35 2 HISTORY OF THE WHEEL AND ALLIANCE. 



After the National Alliance was organized he served as 

 National Organizer in Mississippi until the meeting of the 

 National Alliance at Shreveport. 



Since the meeting at Shreveport Mr. Daws has been 

 almost constantly engaged in Alliance Work. He is one 

 of the foremost members of the Order. In 1887, in con- 

 nection with W. L. Garvin, he published a history of the 

 Alliance, which has met the hearty approval of members 

 of the Order. 



JOHN B. FRENCH. 



John B. French, Secretary of the Kansas State Alli- 

 ance, was born in L,awrence county, Indiana, in 1857. 

 Having to depend upon his own resources from boyhood, his 

 opportunities for education were limited. By employing 

 all his leisure time, however, he succeeded in acquiring 

 considerable general information, and by saving his money, 

 earned by working on a farm, he was, in time, enabled to 

 enter the Preparatory Department of the Indiana State 

 University, from which he graduated in 1880. He then 

 began teaching school, working during vacations on the 

 farm and at the carpenter trade. In 1884 he went to 

 Kansas and settled in Harvey county. He joined Sub- 

 Alliance, No. 20, July 13, 1888, and at the organization of 

 Harvey County Alliance, September 2, 1888, he was 

 elected Secretary of that body. He was a delegate to the 

 meeting that organized the State Alliance at Augusta, 

 December 22, 1888, and was largely instumental in 

 harmonizing differences and securing a harmonious 

 organization. His efforts in this direction, together with 

 his peculiar fitness for the position, secured his election as 

 Secretary of the State Alliance at that meeting. He at 

 once entered into the work with all the ardor of an 

 enthusiastic nature and the rapid progress which the 

 Alliance has made in Kansas is partly due to the active 



