HISTORY OF THE FARMERS' ALLIANCE. 139 



lation, the tyranny and oppression of monopoly, excessive 

 taxation, the lavish expenditure of public moneys, and to 

 every species of wrong and abuses practiced in government 

 affairs, and shall denounce and expose fraud and corrup- 

 tion in public official places, whenever discovered, no 

 matter from what source they may come. 



' ' We shall encourage and strive to increase the facilities 

 among ourselves for a closer study and .better understand- 

 ing of the organisms, powers and purposes of government; 

 more attention to the laws of the country, local and 

 general, the better to understand their scope and meaning, 

 their influence on society and the public good, and thus 

 educate ourselves in the science of economical govern- 

 ment, elevate the standard of citizenship, and qualify 

 ourselves, without bias, to judge correctly of the merits 

 of candidates for office, their efficiency after elected, and 

 then to co-operate with them in the execution of the law, 

 that it may be respected, order maintained and society 

 improved. 



IN GENERAL. 



" We shall discourage law-suits and litigation between 

 members of the Order, .and shall teach and insist that all 

 differences and misunderstandings shall be settled and 

 adjusted by arbitration in the Alliance; and in general we 

 shall strive to cement our brotherhood in the closest bonds 

 of a common interest, and perpetuate our Order by fre- 

 quently meeting together on all matters that relate to our 

 mental, moral, social and financial interest, and to educate, 

 train and discipline ourselves to work together in carrying 

 out the laudable objects of our Order. 



"We shall teach and strive to induce our member- 

 ship to act upon the important truth that no great under- 

 taking and reform like the Alliance movement can be 

 successful without a clear understanding of its principles, 



