old disgruntled politicians
ran into the Farmers League or
White Caps and were elected to
Office. In Amite county they did
not have the political brain to lead
the crusade as they did in Frank
lin county. They put out a tick
ct in Amite county, but they were
defeated. But in franklin it was
different. They put out a ticket
and elected the whole business.
One among the first clubs of the
Farmers Protective Union that
was organized in Franklin county,
was organized in Baptist church
one rainy night, and one Of that
clubs first members was mem
Der of that same old Baptist
church, and preacher besides.
He was not the pastor of the
church, however. These local
lclub meetings were held in the
night time, out in the woods or
off in some old field, as far away
from any inhabited house as pos,
sible.
SANDAL. at Shallow Ford the Central
Meeting Place.
After the local clubs were well
fixed for doing business, they had
q central meeting place at Shallow
Ford, on the Homochitto river.