HISTORY OF THE FARMERS' ALLIANCE. 93 



4. To create a better understanding for sustaining- 

 civil officers in maintaining law and order. 



5. To constantly strive to secure entire harmony and 

 good will among all mankind and brotherly love among 

 ourselves. 



6. To suppress personal, local, sectional and national 

 prejudices ; all unhealthful rivalry and all selfish ambition. 



7. The brightest jewels which it garners are the tears 

 of widows and orphans, and its imperative commands are 

 to visit the homes where lacerated hearts are bleeding ; to 

 assuage the sufferings of a brother or a sister ; bury the 

 dead ; care for the widows and educate the orphans ; to 

 exercise charity towards offenders ; to construe words and 

 deeds in their most favorable light, granting honesty of 

 purpose and good intentions to others ; and to protect the 

 principles of the Alliance unto death. Its laws are reason 

 and equity, its cardinal doctrines inspire purity of thought 

 and life, and its intentions are "peace on earth and good 

 will towards men." 



It would be a wonder if an order promulgating to the 

 world such a grand declaration of principles, did not attract 

 to its ranks the thousands of farmers who felt that the iron 

 hand of monopoly was each succeeding year tightening its 

 grasp upon the productive interests of the country, and 

 threatening to undermine the very foundations upon which 

 the business of the country was supposed to rest. In their 

 declaration of purposes they breathe the inspiration of 

 liberty. In this new document was embodied the very 

 essence of the declaration of American Independence. In 

 it were contained the teachings of the Holy Scriptures. 

 The authors of this declaration were inspired by a patriot- 

 ism and wisdom not surpassed by any body of men of any 

 age or time. There was no attempt at ostentatious 

 affectation ; no demagogism. Simple in language, it 

 contains "thoughts that breathe and words that burn*" 



