214 HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL. 



for the very able manner in which they have assisted me during the past 

 year in the performance of my duties as president. 



Below is printed the communication addressed to the differ- 

 ent conventions, to which were attached the demands of the 

 McKenzie meeting : 



JUNE 4th, 1888. 

 To the Chairman, Officers, and Delegates of the National Democratic 



Convention. 



GENTLEMEN : We respectfully call your attention to the demands 

 made, and resolution adopted by the National Agricultural Wheel, in 

 Convention assembled, delegations being present from the States of 

 Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, 

 and Indian Territory, and they recognizing the fact that our interests 

 have been practically ignored in the formation of your party platforms 

 in the past, and also by our representatives in Congress in their law- 

 making capacity, and although as a class we produce over eighty per 

 cent of our exports, yet we are growing poorer yearly, and are plun- 

 dered by trusts and combinations of capital on every side. We desire a 

 straightout approval of the demands ; the ignoring of them will be con- 

 sidered as a rejection. 



As an agricultural organization, we are non-partisan in politics, hence 

 we make our demands from a non-partisan standpoint. 



Hoping that severally as delegates, and collectively as a convention, 

 you will give our demands your most careful consideration, we are, 



Your obedient servants, 



ISAAC MCCRACKEN, 

 Preset N. A. W. of America. 

 R. B. CARLEE, 

 Sec'y Executive Committee, Ark. S. A. W. 



The principal work of this meeting was to formulate, in con- 

 junction with the Alliance, a basis for consolidation. Differ- 

 ences of opinions had to be adjusted, personal pride and am- 

 bition had to be satisfied, and many other matters had to be 

 reconciled, in order to bring about the much desired consolida- 

 tion. After a number of days spent in earnest deliberation, a 

 plan was adopted upon which both organizations agreed to act. 

 This plan and its details have been given in the history of the 

 Alliance, found in another part of this work. After re-electing 

 the same national officers the meeting adjourned. 



