THE DANBURY REPORTER.
VOLUME XXXIII.
An Imperative Message
To Tobacco Growers
"DONT INCREASE YOUR 1907 ACREAGE ; NO IN
CREASE MEANS AT LEAST $2,000,000 MORE IN
YOUR POCKETS THAN YOU GOT LAST YEAR"--
THIS IS MR. GRAVELY'S MESSAGE AND HE
SUPPORTS IT BY ABLE ARGUMENT.
Fellow Tobacco Growers :—I
am often asked the question,
"what do you think of planting
tobaoco this year ?" "Do y«u be
lieve prices will remain as high as
they are now, or have been this
season, if the orop is increased to
the size of the 1902 or 1903
orops ?" In reply, I wish to say
that if I should consult my own
personal interest, as many others
are doing at this time, I would ad
vise the planting of the biggest
crop of your life.
But when your interest is con
sidered, and the welfare of our
State and Nation is thought of,
nothing but dishonesty and crim
inal selfishness would suggest or
advise the planting of a big crop
of tobacco in 1907. Planting a
big orop this year, my brother
farmer, is dangerous—so danger
ous that many humble homes will
be brought to grief as a result.
Line after line of statistics could
be brought to show the probable
dis'ister that will come to the pro
ducer with a big crop, but it seems
unnecessary to do so when we have
daily practical proof before our
own eyes that competition is weak
—yes, almost entirely gone, and
that a conscienceless trust fixes
the price of your stuff at whatever
figure they think will best serve
their selfish interest, regardless of
what you say, think er do.
TWO PLAIN PROPOSITIONS.
The ability of the Trust to fix
the price of our tobaoco cannot be
denied, and that they will fix a
price below the cost of production
on a big crop, need not be doubt
ed.
If there are those in our midst
whose blindness permits them to
think that prices will not decline
if the orop is largely increased, we
have only to compare pounds and
prices of the crops of 1905 and
1906 to show that such an idea is
based upon nothing but hope. We
produced in North Carolina in
1905 eighty-six million pounds of
tobacco, which we sold for six
million eight hundred thousand
dollars; In 1906 we reduced the
production sixteen million pounds,
giving us only seventy million, for
whioh we obtained seven million
one hundred and forty- thousand
dollars.
TRUST PAYS MORE POR A SMALL
CROP THAN A 810 ONE.
In other words, we sold seveuty
million pounds in 1906 for three
hundred and forty thousand dol
lars more money than we got for
an eight-six milliou crop in 1905
—sixteen million pounds less, for
three hundred thousand dollars
more money, and of a muoh in
ferior q-iality, when the oondition
in which it was placed on the
markets for sale is taken into con
sideration. *
With these stubborn facts be
fore us, isn't it the height of fool
ishness to increase the planting 1*
Poet it appear that sensible men
will do such a thing ? But, says
one, "I am told by my friend
' Jones, Smith or Brown, or some
other fellow, that the short orops
we have had for the past three
years have oaused the supply to
be less than the demand, and you
i can therefore plant all the tobaooo
b you -an cultivate this year, for
prices ain't going down." Or,
"The world needs it and all you
have got to do, old boy, is to make
I' er '"
j Hear me, fellow-farmers :. the
mam who acts on auoh advice is a
fool, and the fellew who it
belongs in the State Penitentiary.
Nothing, nothing I say, but a
big crop will carry prices down in
1907, and every man with three
grains of gray matter in his "nog
gin" knows it. Why, then, should
' a friend" advise you to "plant all
you can ?" Listen : a friend won't
do it.
A 810 CROP OUR ONE AND ONLY DAN
GER.
I know that you are told to
watch the fellow that's going
through the country organizing
farmers, that he or they are after
the dollar, care nothing about your
interest; in fact, "I have heard
that they are hired by the trust"—
and many other such falsehoods
concocted for the one single pur
pose of feathering their own nests
at the expense of the men who
grow the tobaoco.
We know, no increase in ac
reage this year, means higher
prices. As for a big crop, we only
know it might sell well.
Who takes the risk ? The farm
er.^
And a big risk it is— bo great
that there is hardly a shadow of
doubt about his pocket-book be
ing lighter and debts heavier as a
result. On account of the farm
ers' organization am' the "get
together" sentiment they created
all over the country, they made
for themselves about two million
dollars by curtailing the crop last
year by sixteen million pounds
and thus raising the price about
two cents.
WHY THE PRICE WAS RAISED.
Why was the price raised. We
all know that little piece of poetry
"Will you walk into my parlor,
said the spider to the fly," don't
we? The trust raising the price
of our tobaoco last season for the
purpose of inducing us to plant
a big crop this year, brings it to
my mind most vividly. Has the
cost of entering that beautiful
parlor so many times been great
enough to teach us not to again
swallow the poisonous bait ? It is
possible, that those of us who were
fortunate enough to raise a fine
crop the past season, and have
sold or are now selling at satisfac
tory prioes, are so blinded by the
opicte of good fortune that we can
not see the dangers of the future
as reflected by the flash-light of
past experience ? If so, we have
only to recall to memory the sad
recollections of 1902 to show that
our hopes and expectations of con
tinued prosperity, are a simple
delusion.
REMEMBER PAST EXPERIENCES.
At that time we had some
ground for thinking that prices
would remain sufficiently high to
justify us to grow the weed. Two
commercial giants each fortified
with unlimited means and com
posed of determined men of the
most powerful nations of the
earth, were at war over the golden
leaf which we produce, and as a
result, prioes soared aloft. Won't
we happy ? Perfect satisfaction
was written on the face of every
farmer who had a cart load to sell,
and the thought of a change of
suoh a glorious condition of affairs
never for one moment entered our
minds. "Will Uncle Sam's boys
surrender ¥ Not on your life."
And John Bull "will stay there
until the end of time," was heard
in almost every home. /But alas!
a flag of trnoe appeared on the
DANBURY, N. C., MARCH 14, 1907.
horizon, a peace conference was
called, the hatchet was buried and
peace, love and unity prevailed
amongst the formor combatants,
and the tobacco was taxed to pay
the cost of the conflict. Notwith
standing the fact that the combi
nation lowered the price of leaf at
least four cents per pound, in less
than thirty days after hostilities
ceased they could not get enough
revenue out of what remained in
the farmers' hands to reimburse
them, so they took the next crop
(1903) for less than six cents per
pound net to the grower.
KEEP DOWN THE 1907 CROP.
Therefore, my brother farmer, I
beg you to tell me on what you
base your hope for satisfactory
prices for a big crop of tobaoco in
the year 15(07 upon ? Nothing ;
nothing but an earnest desire of
the heart. "Faith," says one. Yes,
faith is a good thing to have, but
"faith without works availeth noth
ing," says the Good Book.
Then what works are we going
to do to prevent a return of the
conditions that existed in 1903 ?
Or to obtain as much money for
the crop we are about to plant as
we did for the one just sold ?
It appears from the reports re
ceived from the tobacco-producing
counties, that nothing except the
preparation for a big crop is be
ing done. What can be done is an
easy question to answer.
Don't increase your planting.
No increase in acreage means at
least two million dollars more in
your pockets for the 1907 crop
than you got for the 1906 orop.
THE ONE REMEDY.
How can an increase|be prevent
ed ? By concert of action. Agree
ing among ourselves to do "the
same thing at the same time," and
then doing it is the good fruits of
organization. Therefore organi
zation, perfect organization, is the
only sure method of obtaining
each year profitable prices of our
tobacco. And of this I shall have
more to say in later numbers of
The Progressive Farmer.
J. O. W. GRAVELY,
Rocky Mouoi, N. C.
HOW TO REMAIN YOUNG.
To continue young in health
and strength, do as Mrs. N. F,
Rowan, McDonough, Ga., did. She
says : "Three bottles of Electric
Bitters cured me of chronic, liver
and stomach trouble, complicated
with such an unhealthy condition
of the blood that my skin turned
red as flannel. I am now prac
tically 20 years younger than be
fore I took Electric Bitters. I can
now do all my work with ease and
assist in my husband's store."
Guaranteed at all druggists. Price
50c.
Land For Sale In Southeast Mis
souri.
8000 acres timbered land at from
$2.00 to SIO.OO per acre ; 2,tK)O
acres of farm land at from $5,00 to
$20.00 per acre. Good climate,
good railroad facilities ; from H to
10 months public school each year.
If you want to buy, address
H. F. HUTCHENS,
Ellsinore, Mo.
Mch 7—3 mo
Mr. E C. Sheppard, a prom
inent merchant of Smith Route 1,
was here on business Monday.
Mr. Wm. Gordon, ofGermanton
Route 1, was a visitor at the Re
porter office Friday.
WORKED LIKE A CHARM.
Mr. D. N. Walker, editor of
that spicy journal, the Enterprise,
Louisa, Va., says : "I ran a nail
in my foot last week and at once
applied Bucklen's Arnica Salve.
No inflammation followed; the
salve simply healed the wound."
Heals every sore, burn and skin
disease. Guaranteed at all drug
gists, 25c.
REV. MR. OLIVER WRITES.
He Is Opposed To Reimbursing Town
ships For Railroad Taxes Paid
Also Opposes Bill To Appoint Mag
istrates For Stokes.
Mr. Editor :
Will you please allow me a little
space in your paper to express a
few thoughts in reference to the
two bills before our legislature in
reference to Stokes county.
First, the bill to,tax the county,
to reimburse certain townships,
their subscriptions to the roads
and the tax received by the coun
ty from the roads This is simply
unjust. The town*, hips took the
stock voluntarily with no thought
or expectation of being paid back
by the county. The people who
own property and live near the
road are favored more by the road
than those who live remote, as a
matter of convenience. In the
matter of hauling to and from the
road, what a difference to those
who live on the south side of the
county and those on the north.
It will be remembered that Yad
kin township voted against taking
stock in the C. F. & Y. V. road.
But a few citizens, to encourage
the building of the road, raised by
subscription one-third the sum
asked for, which was $6,666.00. So
they expected that the county
would pay this money back. No
one has asked that it be refunded.
Now, if it is just and fair to re
imburse the townships, it is cer
tainly just and fair to pay these
individuals their money back It
is to be hoped that the bill will
not pass and that the coanty will
not be burdened with this matter.
The second bill to which I refer
is the one proposing to appoint a
number of additional magistrates
for Stokes, with certain duties en
joined. Now, we have all the mag
istrates we need who have been
elected by the people. I infer that
the object of the bill was not more
justices so much, but the work
that they will be required to do.
I for one, hope that the legislature
of North Carolina is not so de
praved, and so lost to reason and
common justice as to pass such an
infamous bill. The people of
Stokes have eleoted their servants
for the next two years. These ser
vants have oomplied with all the
requirements of the law, are fully
bonded and an on the part of
the state to take their places from
them would be nothing less than
robbery.
I hope there is no man in Stokes
county who is so lost to reason
and common justice that he will
condesend so low as to acoept any
position provided for in the pro
posed bill. I will say more, that
no man who has proper respeot
for himself and for his fellow man
and for the principles Democracy,
a government by the people, will
accept any place provided for in
the bill. I was born a Democrat—
rocked in an old-fashioned Demo
cratic cradle and have all my life
life loved what I understand to be
Democratic principles. But if the
bill before our legislature to which
I refer, is Democratic, I frankly
confess that I want no more De
mocracy, though I could live to
the age of Methuselah.
P. OLIVER.
THE ORIGINAL POROUS
PLASTER.
It's Alloock's, first introduced to
the people sixty years ago, and to
day undoubtedly has the largest
sale of any external remedy—mil
lions being sold annually through
out the whole civilized world.
There have beert imitations, to be
sure, but never has there been one
to even oompare with Alloock's—
the world's standard external rem
edy.
For a weak baok, oold on the
chest or any local pain, the rusult
of taking oold or overstrain, there's
nothing we know of to oompare
with this famous plaster.
A Letter From King Route Two.
Mr. Editor :
We noticed in last week's Re
porter an explanation of the big
wheelbarrow rolling, that Mr.
Tuttle says was gossiped by a few
people. We beg to differ with him.
People of several communities
are talking about it, both worldly
and religious people of different
denominations, and the world
seems to be much surprised. It
reminds us of a little play that was
so popular a year or so back called
"crackaloo" that was carried on
with lis worldly people. Some of
you church members counted it
gambling and said that we ought
to be prosecuted in the county
court. Now we church members
have taken it up as pastime,
and don't hear anything said about
it being gambling. I guess they
think they were just having a
jolly time, just as the people roll
ing for the hat. What is the dif
ference in playing cards for a jolly
old time or shooting for a turkey
or rolling a wheelbarrow for a
hat ? If there be any differ
ence in these we would like for
him to explain to the readers of
the Reporter before he has an
other jolly old time.
Now, my good friend, you should
try to be more careful than King
Herod who gave his peeple a jolly
old time. Some of them demand
ed the head of John the Baptist,
and it was granted them. It griev
ed the King but it was t®o late.
We noticed when the hand
was writing on the wall another
King was giving a jolly old time.
We know of one good brother
whose son was present at the
wheelbarrow rolling and on his re
turn home asked him saying did
you see the Devil ? His reply was
no.
You say it was better than to go
off after a jug of liquor. I guess
you have a right to know because
we heard our friend W. W. say
something back and he does not
live out of reach of some of your
neighbors. You do likewise as
you bid your brother, please get
the beam out of your eye before
trying to pick motes out of others.
It seem to me that some people
can see a mustard seed in their
neighbors yard and looks impos
sible for them to see a full grown
elephant standing in their own
yard. We think people who try
to lead in public worship should
try to study their literature closer
and see if it upholds such worldly
amusements. We fear there is
more than one black spotted soul.
We are told that we have to walk
straight, turn neither to the right
or left to go through the golden
gate and not be ever concerned
about the worldly things. Judge
not lest ye be judged by the same
judgment.
The only distinction between
some of our church members and
worldly people is to be at the
church meeting and hear the roll
call. During our protracted meet
ings it seems that everybody is a
church member and when the
leaves it seems that he
takes most all with him.
Ye are the light of the world. A
city that is set on a hill cannot be
hid; neither do men light a candle
and put it under a bushel but on
a candlestick and it giveth light
into all that are in the room. Let
your light so shine before men
that they may see your good
works.
OLD TAB'S CAT.
FOUND AT LAST.
J. A. Hammon, of Lizemore,
West Va., says : "At last I have
found the perfect pill that never
disappoints me; and for the benefit
of others afflicted with torpid liver
and chronic constipation, will say:
take Dr. King's New Life Pills."
Guaranteed satisfactory. 25c at all
druggists.
WANTS A WOMENS COLUMN.
Miss Lasley Thinks It Would Be A
Great Help —Reporter Read More
Than Anything Else, Not Excepting
the Bible.
Gideon, Feb. 13.
Mr. Editor :
I see in a late issue of the Re
porter that you intend to soon en
large your paper and add new fea
tures.
May I, as a reader and contrib
utor, and being a Stokes county
girl, beg the privilege of a sug
gestion ? With your kind per
mission I suggest that there be
introduced a "Womens' Column"
—a department for we women and
girls of Stokes county to exchange
ideas and helpful suggestions on
how to live and make the best of
life. The mothers should come in
for a large share of help and en
couragement in the training of
their precious children.
Your paper has before it a large
field for good and a special corner
devoted to the best and highest
interest of our women and child
ren will be greatly appreciated.
Presided over and guided in
proper channels by some good
Christian woman it will be the
means of great good. I find that
the "Danbury Reporter" is read
more in Stokes county than any
thing else, not excepting the bible.
This idea of a special depart
ment for the moral and spiritual
uplifting of our dear people has
been in my mind for some time, so
I beg that you bear with my hum
ble suggestion and act for our good
according to your best judgment.
Very sincerely,
MELISSA LASLEY.
KING ROUTE 1.
King Route I.—A right smart
of grippe and measles in this sec
tion. Mrs. W. G. Slate is right
sick with grippe, but is improv
ing.
Mr. Alvin Blair left last week.
Guess Miss Dera is looking sad.
Cheer up, Mr. Blair will be back
some day.
Mr. and Mrs. Fount Tuttle visit
ed Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Tuttle Sun
day.
Mr. D. M. Tuttle lost a fine cow
last Friday we are sorry to know.
Mr. Bluford called at Mr. Al
len's Sunday. Guess Miss Ola is
drawing his attention.
Mr. Lee Cromer has the measles.
We think some one is sad.
Mr. F. M. Gibson killed a fine
porker last week weighing 200
at 7 months old.
Miss Mollie Johnson is looking
sad as Mr. Dee Riser has gone to
Raleigh to school.
JACK SNAPPER.
Delta School Closes Friday.
Dillard, March 4.—Delta school
closes with entertainment and ball
game March 15th. Everybody
invited. The players will be a*
fallows : G. C. Roberts C., L. J.
Mitchell, F. B. t J. F. Roberts, S.
8., R. M. Alcorn, T. 8., Chas. W.
Peebles, S. S., Frank Morton, P.,
R. L. Mitchell, C. F., A. L. Ward,
L. F., A. L. Duncau, R. F. Sub :
Eany Roberts and Luze James.
Respectfully,
CHAS. W. PEEBLES.
Deposits Steadily Rising.
The deposits in the Bank of
Stokes County now reach nearly
$(>0,000. Hardly a day passes but
that some new depositor is not
added to the ledger. Many farm
ers, ladies, widows, boys and girls
are among the Bank's patrons.
Mr. J. M. Campbell, of Walnut
Cove Route 1, was in town Friday.
Mr. J. W. Corn, of Campbell,
passed through Thursday enroute
[to Winston.
No. 6