CHAPTER V. 



HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE Continued. 



THE work done by the convention held at Meridian, Missis- 

 sippi met with general approval. A fresh impetus had been 

 given the order, and many of the benefits predicted at the 

 beginning were being realized. The jute bagging trust was 

 being successfully contested, and it seemed, for the first time 

 in history, that the farmers were capable, and determined to 

 take care of themselves. During the early spring, a national 

 organ, The National Economist ', was established, at the city 

 of Washington, District of Columbia, and during the summer 

 an important meeting was called, at Birmingham, Alabama, for 

 the purpose of considering the sale of cotton. At this meeting 

 much important business was done ; various plans for the relief 

 of cotton-growers were formulated ; and President Macune, 

 President McCracken, and Chairman S. M. Adams were re- 

 quested to issue a proclamation requesting the proper officers 

 in the various State organizations to convene all the county 

 organizations in their respective States, on the second Tuesday 

 in June, 1889, for the purpose of taking proper action to carry 

 out the plans of the convention. 



At the Meridian meeting a plan of consolidation had been 

 agreed upon and submitted to the States interested, for their 

 action. As fast as the State meetings were held, the propo- 

 sition for consolidation was ratified. When the required num- 

 ber had given thei-r consent, the following joint proclamation 

 was issued : 



" KNOW all men by these presents, that 



" Whereas, The National Farmers 1 Alliance and Co-operative Union of 

 America did, at its last regular meeting, to wit, on the 5th day of December, 

 1888, in the city of Meridian, State of Mississippi, agree upon a new consti- 

 tution for the order, and that said constitution was twice read in open session 

 on two separate days, as required by law, and then passed by a two-thirds 

 majority, and then submitted to the States for ratification in conformity to 

 Article VI. of the constitution now in force; and 



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