THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE. 83 



Hence the necessity of having the constitution contain as few provisions as 

 possible, and restrict it to a simple expression of principles so general and 

 permanent that they will need no change; and to a definition limiting the 

 rights and powers of all concerned. Your present constitution, therefore, 

 needs very few changes ; there are, however, three constitutional amendments 

 submitted to your attention, as of sufficient importance to be submitted to the 

 States, and you are requested to consider the advisability of so doing. 



" First, a change as to the manner of raising, and the amount of, the reve- \ 

 nues now derived from the States, as five per cent of the gross receipts. 

 There is no necessity for any special elaboration on this point, as all will 

 admit that the revenues are not adequate to meet the running expenses which 

 must be incurred, and that this condition must seriously hamper the work. 

 Your secretary has had a hard fight with short funds ; he has received less 

 than one thousand dollars, and is over one thousand dollars in debt. That 

 office is economically managed when the gross expenses do not exceed thirty- 

 five hundred dollars per year, including stationery, postage, printing, etc. 

 But the funds coming in under the present system have been so irregular and 

 vague that the secretary has been compelled to manage along, relying upon 

 other resources for the greater part of the year. He had a right to expect 

 that in the end he would receive enough from this body to pay all indebtedness. 

 No other officer has been allowed any expense during the past year. But all 

 of your officers have been compelled to advance the funds from their own 

 pockets to defray their expenses in attending this meeting. This is a hard- 

 ship, and is not just ; the laborer is worthy of his hire, and should at least get 

 his own money returned to him. However, the greatest necessity for revenue 

 is to provide a fund for the elaboration and extension of the work into new 

 fields. 



"The second amendment is in regard to representation, which, under the 

 present plan, is cumbersome and sometimes unequal. One delegate from 

 every four counties is not based on any ratio as to extent of territory or numer- 

 ical strength of. constituency. This should be remedied, so as to always keep 

 the size of the body within the bounds of reason, and at the same time provide 

 some uniformity as to the amount of interests represented by each member. 



" The third amendment suggested is one providing for a supreme judiciary, 

 to be co-ordinate in power with the executive and legislative branches, with 

 appellate jurisdiction in matters of controversy between the State Alliances, 

 and in trials for impeachment of officers of the National Alliance. Such 

 appeals, in the latter class of cases, being taken from the findings of special 

 committee appointed by the president, when competent ; and when not, to be 

 appointed by the Legislative Department when in session ; and when not, to 

 be appointed by the Supreme Bench. The Supreme Judiciary should have 

 original and final jurisdiction in cases involving the constitutionality of any 

 statutory laws, and in cases defining the legal relations of the, order with other 

 organized bodies. 



" The statutory laws of the order will depend entirely upon your wisdom, 

 and should clearly define and provide for the effective operation of every 



