BUSINESS EFFORTS. 357 



merchants in a town to make a written proposition to sell merchandise 

 to members of the Alliance in good standing, who held " trade cards " 

 stating that fact, at a specified rate of profit, which was to be much less 

 than the average rate of profit current at the time in that locality ; and 

 in exchange for such concessions on the part of the merchant, the 

 Trade Committee, if they decided to accept the proposition, had full 

 authority, and would agree that the trade of the entire membership 

 would be concentrated and placed with such merchant. All complaints 

 of overcharge or any violation of agreement, were made to the Trade 

 Committee. This committee also had access to the merchant's books, 

 and were in possession of his cost mark, and had access to his invoices ; 

 and it was their duty to frequently examine into his business, and see 

 that he was complying with the contract. As a further precaution, it 

 was generally stipulated and agreed to, that the merchant should employ 

 at least one Alliance clerk, who should be at liberty to report any viola- 

 tions of the contract to the Trade Committee. 



While this trade contract system was being extensively tried, an effort 

 was also made to co-operate in the sale of the products of the farm, and 

 in some counties Alliance cotton yards were established. This feature 

 was thoroughly discussed at the annual meeting of the State Alliance in 

 Cleburne, Texas, in August, 1886, and the membership were advised to 

 bulk their cotton and have sale days, to which buyers from the cities 

 should be invited, to compete for the purchase ; and when practicable, 

 the Alliance was advised to establish their own cotton yards, for receiv- 

 ing, weighing, sampling, grading, and shipping that product. 



The plan of bulking large lots of cotton, so as to secure buyers from 

 a distance to compete in the purchase, was not successful. For a while 

 it acted as a spur to local buyers, and kept up prices ; but after several 

 lots had been bulked, and all buyers had combined against it, the sale 

 was sometimes made at a loss, and the plan as a whole, after two years' 

 experience, was gradually abandoned. While the bulking system has 

 been abandoned, the Alliance cotton yards have largely been developed 

 into Alliance warehouses, and they have stood the test, and will remain 

 as an important and permanent feature of the business effort. 



In January, 1887, the National Farmers' Alliance and Co-operative 

 Union was organized. No national business system was provided for ; 

 but the State Alliance of Texas, which met at the same time, modified 

 its constitution so as to provide for a State business agent, to be elected 

 by the Executive Committee, and to be under the control of that com- 

 mittee. This is the first record of any attempt at State co-operation in- 

 business by the order. All previous action by the State Alliance had 



