HISTORY OF THE FARMERS' ALLIANCE. 123 



erative stores over the State, but the members do the 

 bulk of their trading through the Exchange. Nearly 

 every county in the State either owns or has stock in a 

 warehouse. The State Alliance has purchased and paid 

 for the Canton Cotton Mills and had it refitted for the pur- 

 pose of manufacturing cotton bagging. The Order in 

 Mississippi has accomplished much good and has a bright 

 future. Robert C. Patty is President, and C. T. Smithson, 

 Secretary. 



THE ALLIANCE IN NORTH CAROLINA. 



The appearance of the Alliance in North Carolina 

 was at a most opportune time. The Grange had failed 

 when the people were in a more prosperous condition and 

 they had come to see, as the times grew more oppressive 

 to agriculturists and money became scarcer, the necessity 

 of a stronger and more complete organization. Cotton 

 was bringing, in the local markets, only from 8 to 

 9 cents per pound, and there was a general depression 

 in every branch of business except the money lenders. 



That untiring worker, Col. L. L. Polk, had already 

 begun the publication of the Progressive Farmer, and was 

 advocating the organization of farmers' clubs. Members 

 of the professions laughed and politicians sneered at him, 

 but it is due to his manly courage and untiring energy 

 that quite a number of farmers' clubs had been organized 

 in the State before the advent of the Farmers' Alliance. 



The organization of these clubs was an important 

 auxilliary in organizing Alliances, as they furnished tim- 

 ber already hewn into shape for the new Order. 



In many instances .these clubs were changed in a 

 single day into full-fledged Alliances. Their members 

 had already, through the columns of the Progressive Farmer, 

 received the rudiments of an Alliance education. The 

 first Alliance in the State was organized on the 2Oth day 



