THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE. 145 



mon good, without regard to sectional or geographical divisions, would 

 wield a moral power which would enforce the respect of any legislative 

 body to whom it would appeal, and enlist the earnest sympathy and 

 co-operation of the great mass of the people whom it would represent. 

 Not only would its service in this direction be potential for good in 

 securing harmony and unity of action among the people, and by crys- 

 tallizing and concentrating that action upon any desired measure of 

 reform, but the natural and harmonious blending of the moral force of 

 such a body, with the influence of the reform press throughout the States, 

 would establish and solidify a power which could not fail to- exercise 

 a most beneficent effect on public affairs. 



We have reached that point in the development of our organization 

 when we must address ourselves to the important and indispensable work 

 of organizing and systematizing these various departments of our effort, 

 to which I have briefly adverted. 



Organize your lecture system so that we may have able and competent 

 men constantly employed in advocating our principles and purposes 

 throughout all the States within your jurisdiction ; organize and establish 

 a system through which we may reach the people through the columns 

 of an able representative reform press ; aid the membership, as far as 

 we may be able, in devising and establishing the best possible system 

 for conducting their business through county and State agencies ; and 

 place our demands for legislation, as an organization, in the hands of 

 an able body of men representing each of the States, and no power, nor 

 combination of powers, can prevent or thwart our ultimate and tri- 

 umphant success. 



1. I respectfully call your attention to the necessity of a change in 

 Section 2, Article V., of our constitution, defining the relative powers and 

 duties of the judiciary and executive departments, in the matter of offi- 

 cial rulings by the president. The requirement that the president shall 

 submit promptly all official rulings to the judicial department for con- 

 sideration and action, is unnecessary and often impracticable. In cases 

 of importance, the delay thus enforced, especially should the judiciary 

 fail to concur in the ruling of the president, might work great injustice 

 and incalculable damage. I suggest, respectfully, the expediency of so 

 amending the section referred to as to authorize appeals to the judiciary 

 from the rulings of the president the decisions of the judiciary on 

 such appeals to be the final construction of the law until the next meet- 

 ing of the Supreme Council. 



2. Section 2, Article VIII., of the constitution makes it the duty of 

 the Supreme Council to enact a uniform eligibility clause for the various 



