108 AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS. 



the National Alliance, and after it was organized its constitution was 

 ratified. There were over four hundred delegates assembled at the 

 meeting, and a more discordant and dissatisfied assemblage of equal 

 size probably never convened ; and yet, after a four-days session, a 

 more harmonious and completely unified body of equal size was perhaps 

 never seen. In my address at the opening of the meeting, I called 

 attention to the dissensions and dissatisfaction within the order, much of 

 lit the result of misunderstanding, and some the result of personal ambi- 

 tion and local prejudices. I took the position that if the order was a 

 good thing, it was our duty to spread the light ; that we must be aggres- 

 sive ; that if we considered Texas well enough organized, and concluded 

 to fold our hands and enjoy the expected benefits of the Alliance, we 

 would be doomed to disappointment, because dissensions and conten- 

 tions would soon prove to be effective causes for disintegration and 

 rupture. 



The very existence and perpetuation of the order demanded that it 

 must take an aggressive position in favor of an overshadowing effort for 

 good in behalf of the membership, that would act as a nucleus and 

 rallying cry, and be of so general a character that it would receive the 

 indorsement of the entire membership. Without this the local issues, 

 developed by local conditions and successfully met by the order, would 

 assume undue proportions, and frequently produce confusion by being 

 mistaken for the chief objects of the order. To prevent a great order 

 that is scattered over a large extent of territory, and embraces people 

 whose habits and occupations have developed a great many different 

 local issues, from breaking up into detachments to each combat a local 

 and fleeting issue, thereby placing it at the mercy of a better organized 

 foe that would decoy each detachment into an ambush where it could 

 be destroyed with ease ; to prevent such dire but certain consequences 

 there must be a general issue to which each detachment will return 

 after having sallied out to demolish a local issue, and in support of 

 which all are agreed and united into a solid phalanx, thereby being able 

 to meet either the detached or combined forces of the opposition. 

 The general aggressive issue decided upon at the called meeting was 

 " Organization of the Cotton Belt of America," and under the purifying 

 and inspiring effects of that philanthropic object local issues and per- 

 sonal prejudices were crowded to the background, and every man took 

 his place in the ranks of the aggressive, shoulder to shoulder, determined 

 to succeed, and to-day we may note the grand result. Less than three 

 years have elapsed since that day, and yet the entire cotton belt is well 

 organized. 



