84 AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS. 



principle of the constitution. You are to be congratulated upon having one 

 vice-president from each of the States, and that the vice-presidents form 

 the Executive Committee, and it is suggested that you constitute them a 

 diplomatic council, with power to meet at any time on call of the president, 

 and define and carry out a plan of consolidation with any kindred organiza- 

 tion, subject to ratification and approval by the Supreme Judiciary. This 

 would enable such business to be despatched at all times of the year. 



"It is suggested that a law be passed regulating the printing of rituals and 

 charters, and that States should not be allowed to have that work done. A 

 reason for this is that the National Alliance, by having large numbers made, 

 can secure better work for less money ; and further, it might, by being re- 

 stricted to the National Executive Committee, be made a source of revenue. 



** There is great necessity for a statutory enactment that will be the means 

 of securing full and accurate crop reports at least four times a year ; and some 

 action should be taken by this body that will impress the people with the 

 importance of this business and secure the co-operation of all to perfect a 

 bureau that will be absolutely correct, and can at all times be relied upon to 

 represent the interest of the producer, whether it be simply to inform him of 

 the best time to sell, or contradict some falsehood circulated by speculators 

 to reduce the price of produce. 



"Your attention is called to the fact that the laws of the United States, 

 under which this National Trade Union is chartered, require that the head- 

 quarters of the corporation be in the District of Columbia, and it is suggested 

 that you consider the propriety of opening an office in Washington, to be the 

 home of the corporation. The order seems now to have grown large enough 

 to make this necessary and advisable. 



" If the people of this country suffer from the effects of class legislation, if 

 class legislation has been the result of influences and importunities brought 

 to bear by certain classes upon the law-making powers, it seems that it might 

 be well for agriculture to have a small, but competent and inexpensive com- 

 mittee to watch the motions of Congress, and present and push the influences 

 and importunities that may be thought advisable in behalf of the members of 

 that great class, and sound the alarm when offensive class legislation seemed 

 probable. 



*' The different State Alliances, during the past year, have been organizing 

 their business efforts and are endeavoring to co-operate on the exchange plan. 

 This plan is pure and simple co-operation, with no joint-stock features what- 

 ever, and differs from similar plans before introduced, in several important 

 particulars. It is calculated to benefit the whole class, and not simply those 

 who have surplus money to invest in capital stock ; it does not aspire to, and 

 is not calculated to be a business for profit in itself, but is intended to be 

 strictly auxiliary and supplemental to the farming efforts. Another distinc- 

 tive feature of the exchange plan is that, instead of encouraging a number of 

 independent stores scattered over the country, each in turn to fall a prey to 

 the opposition, whenever they shall think it of sufficient importance to con- 

 centrate a few forces against it, this plan provides for a strong central State 



