98 HISTORY OF THE WHEEL AND ALLIANCE. 



again met, in Weatherford, Texas. Andy Dunlap pre- 

 sided over this meeting, and C. M. Wilcox was secretary. 

 At this meeting the eligibility clause of the constitution 

 was amended, restricting the membership to white persons 

 only. The three degrees in which the Order had been 

 working were simplified and combined into one. This 

 placed the members upon an equal basis, and permitted the 

 humblest to enter any of the meetings of the Order. The 

 Alliance was, perhaps, the first secret order that ever 

 adopted this method. The next meeting of the State 

 Alliance was held at Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto county, 

 Texas, August 8th, 1882. Up to this time there had been 

 1 20 Sub- Alliances organized. As this was the year in 

 which the State election was to be held the subject of pol- 

 itics came before the body, and the result of the discussion 

 was the passage of the following resolution: 



"Resolved, That it is contrary to the spirit of the 

 Constitution and By-Laws of our Order to take part in 

 party politics, and we will not nominate or support any 

 man or set of men for office as a distinct party or political 

 organization. ' ' 



The officers had up to this time performed their 

 duties without remuneration, but the work of the sec- 

 retary had increased to such an extent that he was now 

 allowed a salary of one hundred dollars per year for his 

 services. The next meeting of the State Alliance was 

 held at Weatherfora, Texas, August ;th, 1883. Although 

 the Order had now spread over Parker, Wise, Jack, Palo 

 Pinto and Hood counties, and a number of new Alliances 

 organized since the meeting of the previous year, 

 there were, at this meeting, the least number of delegates 

 in attendance of any of the State meetings since 1880. It 

 appeared as though the predictions of its enemies and the 

 fears of its friends were about to be realized, and the Alii- 



