78 HISTORY OF THE WHEEL AND ALLIANCE. 



( ' The sessions of the State Wheel have been regu- 

 larly held on the i5th of January and July of each year, 

 and the interest manifested seems to be marked with firm- 

 ness and decision. While the growth of the Order is 

 rather slow it is of a solid character. As an organized 

 body it has made no effort to influence the politics of the 

 State; yet, it is evident that our demands are treated with 

 courtesy by the law making power. The Order has had 

 a great influence on trade in more than one way. The 

 members are steering clear of the mortgage system and 

 trading direct through their agents with the manufactur- 

 ers. At the same time, the improvement in methods of 

 farming is no small matter, owing, in a great measure, to 

 the discussion of farm topics at the meetings of the subor- 

 dinate Wheels. These are certainly the most important 

 meetings of the Order. The life and progress of the Order 

 depends upon the interest taken by the subordinate Wheels. 

 The Executive Board of the State Wheel, knowing South- 

 ern Kentucky to be a tobacco growing district, conceived 

 the idea of a tobacco warehouse in the interest of the pro- 

 ducers. They went to work, and, in connection with 

 some of the Tennessee brethren, succeeded in establishing 

 a warehouse at Fulton, Kentucky, where tobacco is gath- 

 ered to be honestly packed, and under the management of 

 a competent Board, it is no longer an experiment. It is 

 commanding the attention of foreign buyers, and sells to- 

 bacco for a higher price than other warehouses, and with 

 less expense and lossage to the producer. With this enter- 

 prise, and others, Kentucky Wheelers feel proud of their 

 success. ' ' 



THE WHEEL IN TENNESSEE. 



The first Wheel in the State of Tennessee was organ- 

 ized by R. Miles, of Prairie county, Arkansas, February 

 ist, 1884, in a little log school-house, about three 

 miles from Ralston. It is known by the name of 



