THE RACE PROBLEM. 275 



neither ride in the cars with them; but we do want as good fare as the whites 

 receive for the same consideration. As to the Alliance, in the language of Hon. R. 

 M. Hawley of Missouri, we believe this to be its mission : 



"'No protection to party favorites; ho force bills to keep up party and sectional 

 prejudices; no secret caucuses by members of Congress or members of the legisla- 

 tures, to consider matters of legislation. Let these be abolished by law. Also 

 abolish all party primary elections and party conventions for nominating candidates, 

 and provide for a people's primary election, where every voter can write on his 

 ticket the name of any person he prefers for any office, from President down to con- 

 stable. Let the proper county, State, and national officers, who shall be designated 

 by law, receive the returns, count up and authorize the result, which shall be that the 

 candidate receiving the highest number of votes, and the one receiving the next 

 highest number for each office shall be declared the contending candidates for final 

 election. This would empty politics of party strife and all its concomitant evils, and 

 lead to the representation of the leading industry of each district in Congress, and 

 county in the State legislatures. Party blindness would be removed, and let in the 

 clear light of the science of economical government. I believe that non-partisanism 

 will not reach its full and natural results till these things are accomplished; and this 

 I believe to be the mission of the Alliance.' 



" But, Mr. Editor, can we do anything while the present parties have control of the 

 ballot-box, and we (the Alliance) have no protection? The greatest mistake, I see, 

 the farmers are now making, is this : The wily politicians see and know that they 

 have to do something, therefore they are slipping into the Alliance, and the farmers, 

 in many instances, are accepting them as leaders; and if we are to have the same 

 leaders, we need not expect anything else but the same results. The action of the 

 Alliance in this reminds me of the man who first put his hand in the lion's mouth, 

 and the lion finally bit it off; and then he changed, to make the matter better, and 

 put his head in the lion's mouth, and therefore lost his head. Now, the farmers and 

 laboring men know in what manner they were standing before they organized; they 

 lost their hands, so to speak; now, organized in one body or head, if they give them- 

 selves over to the same power that took their hand, it will likewise take their head. 



" Now, Mr. Editor, I wish to say, if the laboring men of the United States will lay 

 down party issues and combine to enact laws for the benefit of the laboring man, I, 

 as County Superintendent of Putman County Colored Farmers' Alliance, and member 

 of the National Colored Farmers, know that I voice the sentiment of that body, rep- 

 resenting, as we did, 750,000 votes, when I say we are willing and ready to lay down 

 the past, take hold with them irrespective of party, race, or creed, until the cry shall 

 be heard from the Heights of Abraham of the North to the Everglades of Florida, 

 and from the rock- bound coast of the East to the golden Eldorado of the West, that 

 we can heartily indorse the motto, ' Equal rights to all, and special privileges to none.' " 



It is a pretty general custom with the Democratic party in the South, 

 that when the county executive committee meets to arrange for and call 

 a primary election, to nominate candidates for any office, it passes a 

 resolution setting forth that no one except white Democrats will be 

 allowed to vote in that election. This county executive committee is 

 generally made up of the political bosses of the county, the ones who 

 are looking forward to the loaves and fishes. Why not let colored Dem- 



