84 HISTORY OF THE WHEEL AND ALLIANCE. 



annual meeting of the State Wheel was held in the city 

 of West Plains, on the i2th to I5th of October, 1887. The 

 following officers were elected: President, H. W. Hick- 

 man; Vice-President, W. G. Conner; Lecturer, S. H. 

 Beshears; Secretary, J. W. Rogers; Treasurer, J. W. 

 Smith. 



The next annual meeting was held at Dexter, Mis- 

 souri, September i9th to 22d, 1888. H. W. Hickman 

 was re-elected President; R. B. V. Nipper, Vice-Presi- 

 dent; J. W. Rogers, Secretary; S. H. Beshears, Lecturer; 

 J. D. Satterwhite, Chaplain, and J. W. Smith, Treasurer. 

 At this meeting an executive board was elected, delegates 

 were chosen to represent the State in the National Wheel, 

 and much other business of importance transacted. 



The next annual meeting of the State Wheel was 

 held at Springfield, in August, 1889. The work of the 

 National Wheel, at Meridian, was endorsed, and the Con- 

 stitution ratified. 



At this meeting the Alliance and Wheel, in the 

 State, were consolidated. The consolidated Order took 

 the name Farmers' and Laborers' Union. H. W. Hick- 

 man was elected President and J. W. Rogers, Secre- 

 tary. Since this meeting the growth of the Order in the 

 State has been wonderful, and the membership increased 

 to over 120,000. Much good is being accomplished in 

 the line of co-operation and the Order is making its in- 

 fluence felt in the the way of securing needed legislation. 

 The Order has saved its members many thousands of dol- 

 lars and has had a very beneficial influence on the general 

 condition of the farmers of the State. There are now 

 many co-operative stores and mills in operation and others 

 in process of erection. On the whole, the Order is in a 

 thriving and prosperous condition. The work of organ- 

 zation is being pushed, and at no distant day the State 

 will be thoroughly organized. 



