THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE. 141 



our government for the power and privilege of going beyond the domain 

 of the farm to correct the evils that afflict us. 



This great organization, whose jurisdiction now extends to thirty-five 

 States of this Union, and whose membership and co-workers number 

 millions of American freemen united by a common interest, confronted 

 by common dangers, impelled by a common purpose, devoted to a com- 

 mon country, standing for a common destiny, and guided by the dictates 

 of an exalted patriotism, will, in the exercise of conservative political 

 action, strive to secure " equal rights for all and special privileges to 

 none," and secure indeed a " government of the people, for the people, 

 and by the people." 



No patriot can view, but with feelings of gravest apprehension and 

 alarm, the growing tendency, under the fostering care of our politico- 

 economic systems, to the centralization of money power and the upbuild- 

 ing of monopolies. Centralized capital, allied to irresponsible corporate 

 power, stands to-day as a formidable menace to individual rights and 

 popular government. This power is felt in our halls of legislation, 

 State and national ; in our popular conventions, at the ballot box, and 

 in our temples of justice ; and it arrogantly lays its unholy hand on that 

 greatest and most powerful lever of modern thought and action, the 

 press of our country. 



Emboldened by the rapid growth of its power, it has levied tribute on 

 the great political parties of the country, which must be paid in servile 

 party subserviency to its greedy demands. High places in politics and 

 in government have been intrusted to its chosen servants and suborned 

 leaders, who scorn the will and the interests of the people ; so that 

 reflecting, patriotic men are confronted with the question whether this 

 is really a popular government founded "on the consent of the gov- 

 erned," and whose " powers are vested in and derived from the people," 

 or whether it is a party government, whose powers are vested in and 

 derived from arrogant and unfaithful party leaders. 



We are rapidly drifting from the moorings of our fathers, and stand 

 to-day in the crucial era of our free institutions, of our free form of gov- 

 ernment, and of our Christian civilization. To rescue these inestimable 

 blessings and interests from the impending peril should be the self- 

 imposed duty of all patriots throughout the land. 



Since our last annual meeting in the city of St. Louis, the States of 

 Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, North Dakota, California, Colorado, West 

 Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma have been added to the roll call 

 of our Supreme Council. Organizers are at work in the States of Wash- 

 ington, Oregon, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, and Arizona. And in 



