CHAPTER V. 



THE FARMERS' ALLIANCE AND INDUSTRIAL UNION. 



As the reader has, perhaps, already anticipated, the 

 harmonious work accomplished by the two National bodies 

 at Meridian, Mississippi, in December, 1888, could only 

 result in their final Consolidation. By the I5th of Septem- 

 ber, 1889, nearly every organized State had met and 

 ratified the constitution. A proclamation to this effect was 

 issued by the Presidents of the Wheel and Alliance and 

 the consolidation declared to take effect on the ist day of 

 October, 1889. This was a grand step in their onward 

 march. The new Constitution set the time of meeting for 

 the National body on the first Tuesday in December. 

 The place chosen for the first National meeting of the con- 

 solidated organization was St Louis, Missouri. Delegates 

 were chosen to this meeting from the following States: 

 Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Indian Tern ton*, 

 Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mary- 

 land, North Carolina, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South 

 Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, eighteen in all. 

 Representatives were also present from the Farmers' Mutual 

 Benefit Association. The meeting of the National 

 Farmers' Alliance of the Northwest convened in the city 

 at the same time. Also the National Colored Farmers' 

 Alliance. 



T. V. Powderlv, Grand Master Workman, and Ralph 

 Beaumont, Chainnan of the Legislative Committee of the 

 Knights of Labor, and A. W. Wright, also of the Knights 



