CHAPTER VII. 



THE PURPOSES OF THE FARMERS' ALLIANCE. 



BY DR. C. W. MACUNE, EX-PRESIDENT NATIONAL FARMERS' ALLIANCE AND CO- 

 OPERATIVE UNION, AND EDITOR OF THE National Economist. 



THIS is a very broad subject, and deep as broad, A superficial observer 

 may state, in a very few words, his conception of the objects and pur- 

 poses of the Farmers' Alliance, but all such statements will be found 

 very unsatisfactory and imperfect ; in fact, the most elaborate essay from 

 the most logical mind will not be perfect, because it is impossible for 

 human mind to conceive in detail the objective development of a great 

 moral and ethical force, evolved and perpetuated by conditions that will 

 exist in the future. No man, therefore, can give a perfect definition of 

 the purposes of the Farmers' Alliance ; and he who attempts a defini- 

 tion simply gives his own personal conception of the subject, which may 

 be more or less valuable, according as his field of observation and his 

 accuracy of judgment are good or otherwise. 



In a broad sense, the purposes of the Farmers' Alliance are written 

 or expressed and implied present and future ; they cover to-day a 

 remedy for every evil known to exist and afflict farmers and other pro- 

 ducers, and in the future should cover every contingency that may arise, 

 presenting evil to be combatted by means of organization ; they are 

 accumulative and ever changing, as the enemy assumes a new guise. 



They are written or expressed in the organic and statutory laws of the 

 order, as they have from time to time been enacted and published, and 

 briefly summarized in the declarations of purposes. 



They are to be implied from the various positions the order has taken 

 on the issues that it has from time to time met, both local and general, 

 and from the position it may be fairly assumed it will take upon new 

 issues as they may arise in the development of the commercial and edu- 

 cational growth of the country. 



To attempt to describe in detail the objects and purposes of the 

 Farmers' Alliance, as shown by the written or expressed laws of the order, 

 and affecting the past and present issues presented, is peculiarly the work 

 of the historian. The object of the present paper must necessarily be 

 confined to such deductions as may be fairly drawn from the history 

 made, and to point out, in a general way, the principles that must under- 



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