THE FARMERS' ALLIANCE 117 



Kentucky attended the meeting of the Arkansas 

 State Wheel and took part in the organization of 

 the National Agricultural Wheel. 1 When the Na- 

 tional Wheel held its first annual meeting in No- 

 vember, 1887, eight state organizations had been 

 established, all in the Southwest, with a total mem- 

 bership of half a million. 



With two great orders of farmers expanding in 

 much the same territory and having practically 

 identical objects, the desirability of union was ob- 

 vious. The subject was discussed at meetings of 

 both bodies, and committees of conference were 

 appointed. Both organizations finally convened 

 in December, 1888, at Meridian, Mississippi, and 

 appointed a joint committee to work out the de- 

 tails of amalgamation. The outcome was a new con- 

 stitution, which was accepted by each body acting 

 separately and was finally ratified by the state or- 

 ganizations. The combined order was to be known 

 as the Farmers' and Laborers' Union of America. 



While this development had been going on in the 

 South, another movement, somewhat different in 

 character and quite independent in origin, had been 



1 Some difficulty was occasioned at this meeting by the question of 

 admitting negroes to the order, but this was finally settled by making 

 provision for separate lodges for colored members. 



