124 HISTORY OF THE WHEEL AND ALLIANCE. 



of April, 1887, in Robeson county, by M. T. Seely, and 

 was called the Ashpole Alliance. In about a month's 

 time Mr. Seely succeeded in organizing eighteen subordi- 

 nate lodges, and on the 28th day of May the first County 

 Alliance was organized in Robeson county. Some time 

 in May of the same year J. B. Barry came from Texas and 

 organized quite a number of Sub-Allianges in Wake 

 county in which a County Alliance was organized on the 

 2Oth of June. Other counties were rapidly organized and 

 on the 4th of October, 1887, a State Alliance was organ- 

 ized at Rockingham, in Richmond county, with S. B. 

 Alexander as President, and Iy. L. Polk, Secretary. The 

 Progressive Farmer was endorsed as the State organ, and has 

 occupied that position ever since. At this time there 

 were only 132 subordinate Alliances and eight counties 

 represented. 



The next meeting of the State Alliance was begun on 

 the 4th day of August, 1888, in the city of Raleigh. 

 President Alexander and Secretary Polk were re-elected. 

 The report of the Secretary showed that fifty-two County 

 and 1,018 subordinate Alliances had been organized in the 

 State and that organizers were at work in eleven other 

 counties. The membership at this time numbered about 

 42,000. 



A number of important resolutions were passed at 

 this meeting and the fight on the jute bagging trust 

 begun. It is worthy of note that the members through- 

 out the State made a gallant fight on the trust, many of 

 them refusing to use the ' ' trust bagging ' ' under any con- 

 dition. One year later the third session of the State 

 Alliance was held in the city of Fayetteville. At this 

 meeting Elias Carr was elected President, and L. L. Polk 

 was re-elected Secretary. Capt. Alexander was made 

 Chairman of the Executive Board. Steps were taken to 

 place the State Business Agency on a better footing, and 



