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THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERSffoF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY.
Vol. 1.
WINSTONNe-rMalT 5, 1886.
No. 13.
Agricultural
OUR FARMERS' CLUBS.
How the Work of Organizing i'TPro
gressing. MOUNT TABOR CPB.
The farmers in the vicinity of
3It. Tabor met on Monday evening,
26th ult., for the purpose" of organ
izing a Farmery Club. Twenty
names were ensiled. After adopt
ing a constitution and by-laws the
following officers were elected : Pres
ident, F. W.Pfaff; Yiee:President,
David Endsley; Secretary! Thomas
Ring; Treasurer, Junius Miller. An
executive committee of five was
chosen, composed as follows : J. L.
Pratt. Isaac Petree, J. F. Ziegler, Da
vid Endsley and A. E. Pfaff.
The Club then took into consider
ation the question of purchasing
fertilizers, and the president ap
pointed a committee to investigate
the question of prices, Sec, and re
port to the club. It was found that
the Club needed from 25 to thirty
tons, and it was ascertained that by
purchasing this amount it could be
purchased at a figure that would
save the purchasers in the aggregate
about one hundred dollars, thus il
lustrating forcibly one of the points
made in The Progressive Farmer
in the reasons given for the organiza
tion of such clubs.
The Club met again last Saturday
evening, the proceedings of which
we hope to give in our next issue.
CEDAR GROVE CLUB.
Cedar Grove, Forsyth Co., N. C,
May 1st, 1886.
The Club was called to ordof by
the Chairman, I. N. Null. ZA.fter
reading the minutes of preceding
meeting, the Club proceededito elect
the following officers: A. y. Bevel,
was elected President ; A. A. Crater,
Vice-President, and J. M. Jarvis,
Secretary and Treasurer
The following new members were
enrolled :
G. D. Conrad, A. L. Jones, S. A.
Phelps, A. B. Mock, VL L. Ketner.
Samuel Alspaugh, Leonard Ket
ner and J. C. Conrad were appointed
an Executive Committee.
The following resolution was of
fered and unanimously adopted :
Whereas, we, the members of
this Club believe that in order to
promote our interests as a eh.ss it
is necessary for us to read agricul
tural literature and encourage our
sons and daughters in reading the
same. Therefore, be it
Resolved, That we recommend
The Progressive Farmer to the
farmers of North Carolina as being
in every sense worthy of their pa
tronage. Col. L. L. Polk was intro
duced by the President, and made a
very appropriate address which was
much appreciated by the Club. , He
spoke among other important mat
ters of the importance of the farmer
raising his own meat and bread,
which subject will be discussed at
the next meeting of the Club which
will be June 5th, at 1 o'clock P. M .
This Club is now thoroughly or
ganized and fully equipped lor busi
ness. J. M. Jarvis, Sec'y.
ROCKY RIVER FARMERS' CLUB, CABAR
RUS COUNTY.
This Club meets twice a month,
has twenty-five members. It is in
excellent working order and "the
members are much interested.
Among the many things done, look
ing to progress, is the effort to im
prove the breeds of stock belonging
to the members. The Club has pur
chased a fine blooded Jersey bull
and Berkshire boar. Rev. J. M.
Wharey is President, and Prof. H.
C Dunn, of Harrisburg, Secretary.
A large meeting of the farmers of
Davidson county will be held at
Tyro, on next Saturday. The editor
f The Progressive Farmer and
others are invited to deliver addresses.
;gamzation of a Club.
The . Farmers' Club at Osgood,
Chatham county, now numbers 30
members, and is increasing weekly.
A Farmers' Club has been organ
ized at Pleasant Ridge, but we have
not yet learned the names of . the
officers.
Remember the meeting of the far
mers at Marvin's Chapel, on the 15th
inst. A large crowd and a most
pleasant time is expected.
South Fork Farmers' Club (For
syth County) held a meeting at
Cedar Grove on Saturday last, when
quite a number of new members
were enrolled, and a permanent or
ganization was effected. The pro
ceedings will appear in full in The
Progressive Farmer.
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Anson County has six regularly
organized Farmers' Clubs, and they
seem to be actively at work. They
are discussing "the fence law, the
fertilizer question, the road system,
prohibition, the beneiifs to be deriv
ed from organization, the one crop
system," &c., ATe hope at an ear
ly day to Jdy before our readers
more accurate information in regard
to theseorganizations in this good
old conn ty.
E SOUTH CAROLINA FARME
Proceedings cf the Convention Held
In pursuance of the call previously
made the. Farmers' Convention as
sembled ii Columbia on the 29th
ult. It wjsVi Very large assemblage
composed ofiepresentative farmers
of the Statpfyno met there not as
partisans-'mit to discuss the situa
tion as it affected the agricultural
classes of that State, and take steps
to correct the grievances of which
they complained. Among other pro
ceedings they adopted the following
preamble and resolutions :
Whereas, Congress, by Act of July
2, 1862, . appropriated certain land
scrip to the several States on condi
tion that the proceeds of the sale of
the same should become a fund, the
interest of which should be used to
sustain an agricultural and mechan
ical college for the education of the
industrial classes in each State ac
cepting said donation ;
And whereas, South Carolina ac
cepted this fund and entered into a
contract with the United States to
carry out in good faith the condi
tions of said trust, but has failed to
do so ;
And, whereas, the languishing ag
ricultural interests of the State are
in sore need of an institution which
shall furnish a more practical and
scientific training, at less cost, to
those who desire to follow farming,
than can now be obtained, while at
the same time mapping out the sys
tem of farming which must be adopt
ed to save our lands and redeem our
agriculture ;
And, whereas, a practical knowl
edge of the mechanic arts among
people must be had before we can
hope for that diversity of pursuits
and introduction of manufactures so
necessary to the prosperity of our
agriculture, by giving a market for
other farm products besides cotton ;
therefore be it resolved :
1st. That we respectfully urge the
Legislature to establish, as soon as
possible, a real agricultural and me
chanical college, separate and dis
tinct from the South Carolina Col
lege, and modelled after those off
jvucnigan anu iu.ii!ippi, nvMp
hnxrft stnnd the test of time and am
acknowledged to be the best of theh
kind in the United States.
2d. That the control and manage-t
ment of said agricultural and me
chanical college should be given to
the board of agriculture, which shall
locate the same at the most eligible
site they can secure, after advirtir-
The farmers in the neighborhood
oBethania are moving for the or-
in
for bids from the several coun-
ties.
3d. That an experimental station
should be established at and in con
nection with said agricultural and
mechanical college, the same to be
under the charge of its faculty.
4th. That we memorialize Con
gress and beg it to pass the bill in
troduced by Mr. Hatch and now
pending, which appropriates $15,000
annually to each State for this pur
pose, and that we ask our Senators
and Congressmen to use all legiti
mate means to secure its passage.
5th. That we protest against this
money, if it shall be apppropriated,
being received by the present trus
tees of the South Carolina College.
Their actions in the past show them
to be disbelievers in industrial edu
cation. Moreover, if we are to have
an agricultural college at all, every
dollar spent on the agricultural an
nex at Columbia is so much wasted.
And while we are willing to concede
to these gentlemen honesty of pur
pose and pure intent, we do not
acknowledge that lawyers and pro
fessional men are the proper ones to
control an agricultural college and
experimental station, any more than
we claim that farmers ought to be
chosen as Judges of our Courts. We
do not admit that the legal fraternity
possesses a monopoly of the brains
and education in this State, and we
want each shoemaker to stick to
his own last.
6th. That in order that our agri
cultural administration may be
divorced as far as possible from
politics twidpoliticians, in order that
the men best qualified to perform
hese important duties be selected
y those most competent to , judge,
n order that we may secure a board
f agriculture at once efficient, zeal-
ius and representative, who know
ir needs and will try to supply them,
e unre that instead of bein; chosen
'b the Legislature they be elected
by a farmers' convention composed
otldelegates from each county agri
cultural society, which shall meet
annually in November of each year at
Columbia for this purpose. This
Convention ought to also take into
consideration all matters of legisla
tion? affecting our agricultural inter
est and make such recommendations
to tie Legislature about the same as
they may deem proper. This board
of agriculture should consist of ten,
five elected annually. They should
hafe the power to elect their own
executive officer or secretary, whose
duties would correspond with those
of jthe present commissioner, and
their duties would be the same as
thel law imposes on our present
boird, while, in addition, they would
have control of the agricultural col
lege and experimental station, and
should, by means of "farmers' insti
tutes, &c, build up and keep alive
the: several county societies and far
mers clubs
8th. That in order to obtain the
neqessary funds to sustain the agri
cultural college, after the State shall
havje given enough to buy the farm
andj erect the necessary building, we
recommend that the privilege tax
on sale of fertilizers be doubled. The
board would then get an income of
ovei $50,000 per year, and this, with
the$5,700 from the land script fund,
wojild, we think, be enough to sup
port the college, inspect the fertili
zers, and hold farmers' institutes,
without additional taxation, except
at small indirect tax on guanos,
hich farmers will willingly pay to
$e guaranteed against fraud.
f 9th. That the inspection of fertili-
fzers is now defective and unsatisfac
tory, and no adequate punishment
for frauds provided. We, therefore,
urge such additional legislation as
will secure the needed protection
without imposing unnecessary re-
straint upon the manufacture and
Whether sold as stock food or as a
fertilizer, should be inspected ; and
dulteration punished, btock own-
rs will not mind the additional
ing
I w
M
charge to be sure of a wholesome
and pure article.
10th. That the CJJtadel Academy,
as a military school, be abolished,
and that so much of the money new
appropriated to its use as may be
needed shall be given to the, South
Carolina college at Columbia, so as
to make it a first-class institution for
the training of young men for the
professions and literature. A small
tuition fee should be charged those
entering there, but the trustees
should be allowed to admit those un
able to pay free of charge.
11th. That the State owes it to
her daughters to provide an institu
tion for their liberal and practical
education; a school where they can
be taught not only to adorn a drawing-room,
but be fitted to perform
the duties of lifo and become bread
winners if need be. A common
wealth which does not train its future
mothers can never hope to achieve
any high place in the civilization of
to-day, and both justice and wisdom
demand that our girls should have
an equal chance with our boys. We
recommend that such a school be
opened at the Citadel in place of the
military institution now in operation
there, and that it be liberally sup
ported by the State. We appeal to
the women of South Carolina who feel
the deficiencies of theirown training,
and have seen the utter helplessness
of their sisters when left to their
own resources, to aid in establishing
an industrial college for females in
our State like that of Columbus,
Miss. If they cannot secure that
prohibition which would banish
alcohol, they can help banish that
prohibition, ignorance, which now
bars their sex in this State from all
occupations except sewing, teaching
and working in cotton factories.
12th. That a committee of seven,
one from each Congressional district,
be appointed by the chair, who will
draft the memorial mentioned in
these resolutions, and forward the
same at once to our representatives
at Washington; and that the said
committee shall prepare bills, and
have the same introduced in the
next General Assemblp, carrying
out the spirit and purpose of these
resolutions. Furthermore, that said
committee shall go to Columbia
when the Legislature meets and
make, such presentation of facts and
arguments as will help secure their
passage."
The movement has assumed such
proportions that nearly every paper
in the State devotes considerable
space to notices of it. With few ex
ceptions they candidly endorse it
and commend its objects, while all
concede the high character of the men
who appeared in Columbia as the
representatives of their brother far
mers. We quote briefly from two
of the leading papers in the State :
"THINKING FOR THEMSELVES.
If the Farmers' Convention had
done nothing else but meet and dis
cuss the various maters submitted
to it on Thursday, it would have
been worth all the trouble and ex
pense of collecting together so large
i .a a i ' . . i i-- r
anu iiuiueiitiiii it uouy ui uuieus.
The resolutions offered, the qnestions
debated and the practical sugges
tions made all go to show that the
farmers of the State do their own
thinking, and have the manliness to
express their wishes and demand
their rights. We do not think their
judgment is right in ever instance,
but we admire the independence they
have displayed, because it is one of
the most hopeful indications of the
times and has introduced a powerful
element Plto the forces which con
trol society.
If the farmers of the State as a
class will only profit by the object
lessons given at Columbia this week,
and disscuss among themselves at
home the public questions in the
proper settlement of which their in
terests are so deeply involved ; if
they will study the enonomic and
political problems of the day in their
relation to the interests of the indus
trial classes, and then bring the full
I
force of mature conviction tocar
in the exercise of their rights as
fititima t ovn will nornv on
occasion for
loldimranother conven-
tion.
r
In nearly Vvery country commu
nity there isNsome7 local oracle to
whose superiorVvrisdom and experi
ence all questionVofLa political- or
social business nature are submitted.
The work,or the Tarmers' Conven
tion hashown that the influence of
these men has been broken, and that
hereafter the men who drive the
plough intend to rule the State. This
they can most effectively do by : the
exercise of a wise and conservative
influence in primary political coun
cils, and in selecting their best men
to fill the offices and to administer
the publie trusts. In this way the
welfare of the State will be best sub
served, and the interests of the far
mers most securely guarded."
Charleston News and Courier, 1st inst.
The Columbia Register says:
"WelVtho long talked of Farmers'
Convention has come and gone. It
is, perhaps, the largest assemblage
of farmers that has ever met in the
State. As such it must command
the attention, not only of the Regis
ter, but of every other journal in the
State. Right or wrong, such a gath
ering of the chief agriculturists of
the State must have, and ought to
have, a very positive meaning for all
the interests of the State.
4f
r
We honestly desire to see the in
intelligent farmers of the country
moving abreast of the times and pro
viding for themselves such an or
ganization as is absolutely necessary
to protoct the farming class from the
aggressive force of powerful com
binations in so many other occupa
tions. The farmers and planters of
the South cannot afford to stand
apart from each other any longer in
this era of great combinations. Hit
or miss, come what may, they must
be united in order to live. We then
see here a great business necessity;
which we never more appreciated
than we have done during the as
semblage here of the great conven
tion of South Carolina farmers."
L l
V T
The farmers of our sister State are
evidently waking up to the impor
tance of looking after their own in
terests, and mean business. The far
mers of North Carolina should keep
abreast with them in this movement.!
N. C. CANNED PEACHES.
We were shown to-day the rruits
of a North Carolina manufactory, ?
and an industry we have thought for ;
a long time could be made to pay
handsomely, considering the large
amounts sold in all of our family,
grocery stores, and the growing ten
dency of our people to use ; canned i
goods. Messrs. A. J. Hart & Son, of
lat Rock,, near Hendersonville, are
uttinc: up canned peaches. A ship-
ment was made to Messrs. Brown &i
Weddington, of this city, in order to .
introduce the goods here. ; To all ap
pearances they are superior to for
eign canned goods, from the fact!
that they are fresh j and retain all of
the fine flavor of the green peach.
Large quantities of the most choice ''
fruits are raised in the State and the
Chronicle hopes to see more of.it can-,
canned in the State. It is rather a !
bad policy for our people to sell their
fruit in a green state to foreign bujr
ers, and then buy the same goods i
from them canned. There must be
money in the canning process right i
where the fruiti is raised. It is these ;
industries that will make our State :
grow and increase in wealth. Cwir-v
lotte Chronicle. ;i 7
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A GENTLE REMINDER.
The average life of a printer is 33
years. As we are considerably over
30, our patrons will see the imme
date necessity of settling up, iq or
der that we may have the pleasure
of hearing the jingle of. the where-'
with before we shuffle of this mortal
coil. Washington, N. C. Progress. :
IS