North Carolina Newspapers

2 I I J i i i f r. I i 1 v ! 1 V ? l : 1 i V- r: r in. i:;r ? .(V r A' THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY. Vol. 3. RALEIGH, N. C, APRIL 10, 1888. No. 8 DIRECTORY OF FARMERS' ORGANIZATIONS. farmers' national alliance and co-operative UNION OF AMERICA. President C. W. Macune, Texas. First Vice-President L. L. Polk, N. C. Vice-Pres't for Ala, II. P. Bone. Vice-Pres't for Ark. W. H. Moore. Vice-Pres't for Fla. Oswald Wilson. Vice-Pres't for Ky. S. B. Irwin. Vice-Pres't for La. Linn Tanner. Vice-Pres't for Miss. R. T. Love. Vice-Pres't for Mo. A. B. Johnson. Vice-Pres't for N. C. S. B. Alexander. Vice-Pres't for Tenn. I. H. McDowell. Vice-Pres't for Tex. M. D. K.. Taylor. Secretary E. B. Warren, Texas. Treasurer A. E. Gardner, Tenn. Chaplain Rev. J. C. Jones, La. Lecturer Ben. Terrell, Tex. Asst. Lecturer J. A. Tetts, La. Door Keeper Newt. Gresham, Ala. Asst. Door Keeper H. C. Brown, Ky. Serg't-at-Arms T. E. Groom, Miss. NORTH CAROLINA FARMERS STATE ALLIANCE. President S. B. Alexander, Charlotte, N. C. Vice-President T. Ivey, Ashpole, N.C. Secretary L. L. Polk, Raleigh, N. C. Treasurer J. D. Allen, Falls, N. C. Lecturer Geo. Wilcox, Carbonton, N C Assistant Lecturer D. D: Mclntyre, Laurinburg, N. C. Chaplain Rev. E. J. Edwards, Cedar Creek N. C. Door Keeper W. II. Tomlinson, Fay- etteville, N. C. Assistant Door Keeper R.,T. Rush, Mt. Gilead, N. C. - Sergean t-at-Arms J. S. Holt, Chalk Level, N. C. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE NORTH CARO LINA FARMERS STATE ALLIANCE. Elias Carr, Chairman, Old Sparta, N. C; Thadeus Ivery, Ashpole, N. C. Third place to be supplied. THE NORTH CAROLINA FARMERS ASSOCIATION. President Elias Carr, Old Sparta, Edgecombe county. B. F. Hester, Oxford, Secretary; S. Otho Wilson, Vineyard, and W. E. Ben bow, Oak Ridge, Assistant Secretaries. STATE GRANGE PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY. W. R. Williams, Falkland, Pitt county, B. T. J. Ludwig, Mt Pleasant, Secre tary. NORTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF AGRICUL TURE OFFICERS. John Robinson, Commissioner. T. K. Bruner, Secretary. Dr. H. B. Battle, Chemist and Director of Experiment Station. John T. Patrick, General Agent Immi gration. N. C. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. W. G. Upchurch, Raleigh, President; John Nichols, Raleigh, Secretary. NORTH CAROLINA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. President J. Van Lindley, Pomona. Secretary S. Otho Wilson, Vineyard. For The Progressive Farmer. THE CAUSES OF DEPRESSION. Oaks, N. C, April 3, 1888. Everybody knows that something is wrong. What is it ? The Alliance, the Knights of Labor, the Wheel and other organizations, are trying to ferret out and remove the cause of discontent. It is much better to re move the causes of the disease in the body politic than to apply healing remedies; it is better to remove the causes of pauperism than feed the poor to remove the conditions of poverty than feed beggars. In looking for the causes of discon tent, we will examine the plain facts of every-day observation and draw our conclusions from what we see. First. We see ' that the merchant charges from forty to fifty per cent, 'profit 6n all the goods, wares and merchandise which he sells on time, secured by mortgage or crop-lien. "We also see that in many parts of the State the people buy nearly every thing they eat or wear. I do not blame the merchant. He could not incur the risk without compensation. What I complain of is that the law allows such extortion I do not mean illegal, but legalized extortion. Five millions of dollars would; be a small estimate of the amount of taxes which the people pay every year by reason of this defect in our law. ' . Another cause of degression is the want of a proper administration of . .. . - justice in our courts. jNow-a-aays a case in court requires three or four lawyers on each side, with a fee of from one hundred to five hundred dollars each If the litigants are men of means, there may be great assur ance that the case will continue in court till both sides are well pleased. The opposing counsel, as a matter of defference to the request of some one of their number, agree to continue the case, and his Honor, through courtesy to the bar, so orders and blandly in forms the witnesses and parties who have been in attendance several days that the case is continued, and that "they are discharged till the next term of . the cohrt." Similar expe riences are' had at subsequent terms till both? sides, badly worsted, either compromise ; their case or get a trial, to the great detriment of all concerned, except the court and the bar. In criminal cases 'the guilt or innocence of the party is more a question of finance (or family influence) than of law .or evidence. If the party , has plenty of money, he will be almost sure to be found innocent; if he has no money, he will be very apt to be convicted. ' - In like manner, what a doctor may charge, if he does not happen to kill you, will depend not so much on the labor performed as on the amount he may nappen to neea or you may ue able to pay. ' The salaries paid to some of our worthy ministers of the Gospel might lead to the inquiry whether the loaves and fishes or the pure Gospel consti tute the greater incentive to their work. . In 1835 the delegates to the State Convention to amend the Constitu tion, fixed their per diem at $1.50. In 1875 it required the power of an amendment to the State Constitution to restrain our law-makers from pay ing themselves more than $4 per day for their services, and they paid them selves as liigh as $7 per day at one time since the war. The same seems to hold good in the case of all salaries, fees. &c. In fact, othce-holding ana professional service is now about the only money-making business in tms country, except extortion antagonized by law. The Farmers Association at ureens- boro said: "Commerce, with its steamships, its railroads, its monopo lies, its syndicates, its trusts, its bank- ing corporations sustained oy tne government of the United States has towered above every other interest, and has laid them all prostrate at its feet. Unless we are paralyzed by the presence of this giant, we can check its progress, and unless we intend to be slaves, we must check it." Now the greatest trust or combine that I know of is that which consti tutes political bossism in this country. It multiplies offices, it levies taxes, corners the emoluments of every office and luxuriates in hundreds and hun dreds of millions of dollars every year, while the laboring masses of the people are getting nearer and nearer to the borders of want and suffering. It is said that a large part of the pop ulation of Europe are born to pauper ism; that poverty is their destiny; made so by their surroundings. How long will it be before the same will be the case m this country ? It will not be long, unless you can break the power of the great combine that is now pressing so heavily upon the laboring masses. Over-taxation, and the permission given in our laws for extortion are the evils that must be remedied, and the ballot box is the only power in this country that can remedy them. We say the people must be edu cated. Yes, they "must be educated, not so much be levying taxes and founding schools and colleges as by leading them to think for themselves and to vote their honest convictions. There is no safety , in, , the ballot boxun 7oc men will think -and vote intelligently. The farmers intheir "declaration of nriTip.inlP.a: sav: " We will seek legis lative relief not through separate. party organization, out iw u "5". , , - iitiVoi riarfiAs alreadv organized. We will, present this declaration of principles to them at their nominating conventions and ask that they incor porate them intoN their platforms and discuss them before the people, and that we will vote for no one who re fuses to advocate and support our principles." The farmers and laborers, with all good citizens, should now better them selves and fill the ranks of delegates to their nominating conventions, and see that their principles are incor porated into the platforms of both the political parties. When this is done, see that the proper men are placed upon these platforms. lt is immaterial whether they are farmers or poli ticians, or lawyers, or business men, or doctors, or mechanics. The only question should be, are ihey honest, are they capable? Will "they faithfully guard the best interests of all classes and conditions of the people ? Will they carry out in good " earnest those principles which will elevate labor and industrial pursuits ? If we believe they will, we may feel confident that the industrial era will dawn upon us as we begin the second century of our National life. ; Orange TEXAS WOOD COTTON. In reply to the inquiry about Texas Wood Cotton, maqe through the columns of The Progressive Farmer recently, the following is furnished us for publication : Dear Sir : We have what is called Texas Wood Cotton, which - gives a very large yield of lint. The seed are very small and - mostly smooth and black, and yields from 36 ta40 pounds of lint to the lOO.sIt-makes a small yield of seed ttf"tntft$aleT r v " Yours respectfully, J. R. Gilchrist. Laurinburg, Richmond Co., N. 0. A TREAT IN STORE FOR THE ALLIANCE MEMBERS OF ROBESON COUNTY. Col. Green Having been Invited to Ad dress Them, Replies as Follows: Fayetteville, N. C, March 24, '88. Mr. John H. Morrison, Morrosinian: 2fu Dear Sir: Your esteemed favor of 20th inst. is at hand, in which you request me to address the Farm ers7 Alliance of Robeson county, ana the public generally, at Maxton, at a time to be decided on, un tne ad vantages that may arise from a thor ough organization of the agricultural classes." Permit me to say in reply that the reasons for such organization are so obvious and self-apparent that it seems to me the mere statement of the text given would be sufficient to carry conviction without superfluous comment. In these days of " trusts," " svndicates " and " combines," such an organization, to my thinking, is not one of simple expediency. It is one of imperative duty. " Self-preser vation is the first law oi nature, says the proverb, and it is here brought home. The greatest of all interests in ... t J i. J i in tnis great iana, n nut xu a umg, certainly in a comatose condition. Something must be done, and done right speedily, to save it from the canker of dry rot, wnicn now seems imminent. Action is essential, lo act intelligently and effectively, there must be concert of action. Keason sanctions it, home . and home ties en join patriotism demands it, monop oly understands it, and is profiting by the knowledge whilst singing the Syren's song, of "All swell," to lurtner delude the most populous as well as most oppressed class between the two oceans. No ! Organization is-not a mere " advantage." It is, I repeat, a necessity, as imperious as the plank to the drowning ' man, fuel to the freez ing, or a sop to the starving. : They know nothing of or at least cannot appreciate the patriotism of the rural classes, who would fain in timate that such association argues aught unfriendly to tne existing, po litical order of things in our old State. Such ' insinuation is no less an insult to them than ' it would be to the lawyers, doctors, divines, as well as the several handicrafts who have their societies and unions for mutual bene fit and protection. There are none more interested in good government than they are, for they know full well that it is essential to material pros perity, and they know, too, the race in whose hands it should be reposed. Yes, it will afford me pleasure to talk to our brothers of Robeson on the subject assigned me, although with full consciousness of inability to do it that justice which its importance de mands. Owing to pressing private matters, it is impossible to name the day at present, but will try and do so within the next three or four weeks, if that is agreeable. Thanking you and my other mends for the honor implied in the invitation, I am, Yours fraternally, ' ,SW. J. Green. PUBLIC SCHOOLS. No. 4. Census, Enrollment, Attendance, &c. According to the last returns the whole number of white ; and colored children between the ages of 6 and 21 years was 566,270.; 4 The white chil dren, during the last four years, in creased from 321,561 to 353,481 : to tal in four years 31 ,920 or; 9.92 per cent. During the same time the col ored children increased from 193,843 to 212,789; total 18,946 or 9.77 per cent. Thus it .will be seen that the rate of icrease is very nearly the same for both races, the whites having in creased only IS per cent, faster, or 15 in 10.000. Last year there were enrolled in the wrhite schopls 57J2LpexJcent.' or 202,- 134 out of 353,481, children ; m tne colored schools 57.8 per cent, or 123, - 145 out of 212,789. The average daily ... . attendance in white schools was 35.2 per cent., and in the colored schools 33.5 per cent. Looking back over four years of figures show that there is a small increase in both the enroll ment and average attendance of the whites ani a small decrease of the colored. I state this because it is sometimes said that the colored peo ple attend the public schools better than the whites. This may be true for some communities, but it is not so for the State according to the returns made to mv office. Besides, the whites have a much larger proportional atten dance in private schools than tne ne groes ave. -Because there are enrolled m our public school only 57 or 58 children out of everv 100 there is an opinion among many people that the remain ing 42 or 43 do not attend at all. This is not the fact. Uur scnool age is from 6 to 21 vears, a period of 15 years. During any one session a large number oi smaii cnuuren wiuuu school age will not be enrolled who at some subsequent time will be ; and j also a great many, say from 16 to 21, J drop out of the public schools to en: J crafre in work or pass into the private schools and colleges and are not en rolled in the public schools. lhe fact is that during the short time our schools are m session we nave en rolled in them a larger per cent, of population than Massachusetts, Con- t . -r-r- t TTT 1 ' necticut, , or JNew 1 oik. w e nave en rolled 20.03 per cent, of the whole population including men, women, ana childred, of all ages, or one person in five, while Massachusetts has only 18 per cent., Connecticut 18.71 percent., and New York 19.28 per cent. These figures are taken from the last report of the Commissioner oi ijiQucation anu are based on the United States census nf 1 880 and the latest school census of of the States compared. . And further, our daily average attendance in pro portoin to the whole population is bet ter than in New York or Connecticut. I am free to say that quite large number of our children do not avail themselves of the facilities they have, but the greatest'; difference between ofWatirmal status of our State and TiWea T Tiava named aboveJ and other Northern States, consists in the length al school terms. JNortn aro Una has 60 davs per annum,' (just about the same for pour races; r i ,, -, l.' A 1 hA JMassacnusetts l v., uonnecucut i v, and New York 178. With nearly the same rate of enrollment and average attendance and, say, three times as long terms, the pub lic educational forces in these three States are three times as great as are those of our State, granting that our teachers are as well prepared for their work. We are indeed far behind in the educational race, but still our pub lic schools are improving in efficiency and attendance, and our many private schools are giving valuable help both in the instruction of children who are not included in the public school en rollment, and in providing higher edu cation to those young persons who have passed beyond the public school course. In estimating our educational facili ties I have taken the average for the State. We must not lose sight of the fact that, while the average school term-is 60 days or 3 months, some counties have only about 2 months, and others have 4 months or more. This results from several causes : 1. A difference in valuation of property in the different counties. 2 Closer collections of school funds by officers of some counties than of others. 3. Receipts from license of retail liquor-dealers, which are large in some counties and small or notmng in others. 4. Special levies for schools by some County Commissioners and none by- others. - S. M. Finger, Supt. Public Instruction. - HOW TO. RAISE ONIONS. I prefer a dark sandy soil that is well drained and slopes gradually to the south, enough to drain well. Then plow the ground from four to six inches deep with inlands four or fiye rods wide and leave the furrows open to carry off the surface water. I then harrow and drag the ground till it is well pulverized and level ; men raKe with a steel hand .rake. As soon as this is done the seed can be sowed, and this should be done as soon as the ground can be got ready in spring. It can best be done witn tne nana seea drill. I sow from 4 to 5 lbs to . the acre and from one-half to one in ch deep and in rows from 12 to 16 inches apart. As sood as the onions are up so I can see them m the row, narrow with a hand harrow. Then I start the wheel hoe and follow with the weed ing. I weed them two or three times, as required, and plow them every week until the tops commence to lau. I have never failed to get as good a crop as my neignoors. x use ine Planet, Jr., garden tools and tninK them the best. I would like to hear from others on the subject of garden ing. J. T. Worshman, Coles county, 11L in Farm and Home. The Rio de Janeiro News has a itartling story to tell about the po sition of coffees. There is said to be 1.000.000 to 1.250.000 bags of the old crop surplus at up-country points, and the News estimates the new crop at 5,000,000 bags Rio and 3,000,000 Santos. If this is true there is a mar ket supply for 1888-9 of over 9,000,- ...... . . i 000 bags. This indicates low-pncea coffee. Pittsburg Post. -t - OFFICIAL ORGANS OF FARMERS ALLIANCE. National Alliance Southern Mer cury, Dallas, Texas. Alabama Alliance manner, Aiuens. Arkansas State Wheel Enterprise, Little Rock. Mississippi The Farmer, Winona. - North Carolina The Prooressivx Farmer, Raleigh, . Louisiana Ihe Union, Choudrant. V Tennessee and Kentucky -ht loiler, .Union City, Tenn. " ' ; Free' Speech, Beaumont, Texas, of the counties of Jefferson, Orange, Tyler, Hardin, Chambers, Liberty. Florida Farmers' Florida Alliance, Marianna,'Fla. r 1 ! .' . J .'... I mm I ; r. !: - ' t r f : i . i I ', ,i 'ihy j. , . . IS: J '' 3 $ i i IV n 1 t - 'V SI- h I '. ,'t t! 7 1 i 1 i! i 1