THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE. 137 



a fear of the result. It ended with a much larger membership, 

 with an almost complete system of organization working smoothly, 

 nearly all differences eliminated, and a record of triumphs all 

 along the line. Such was the year 1890. Long will it be remem- 

 bered by the brotherhood. As the time for the annual meeting 

 approached, President Polk gave up lecturing and speaking, and 

 took a general survey of the situation, preparatory to making 

 his report. He found nothing but success and improvement on 

 every hand. He had the proud satisfaction of giving to the 

 brethren of the national meeting a most satisfactory account of 

 his stewardship. While it had been to him a year of unremit- 

 ting toil and anxiety, it had been to the order one of prosperity 

 and rapid advancement. 



At the St. Louis meeting, Brother Macune brought forward 

 the sub-treasury plan, and the meeting indorsed it by an over- 

 whelming majority. In fact, there were but seven votes against 

 it. This measure, which has been fully explained in another 

 part of this work, soon became the rallying cry of the order. 

 By common consent, it was accepted as the one great principle 

 of the Alliance, and it proved to be the greatest educator yet 

 brought to notice. During the winter of 1890 a bill embodying 

 its principles was introduced into both houses of Congress, and 

 the contest at once began. The old party papers antagonized 

 it, and the politicians went wild with rage over the innovation, 

 as they termed it. Amidst it all, Alliance members and papers 

 continued to argue in its favor ; precedents and matters of legis- 

 lation were gathered from every possible source, until all oppo- 

 sition was confused and confounded. Petitions by the thousands 

 were poured into Congress, as well as letters and resolutions, 

 until both the old parties became thoroughly alarmed at the out- 

 look. Congress continued in session very late, and when the 

 politicians finally reached home, they found the Alliance thor- 

 oughly entrenched and working for its principles. It is the 

 sub-treasury plan, and the vivifying effects which followed its 

 investigation, and the senseless ridicule of the opposition, that 

 concentrated the hosts of the Alliance and brought substantial 

 victories in the South ; and the same may be said, but in a some- 

 what less degree, of the Northwest. 



As the time for the Qcala meeting approached, the interest 



