The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-03
EIGHT GOVERNORS OFALABAMA
1874-1901
No. 83-The Farmers Alliance and Kolb
Thomas Seay, Governor.
1374-1901

We have passed along the calendar
months of the memorable year in Alabama
politics, 1889, taking in the announcement
in early summer of Col. Thomas G. tones
of his candidacy for the conventional
nomination by the democratic and con-
seryative party the next year for gov
ernor, to the announcement of Commits
sioner r. F. Kolb, in the later Christmas
holidays, for the same office, through
the same process of attainment.
Jones was the candidate representing
the party organization, that is the
whites.
Kob was the candidate representing the
contest of the Farmers alliance a body
corporate under the laws of the state,
whose membership was selected from per-
sons of designated class, oat-bound con-
testing as q faction of the party for COLI
troll of the party and therefore for pos
session of the state government Alliance
members were white democrats. There
were no negro alliances in the state.
The year closed on the self proffered
political leadership of these two citi-
zens, representative of the respective con-
ditions stated. At the close of the year
there were no other candidates for gov
ernor.
The press of the state began immediate
ly to discuss the peculiar conditions The
editors with very few exceptions pre-
ferred Jones. While Commissioner Kolb
continued to disavow responsibility for the
platform set forth by the amalgamated
National Alliance and the national Knights
of Labor, President Adams OF the Ala
bama Alliance issued circular letter un-
der date of January J. 1890, calling vehe-
mently to all alliance members to repudi--
ate the powerful organ of the party the
Montgomery Advertiser. Alliance mem
bers were abjured by their president to
cease to subscribe to that paper to de-
sist from reading it, and under no cir
cumstanceS to borrow copy from
neighbor.
Meantime the national lecturer of the
st. Louis amalgam, the National Farmers
Alliance and Industrial union,' Ben Ter
rell of Texas, a democrat, appeared in
the state and at once took the stump
for Kob, the democrat.
Terrell came to remain indefinitely. He
spoke well and he spoke in many places.
He joined with utmost visor the denun-
citation of the Montgomery Advertiser and
appauded Candidate Kolb The MEM
bers of Congress from Alabama, he pro-
claimed to be all frauds paid by the
lobby to misgovern. The democratic state
government, that had ruled and collected
taxes for nearly 20 years, was rotten.
The state chartered corporation, the
Farmers Alliance of Alabama, had at it's
back the state chartered institution, the
Farmers Alliance exchange. The eX-
change had all the powers of bank or
deposit and discount 1t might buy and
sell land, build and operate railroads.
Its privileges and prerogatives embraced
the whole field of agriculture, manufac-
lures and commerce. 1t was a class or
der No merchant, bankers, broker OF
farm products or other broker, no lawyer
city physician, preacher, school teacher,
book agent, pedder, livery stable keeper,
miller, speculator, gambler or individual
in any kind of VOCATION not associated
directly with farming, could take the
oath and enter the alliance. (Labor and
Capital, p. 15l.)
The impulse of the alliance order was
concentrated in an ingenious and scien-
tific form of organization: There were
the three divisions of the national gov
eminent of the order. The officers of
the several state alliances and certain
delegates chosen by state alliances con-
stituted the legislative division. The leg
islative division chose three lobbyists who
We're presidents of state alliances These
lobbyists were required to prosecute the
interest of the order in state capitols and
at Washington
The chief executive at this time was
Macune a western man, headquarters at
Washington.
The judiciary division consisted of three
members of the order chosen by the leg
lslative division. State alliance DEGREES
were appealed to this tribunal.
The several county alliances now be-
ban to develop their political sympathies.
The Montgomery county order met in
the courthouse and declared the integ-
rity of the democratic and conservative
parties to be the paramount political
issue. Elmore county indorsed the Mont
gomery resolutions. The Pleasant Valley
alliance of Cherokee, indorsed the St.
Louis amalgam. The Tuscaloosa county
alliance also indorsed st. Louis and pro-
nounced for Kolb for governor.
The Autauga county alliance in effort
to stem the tide of partisan politics pro-
posed that each county alliance in this
state should send a committee composed
of select men to study scientific farming
as found In the west, that upon its return
the members might lecture.
While these things transpired the
white Protective Tariff League" an
organization of white men of the republI-
can party, pTOHeTeu 1tS dlu TO tne alllanIS
of Alabama at the polls.
An alliance press was encouraged. Hec-
tor d. Lane, a brilliant young man of
the order had conducted a small paper
devoted to the order at Huntsville T.
j. Key, Confederate veteran, from
Kentucky, built up at Montgomery an
excellent agricultural paper, but the
editor was a personal friend and political
partisan of Colonel Jones. At Six Mile
postoffice in Bibb county there was a
small agricultural paper.
Upon the apparently auspicious consol-
idation of these three papers the Advance
Advocate, a distinctly political paper, was
set up at Montgomery. The editor was
Henry G. Mccall of Bullock. Mccall was
known an Independent in politics. Ir
less than six months the paper was sold
by the sheriff.
Mr.. Frank Baltzell was editor of the
Troy Enterprise, brilliant weekly of
the democratic class. The editor had
been a democratic member of the leafs
iature and an Independent unsuccessful
candidate for Congress. Baltzell became
editor of the Alliance Herald of Mont
gomery.
The editor proved to be political dis
putant of extraordinary facility. He was
assisted by an able staff. This organ led
the opposition to the democratic organiza-
ton with rare force and persistency
The state was the victim of heartIess