HISTORY OF THE FARMERS 1 ALLIANCE. 99 



ance suffer disintegration. S. O. Daws, Lecturer, and C. 

 M. Wilcox, Secretary, were the only officers present. 

 Many causes are attributed to this apparent decline of the 

 Order. The organization was now entering its trial period. 

 Men's souls were being tried in the crucible of adversity. 

 But they were equal to the task. They rose with the occa- 

 sion. These hardy pioneers of reform were not to be so 

 easily discouraged. Many of their attempts at co-opera- 

 tive trade had been unsuccessful. Their efforts in this 

 direction had been treated with contempt. Altogether 

 the year had not been an auspicious one for the Order. 

 Many who had attached themselves to the organization 

 through selfish motives, or thinking its object was the 

 formation of a new political party, dropped out when they 

 discovered its real objects and interests. A number of Sub- 

 Alliances went down. But those that were left multiplied 

 themselves. They now put forth greater efforts than ever. 

 The zeal of the old members was rekindled and new ones 

 added to the organization. At the next meeting of the 

 State Alliance, held in February 1884, at Chico, Wise 

 county, there were about fifty Sub- Alliances represented. 

 W. L. Garvin was President and C. M. Wilcox, Secretary. 

 One month prior to this meeting President Garvin had 

 employed S. O. Daws as Traveling Lecturer. Mr. Daws 

 reported the organization of seventeen Sub-Alliances as 

 the result of this month's work. The body confirmed the 

 appointment made by the President and elected Mr. Daws 

 Traveling Lecturer for the ensuing year. Up to this time 

 the trade system had not given the satisfaction desired and 

 the body passed the following resolution: 



'* Resolved, That we encourage the formation of joint 

 stock companies in Sub and County Alliances for the pur- 

 pose of trade and for the personal benefit of the members 

 financially. " 



The State Alliance convened again at Weatherford, 



20 



