HISTORY OF THE FARMERS' ALLIANCE. Ill 



While the growth of the Order was remarkable in 

 Texas, it was also rapidly extending into other States. 



THE ALLIANCE IN ALABAMA. 



In the spring of 1889 President Macune sent organ- 

 izers into the State of Alabama. Prior to this, however, 

 S. T. Jacobs had come from Texas to North Alabama and 

 organized a number of subordinate Alliances. The first 

 of these was organized at Beech Grove, Madison county, 

 and received its charter March 3Oth, 1887. Organizations 

 in Jackson, Marshall and Limestone counties quickly fol- 

 lowed, and when President Macune' s organizers reached 

 the State, they found a State Alliance already organized. 



J. P. Oliver, the efficient Secretary of the State Alli- 

 ance says : . " The Alabama State Alliance called a con- 

 vention to meet at Cave Spring, Madison county, August 

 2d, 1887. This was their second convention. The first 

 had met when they applied for incorporation. In the 

 meanwhile the men sent out by the National organization 

 had done good work in Chilton, Russell, Lee, Tallapoosa, 

 Coosa, Bibb, Shelby, Lauderdale, Talladega, Perry, St. 

 Clair and Elmore counties. These counties, learning of 

 the Alabama State organization, decided to send delegates 

 to their convention at Cave Spring." 



These delegations were admitted to the State Alliance. 



W. J. McKelvey was the first President of the State 

 Alliance, and G. W. Jones the first secretary. At the 

 second meeting of the State Alliance, S. M. Adams was 

 elected President, and J. W. Brown, Secretary. 



This convention elected five delegates to represent 

 Alabama at the convention of the National Union to be 

 held in Shreveport, La., the second Wednesday in Oc- 

 tober, 1887, and to apply for admission of the Alabama 

 Alliance into that body. The admission was granted, a 

 charter issued, and thus Alabama became a part of the 

 National organization. 



