THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE. 95 



and to be in full force and effect from and after the thirtieth day of September, 

 1889.. 



' Third. The two national bodies now known as the National Farmers 1 

 Alliance and Co-operative Union of America, and the National Agricultural 

 Wheel, are hereby declared to be merged and consolidated into one body, to 

 be known as the Farmers and Laborers 1 Union of America, said consolidation 

 to take effect and be in force from and after the thirtieth day of September, 

 1889, and to be in charge of the following officers, to wit: President, Evan 

 Jones of Texas ; Vice-President, Isaac McCracken of Arkansas ; Secretary, 

 A. E. Gardner of Tennessee ; Treasurer, Linn Tanner of Louisiana. 



" Given under our hands, in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, 

 this, the 24th day of September, A.D. 1889. 



" C. W. MACUNE, 

 " ISAAC MCCRACKEN, 

 " EVAN JONES." 



By virtue and under the authority of this proclamation, the 

 two great agricultural organizations became one. Consolidation 

 had been accomplished, and the courage, labor, and persistency 

 of President Macune had been crowned with success. In 

 January, 1887, the State Alliance of Texas met at Waco, many 

 predicted for the last time. In place of disaster came a great 

 victory for the true principles of the Alliance. Instead of 

 disintegration, the State Alliance was strengthened and the 

 National Alliance brought into being. At once consolidation 

 was secured with the Farmers' Union of Louisiana. October, 

 1887, the national meeting held at Shreveport laid the founda- 

 tion for the consolidation of the Alliance and Wheel. The 

 meeting at Meridian, in December, 1888, arranged the details, 

 and the proclamation of September, 1889, confirmed it. Within 

 two years and eight months from the birth of the National 

 Alliance, three national orders had been united into one, all 

 in excellent working condition, with a system well in hand, 

 and a membership comprising eighteen States and Territories 

 and numbering fully one million people. This was a vast under- 

 taking, the most stupendous and far reaching that the agri- 

 cultural people of the world had ever conceived possible to 

 accomplish. It required courage, sagacity, patience, and, above 

 all, an abiding faith in the objects sought, and a firm belief in 

 the ultimate triumph of truth. The task was performed nobly, 

 grandly, and conscientiously, and the one man above all others 



