Newspapers / The Carolina Union Farmer … / March 28, 1912, edition 1 / Page 4
Part of The Carolina Union Farmer (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Page Pout THP CAROLINA UNION PABMN]^ ganized weekly exchanges where produce can be sold as on a city grain exchange. Down in Berkley County, West Virginia, the fruit growers not only have an association similar to those in the West, but they are holding apple shows, apple carnivals, and fes tivals to promote the spirit of union and progress, “Pshaw,” says your practical man, “I’ll take all this sen timent in cash.” All right, here is the way their sentiment cashed down. When the middleman came buying apples in Berkeley County, they couldn’t possibly offer higher than $2.50 a barrel. The growers had had “a gentlemanly understanding.” They got $3 for 100,000 barrels inside of forty-eight hours: $50,000 extra cash for their spirit of union. But how is your isolated up-State farmer, living amid such non-pro gressives as sent the office man home unsupplied—how is he to wipe out the middleman and remedy condi tions? For him, there is only one way, by hook or crook, by some such ingenuity ns the Vermont turkey raisers tried, to get in direct touch with the city buyer. Up in Maine, a farmer and his wife excelled in fancy cheese; but how to get a price for it? They began exhibiting at county and town fairs with name, address and price displayed. It took just five years to work up more or ders than they could fill. In Denmark 162,000 co-operative farmers sell $78,000,000 of dairy produce a year, an average of more than $1,000 a member. In Russia are 800 co-operative milk factories using the product of 70,000 cows. In Germany, there are 19,000 similar societies. Why does America lag at the foot of the list in her farmers’ co-operative societies? But all this, you say, remedies mat ters only for the country man. How about the town buyer? Wouldn’t the truly co-operative association em brace consumer as well as producer? I am not advocating Socialism. I never read a book on Socialism or attended a meeting on it in my life. The point is to get that midleman’s heavy foot off the city man’s stom ach; to keep that unseen hand of higher cost of living from picking your pockets and mine. As long as the consumer does noth ing but grumble, he will continue to have his pockets picked; and the middleman may sleep easy. For the consumer, there is only one way out, and it is the way the irrigation has taught—buyers must get together. That is what the consumers’ co-op erative leagues of England have done. They buy direct from the producer. Only 2 per cent covers the expense of distribution. Compare that with the 2,000 per cent extortion on the basket of grapes. And the co-operative leagues of England year ly feed 8,000,000 people. That is a cutting out of middlemen, isn’t it? Feeding twice as many people as live in New York! England’s co-opera tive leagues began sixty-five years ago among some twenty-eight poor weavers who succeeded in saving $5 each in one year, pooled their capital and did a total business of $3,550 the first year. The second year they made profits equal to their original capital. To-day, those leagues em ploy 18,000 people, have 150 tele graphic addresses on their books, sell to members close on to six-hun dred-million dollars’ worth Of pro duce, and pay back to thier share holders not the extortionate 2,000 per cent, but something over three million dollars, less than half of one per cent on business done. This, of course, does not show the saving in price to the purchaser. Mr. Wilson says there will be no bridging of the chasjm^e^ween grow er and eater, producer £ffid consumer. till starvation drives men back to the land. Mr. Hill’s prophetic vision foresees only one door of hope- also starvation, compelling higher yields on the land. Many thinkers agree with both big men. Are they right? Will America wait for star vation? She never has yet. She has taken time by the forelock always, and averted the evil. Will she do it in this case? Will some great co operative organizaiton bridge the chasm between producer and con sumer? Reciprocity may bring an era of lower prices; but so long as farmers are flocking from the farm, the relief can be only temporary. Sev en million people—Canada’s popula tion—cannot make material differ ence in the cost of feeding 100,000,- 000 people. Is the giant to be left standing with one foot on the city man’s stomach and one foot on the farmer’s back, filching from both sides; his warehouses literally burst ing with food stored and held back to force prices yet higher; stored and held back till it rots and has to be dumped into the sea? It is for the people to give the answer. The little child of the slums was enjoying her first visit to the coun try, and was enthusiastic in her ad miration of the farmyard. “Just look at the chickings!” she exclaim ed in ecstasy. “They’re all running about raw!” When writing advertisers, please mention this paper. STATE NEWS. Mr. James C. Draughan, living near Dunn, Sampson County, last ten bales of cotton a few days ago by fire. The Southern Railway Company is soon to build a new passenger sta tion at Hickory. It is to be entirely modern in every way it is said. Mr. Paul F. Burton, an excellent young man and electrician of War- renton, came in contact with a live wire Tuesday last and was instantly thrown to the ground and killed. He was twenty-seven years old. The home nf Mr. .Teff D. White- sides, near Yorkville, in the vicinity of Hickory Grove, was destroyed by fire a few days ago. The loss was estimated at from $3,00 to $4,000. The cause of the fire was not known. Thirty-nine bridges in Guilford County were totally or partially wrecked by ths recent floods. Most of them were wooden, and the com missioners of that county have de cided to replace the larger wooden bridges with steel ones. Mr. L. H. Phillips, at one time clerk of the Superior Court of Ca tawba County, and at present cashier o fthe Merchants and Farmers Bank of Newton, is to become secretary and treasurer of the Fidelity Hosiery Mills, succeding Mr. R. P. Frieze. [Thursday, March 28, 1912. A glove factory is to be opened in Hendersonville sbon, conducted by Mr. R. P. Prieze, secretary and treas urer of the Fidelity Hosiery Mill at Newton. The surviving members of Com pany I, Forty-ninth North Carolina Regiment, Confederate Veterans, will hold their annual reunion at Cataw ba, March 30th. The post-office and express office at Kingsboro was robbed one night last week. Ten or twelve gallons of whiskey, money, postage stamps and other express were taken. Mr. R. W. Vincent, who has been managing editor of the Charlotte Ob server for years, has accepted a po sition on the staff of the Atlanta Georgian and will take up his new w’ork soon. The jewelry store of J. R. Brewn, at China Grove, was broken into and robbed last Thursday night. Only a few articles were taken as the rob beries were not successful in break- in ginto the safe. A contract has been awarded to Mr. R. C. Campbell, of Lenoir, for j the building of a ney court-house for ' the new county of Avery. The con tract was for an $18,000 building. When writing advertisers, please mention this paper. Have You Sent in Your Club of New Subscribers? If not do so at once. We are going to extend the time until April 15th, because some were not able to get their clubs together by April 1st. Remember that the subscription price will be strictly $1.00 a year after this date and all club- ging offers will be discontinued. All new and renewal subscriptions will be accepted at the clubbing price of 75 cents each until April 15th. If you are making a club or intend to do so, get it up now and let us have it on or before April 15th. If you haven’t a subscription blank, use the form below, or write for one on a postal card. If you want sample copies we will be glad to send them to you. Don’t let this opportunity pass. No time or expense will be spared to make The Carolina Union Farmer a publication second to none, for the North Carolina Farmer, and our Union brethren can help «s materially by getting their friends and neigh bors on our list. You can do this eas ily. If the secretary of your local does not take your subscription, send it in yourself. Any member of your local can get up a club if he so desires. Two or more names will constitute a club, and there will be no limit to the names you can send in at the club price if you send them in by the 15th. SUBSCRIPTION BLANK N. C THE CAROLINA UNION FARMER Raleigh, N. C. Gentlemen: Enclosed you will find ^ Check, Money Order, Cash or Stamps For the following subscriptions: NAME 191 POSTOFFICE R. F. D. No. 1 - Amount. Please enter the above namefe as subscribers to The Carolina Union Farmer. Yours fraternally. , . N. County 1 Address all letters and make all checks, money orders, etc., payable to The Carolina Union Farmer, R^l . eigh, N, C.
The Carolina Union Farmer (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 28, 1912, edition 1
4
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75