The Western Rural Rules of Order and Rallying Song Book w/History of National Farmers Alliance 1882 Agrarian/Grange Activism ~ George Milton

Title: The Western Rural Rules of Order and Rallying Song Book. Also A History of the Farmers Alliance Movement, Which Began in 1880.

Description: Original brown cloth stamped in gilt on front cover. Spine ends and corners show a bit of wear (lower fore-corners exposed). Rear inner hinge cracked. Previous owner's name at head of title page; light soiling to a handful of pages. pp. [iv], (5)-122, [2]. 7.75 x 5.25 inches. Scarce.

A handbook for the National Farmers' Alliance (NFA), which had been founded in April 1880 in Chicago by George Milton, the editor and publisher of the Western Rural, a weekly farm publication. The NFA, an educational and nonpartisan advocacy organization, sought to improve economic conditions for farmers, which included their opposition to unfair taxation, government corruption, unjust commercial regulations, monopolies, and the adulteration of foods. Having emerged out of the Grange Movement and Farmers Clubs, by 1886 this national organization reported that it had grown to 500,000 members in sixteen states.

This volume provides a short history of the organization which describes its justifications. It includes the articles of its initial provisional Constitution as well as its first actual Constitution; instructions for forming local affiliate alliances; a guide to holding local meetings; descriptions of the duties of officers and committees; rules of order for meetings; templates for legal forms (deeds, bill of sale, lease, wills, etc.); a basic guide to book-keeping; and some other miscellaneous guidance.

The second part of the book consists of 68 rallying songs with patriotic, agrarian, and labor themes.

Advertising on front and rear endpapers.

Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Good

Publisher: Western Rural
Place: Chicago
Year: 1882

Keywords: Farmers Alliance, National Farmers' Alliance, Grange Movement, Milton George, Farmers Clubs, Agrarian Movement, labor movement,