40 AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS. 



" Resolved \ That County Alliances appoint a committee of three discreet 

 members from each County Alliance, whose duty it shall be to examine cost 

 bills of freight bills of merchants with whom the Alliance has made contracts 

 for sale of goods at specified rates per cent. A refusal to show such bills by 

 said merchants shall terminate and make null and void such contracts with 

 said merchants. 



" Believing that the business of the Alliance could be better transacted by 

 a less number of delegates, and to provide against a much larger delegation 

 next year, the number of delegates was limited to three to each county." 



The effect of this meeting was to place the Alliance in a good 

 position before the public, and to attract to its aims and pur- 

 poses some of the best men in the State. Many of the old 

 hangers-on were relegated to the rear, and fresh blood was 

 infused into the organization. Long will the brethren of Texas, 

 especially the older ones, look back with feelings of pride and 

 fondness to the "Decatur Meeting." A large amount of detail 

 work was accomplished, some few changes were made in the 

 organic laws, and a sort of general clearing up was indulged in. 



The following officers were elected for the ensuing year : A. 

 Dunlap, President ; J. S. Morris, Vice-President ; C. M. Wilcox, 

 Secretary ; J. A. Landers, Treasurer ; J. H. Jackson, Chaplain ; 

 G. W. Belcher, Lecturer ; Z. S. Lee, Assistant Lecturer. 



The next annual meeting was held at Cleburne, August 3, 

 1886, and marked an era in the history of the Alliance. It was 

 by far the largest gathering ever held by the order, and great 

 interest was manifested in the result. Extensive preparations 

 had been made for the meeting, and a general rally of the 

 brethren was anticipated. Eighty-four counties were repre- 

 sented at the meeting, by delegates, many being present for the 

 first time. The Alliance had assumed such large proportions, 

 and was enjoying such a rapid growth, that the politicians of 

 the State began to look upon it with some little anxiety. Their 

 fear was then the same as now, that it might "go into politics," 

 and that, if it did, some one might get injured. The pr,ess of 

 the State began to warn the brethren against any such action, 

 and at the same time predicted that it certainly would be done. 

 This put many of the brethren, especially those who were polit- 

 ically inclined, in an attitude of suspicion, which became inten- 

 sified as the business of the meeting progressed. 



