THE BR0&fi3SIy E FARMER; JAMJAR j2& 1889.
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BEDDINGFIELD'S BILL AGAINST
TRUSTS AND COMBINATIONS-
A Bill to be entitled An Act to pro
hibit Trusts in the State of North Caro
lina, and to provide for the punishment
of persons connected with them.
The General Assembly of North
Carolina do enact.
Sec. I. That all combinations and
trusts as defined by this act, are unlaw
ful, dangerous to the liberty of the
people, and are hereby forbidden to be
formed or carried on in this State.
Sec. II. That a trust is an arrange
ment, understanding, or agreement
either private or public entered into by
two or more persons for the purpose of
increasing, or reducing the price of the
shares of any stock or corporation or
of any class of products, materials or
manufactured articles beyond the price
that would be fixed by the natural de
mand for or the supply of such shares,
products, materials or manufactured
articles, and any attempt to carry out
such purpose shall be evidence that
such arrangement, understanding or
agreement exists.
Sec. III. That any persons, associa
tions or corporations who shall form
or attempt to form a trust in.this State
or the agent' or representative of any
trust in any State or country who shall
attempt to carry on operations in this
State shall be guilty of a high misde
meanor, and upon conviction may be
fined not less than one thousand nor
more than ten thousand dollars, or may
be imprisoned not less than three nor
more than ten years for each offense.
Sec. IV. That any persons, associa
tion, or corporation who enter into an
arrangement, understanding or agree
ment not to produce, mine, manufac
ture, buy sell or transport more than a
certain specified amount of any goods,
products or commodities within a
specified time wil have violated sec
tion three of this Act and will be
liable to indictment therefor; and
any persons, association or corporation,
who give bond or make a profit of any
kind, not to break such arrangement,
understanding or agreement, may be,
sued in the Superior Court .of any
county in the State, and upon proof of
such bond or profit, shall pay double
the amount thereof, one-half to the
party bringing suit and one-half to the
public school fund.
Sec. V. That any merchants, brok
ers manufacturers or dealers in raw
materials of any kind or the agent of
such -persons who shall sell any par
ticular class of goods, raw materials
or manufactured articles for less than
actual cost for the purpose of breaking
down competitors shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor and on conviction may be
fined not less than five hundred nor
more than five thousand dollars, or
may be imprisoned not less than two
nor more than five years.
Sec. VI. That this Act shall be in
full force and effect from and after the
first day of May of the year one thou
sand eight hundred and eighty -nine.
ALEXANDER COUNTY.
Hiddenite, N. C, Jan. 6, '89.
Editor Farmer: We beg a. short
space in your paper to inform your
readers what we are doing to promote
the Alliance in Alexander county.
"We have been in working order but a
short time, as we were organized Nov.
10th, 1888, with only five SubAlli
ances and about 100 members . We
now have a County Organizer in the
county, Bro. R. P. McLain, who is
fast working up the county, . which is
ripe to the harvest. There were re
ported on the 4th nine Sub-Alliances
in the county, with 154 members in
good standing. We also have a Busi
ness Agent who is now under bondi
(Bro. T. J. Sharpe, Hiddenite, N. C.)
ancUhas perfected arrangements witn
one of our local merchants whereby
the members in the county will soon
reap a benefit financially. The influ
ence of our Alliance has been felt
throughout the county, and we have
experienced some improvement men
tally, morally and socially. We are
fighting to maintain the principles of
the Alliance and endeavoring to en
large its scope, fully recognizing the.
fact, at least in our opinion, that. the
ultimate success of our order is the
only hope for the future prosperity of
the agricultural classes, and that the
prosperity of our common country is
almost : entirely : dependent upon the;
success of the former .,",
We have unanimously endorsed the
resolutions adopted by the North
Carolina Farmers' State Alliance ' at
its annual meeting in the city of Ral
eigh, August 16th, 1888, and recorded
on . page 17 .of the minutes of the
same. , Y
We have passed resolutions asking
the Legislature to pass certain laws in
: 1 I -I.. I
regard to the undue amount charged
farmers who have to purchase com
mercial fertilizers on time, for their
indulgencies, etc. ' : :' !
Your paper is recognized as superior
to any in the State for the farmer, and
there are men at work who will soon
send you a good list of subscribers
from this county. :
The, Alliance . in session Jan. 4th,
188S, passed the following resolutions
unanimously: ,
Resolved, That this body, now in
session, tender to Bro. R.' P. McLain,
of Mt. Pisgah- Alliance, No. 842, our
County Organizer, our sincere sym
pathy in his. recent sad bereavement
in the sudden death of his father:
Resolved, That the Secretary be in-;
structed to write a short piece to The
Progressive Farmer informing its
readers What we are doing in "Little
Alia" Respectfully, '
W. J: Davis, Sec'y. '
THE STOCK LAW.
The following resolutions were
adopted by Little River Alliance, No.
407, on January 12th:
... Whereas, The present stock law
of Little River and Mark's Creek
townships, east of Mark's Creek, in
Wake county, is a curse upon us on
account of our poor pasture lands and
the scarcity of water, and whereas,
there is an abundance of timber with
which to fence our farms; therefore
Resolved, That each of us aid and
assist in getting up a petition, in the
above mentioned territory, asking the
Legislature of North Carolina to give
us a vote on the stock law in said
bounds.
Resolved, That this resolution be
sent to The Progressive Farmer for;
publication, in order that those within
the bounds who favor the stock law,
cannot say we are doing anything in,
secret, as was .the case when the law
was put upon us.
Fraternally,
W. A. Liles, Sec'y.
P. S. I went out with "my petition'
to-day, (Jan. 14th) and found 58 in
favor of repeal to 4 against it. 1
W. A. L. '
m
THE APPRENTICE LAW.
Mr. J. H... Mills, Superintendent of
the Thomasville Orphanage, has this
to say of our apprentice law:
1. The present apprentice law is
square-toed tyranny.
'"- 2. Under the present law appren
tices are generally poorly fed, poorly
clothed, and seldom allowed to attend
even a free school. I know a widow
who will not allow her apprentice to
attend a free night school, after work
ing for her all day.
3. The apprentice law is so tyranni
cal that veiy few besides orphans are
bound, and they do not learn tradep.
Nearly all the trades here are carried
on by jack-legs.
4. A law for the voluntary binding
of youths to learn trades would be a
blessing. Boys are not willing to work
till twenty-one for six dollars and
clothes ($3) and a Bible (25 cents)
$9.25. '
5. Boys should go to school and do
farm work till about sixteen years old.
Then they can select a trade and learn
it in four or five years. They should
have a little money every month!.
Having learned their trades, if able,
they should go to college. If not, let
them marry and go to work. . On this
plan, the country would have mechan
ics and our college boys would have
more humility and more practical
sense. Farmers could mend their own
implements. Apprentices ' have ' no
remedy.' if they are mistreated; .they
would be punished for any appeal -to
the Probate Judge. Usually, appren
tices are run on on some frivolous ac
cusation just before they reach twenty
one. Three of my near neighbors were
apprenticed to farmers. They learned
farm work; but they never went a day
to school. They hate corn bread now,
because they ate it all the time of their
apprenticeship. They cannot read, and
were never known to sing. But they
are sending their children to school."
HOW TO HAVE RICH, GOOD MILK
.,The richness and good quality of
milk do ; not depend wholly on , the
dairy breeds, but are also largely ih:
fluenced by the care given to the ani
mals and the feed provided for them
If one wants all the milk . that can be
got from jel cow without any reference
to its quality, then, juicy, grass, green
corn fodder,) brewers' grains, turnips
or other roots that have a large pro
portion of water, warm .mashes and
sloppy food in general will produce it,
A constant moist diet will unques
tionably "produce more milk than a
dry one. Moistening hay and fodder
with warm water, putting bran into
the drinking water to tempt the cow
to drink more will also Have the same
effect. If rich milk is desired at least
a fair proportion of substantial food
should be given out of which to make
it, .Good clover, hay, corn fodder,
cornmeal, a little oilcake meal and a
moderate supply of roots, along with
a bran mash, make a good winter diet
for a cow and will give richness to the
milk. Cows should have all the pure
water thev will drink, and in winter
it is well to warm it for those giving,
n rt T . . i 111 IJ'
.mux. calling tnera regular ly snouia
not be neglected, otherwise the butter
will be long in coming.
Magnolia, N. C, Jan. .7, '89.
Editor Farmer: Will some one in-;
form ' me, through The Progressive
Farmer, what quantity of lime and,
salt to sow broadcast per acre ? Also,
if there is any remedy for the so-called;
" Big Root?" Information will be
thankfully received.- 1
Truly yours,
H. E. Newbury.
A WAKE COUNTY FARMER'S
VIEWS.
FORESTVILLE ALLIANCE, No. 70. ;
Col. L. L. Polk. Dear Sir : As I
have been appointed Corresponding
Secretary of our Alliance, I take it for
granted that something is expected of
me in the way of a short communica
tion. What to say, or where to begin,
I hardly know, as there is so much for
us to look after and write about, if we
do our duty to each other.
The status of monopoly, by Mr.
Overby, is certainly worth our earnest
consideration, and Uncle Steve's me-,
anderings ought to open our eyes arid
make us see what a lamentable fix we
occupy, and all join hands and second'
the resolve, " That we are a nation of
farmer-fools." Some of , us, I, am
afraid, cannot even boast of home
made cats, for I have . seen them
shipped to our place, though they may
have been bred in our State, and I
hope they were. It strikes me, Mr.
Editor and farmer brethren, that we
ought not only to take hold, but to all
pull together. We must not imagine
ourselves only a literary body with
nothing else to do. We want to find
out by meeting each other the cheapest
way to make and save all the crops
which we cultivate. We ought to
make ourselves familiar with the laws
of the country, and at the same time
enquire if there is not legislation that
we need, and . ought to demand. If
we continue to allow . other ;people to
make our, laws for us and do not de
mand our. rights, are we not to blame?
Can we expect anything if we lie idle
and do not demand ' what is due us,
the hardest' working1 people on the
face of the earth ? That we as a class
are getting poorer every day of our
lives, no one can deny! ; Is it not impera
tive that something must be done, and
we can do whatever is best for us if
we will only continue to pull together,
and remember that, while it may be' a
struggle for us now, that in union
there is strength, and that the day is
not far distant when by united effort
we can and will wield a mighty power
in our land. Every -vocation of life
seems to be well organized and against
us, but let us be careful and patient,
never desponding, never willing to
give up until we are properly recog
nized and our, just demands listened
to. Even merchants in our little one
horse towns : have their organizations
and do dictate terms for us, and we
have heretofore been bowing in humble
submission. . How on the face of the
earth we have lived and fed the world
as long as we have, is a perfect miracle?
taking in consideration how we have
been abused and every ' effort made by
trading men to reduce us to poverty;
and to think, brother farmers, that we
have submitted sol long to the out
rages . practiced upon jus ! If we don't
already hold the balance of power, we
can ;by united ; effort, , and it behooves
U3 to act 4 and act. promptly. . I don't
tjiinjc (t is right for us to bite a cent
in two " to keep half of it,1 but Ido
tHink,' Mr. Editor, that our Subordinate
Alliances ought to look after things
around home, for they can accomplish
a great deal, and not to depend entirely-on
what; our State or County Busi
ness 4geii 'Paay beLableo lo pr us.
As a rule we lackj energy and push at
home among ' our suModges.
Tn' conclusion, I would state that we
organized with seventeen members,
and that now we have forty members
who are willing to' roll up their sleeves
and go to work for anything that will
be for the good of our order
Let us take hold of -everything as
we did the bagging trust, that seeks to
combine and iniure us as laboring
men, and at the same time let us be
prudent arid just ;and know that we
are right before - we take one single
step against any ; party or corporation.
... . . Respectfully,
C.M. Walters, Secy.
THE ORDER IN RANDOLPH.
Trinity College, N. C, Jan. 11, '89.
Col L., L. Polk. Dear Sir: I
enclose President Reams' address to
our.f qunty meeting for publication in
THE'IiibGREssivE Farmer, not so much
for 'fkriy real merit in it, but to encour
age a like effort in all: other County
Presidents. Our county meetings, in
the main, are rather tame affairs, and
unless we do something to make them
of interest and profit, the attendance
will be smalL ' Our Randolph meeting
was really grand and glorious in : its
effects it was - good- to -be there.
Everybody enjoyed it iri a hilTdegree.
The attendance was unusually large. I
shall put two special organizers in
Guilford next week.
Truly, &c.,
D. Reid Parker.
The Address of President E. " B.
Kearns to Ran lolph County Alli
ance, held at Shiloh, Jan. 4th, '89.
My Brethren. Our County Alli
ance is in many respects an independ
ent body, and while we expect to
realize much help from the State Alli
ance, let us remember that the greater
part of the work is ours. There are
no restrictions in the Constitution to
prevent us from moving forward in
business affairs for the best interest of
our people.
Our interests are varied some raise
cotton, others raise tobacco, wheat,
corn, cattle, &c.
We are here to-day to freely confer
with each other as to what will best
promote the interests of all. I am re
joiced to see such a full attendance in
our meeting. It evinces in you a
commendable readiness to do your
part in this great work. Although in
the estimation of many, we have made
rather slow progress, you will remem
ber that to most of us, it has been new
work. We have tried to use the
proper caution in every step taken,
and yet doubtless, we have made some
mistakes. Many have expected vast
results too soon, supposing they had
entered an Eden, where nothing is re
quired but to reap the golden fruit
from the trees of the garden. But to
day we see that there is a wonderful
field of labor before us; but the har
vest is not yet now is only seed time.
Our aim should be to gain something
from the experience of each one, how
ever small that may be. To enlarge
bur plans, to rekindle our zeal and
thoroughly prepare for grander re
sults. . .
Apart from the regular business re
quired by the Constitution, it seems to
me, that a short and concise report
should be made from each SubAlli
ance in the county, as to what progress
they are making in the various fields
of our work. This may be a Utile
tedious, but will no doubt be interest
ing and profitable to all. Also there
are quite a number , of resolutions that
ought to be brought before this meet
ing, and we hope that all who desire
to introduce resolutions will remember
that they must be written. Have
them 'ready, brethren, so that there
will be no delay, as our time is limited
to. a few hours. "We hope that the
brethren will feel that this is a farm
ers' meeting your meeting, and will
therefore throw aside all embarrassing
restraints and speak freely on all sub
jects that may come before us.. I
w.ould here urge upon all of our mem
bers the necessity of mental improve
mentread The Progressive Farmer
and other good farm journals. Im
prove your lands by grass, cloverand
stock raising, make and judiciously
apply all the manure possible and
bring up bur farms to' a paying fer
tility, thereby keeping our money
nearer at home. " We should express
our views freely as to needed legisla
tion; and let our representatives know1
what we desire of them. We should
by - all means strive to- establish our
State Agency on a firm basis. Brethren,
look after this Fund and do your, full
duty in this matter, ever keeping pur
motto before us:
" In things essential, unity; and in all
things, charity."
. It is a, fact of serious import, that
all the ; wheat and corn this 'country:
sells to other countries does : not pay
our sugar ' bill. Last year we paid
$13,000,000 "for1 sugar imported;
while the wheat and corn brought
back; only about $111,000,000;
SOME FACTS PLAINLY STATED.
Falling Creek Alliance, No. 445,
Wayne Co., N. C, Jan. 3, '89.
Col. L. K Polk. Dear Sir: -We
have changed our meeting from semi
monthly to once a month. We see the
Alliance work is fast opening, the eyes
of all laboring classes of people, and
we trust it is for their good. We have
squelched the bagging trust and have
that to think about no more.
Here is something we must study
about before we make successful and
praiseworthy farmers, and that is, we
must raise our support at home. Let
me implore you brother farmers to ac
cept a few thoughts from me. I ear
nestly desire that you will try them at
once, because it will do you good.
The old year has died away in pleas
ant dreams, the new brings us further
away from our childhood and rests us
nearer the verge of the grave. ; Have
we wasted our money and time on the
desert air, or have we put it to an
economical and proper use ? If not,
it is time for us to wake up. ' We see
the mistake we made in the past and
let this be a lesson for us in the future.
This is what I want to say: We have
been raising cotton and almost nothing
else, and the more cotton we raise the
further in debt we go. Now, brethren,
as the golden sun of Heaven pours
down its refulgent rays of light more
brightly in this new-born year than
ever in the past, let us do something
more than we have done v before, and
that is, let us raise more corn and pork
in 1889 than we raised in 1888. That's
what I would like for . us all to take
into consideration. We can live on j
corn and meat, but we cannot live on j
cotton, for we have well tried that; I
and there is no chance of making our
condition worse than it is already.
One-half of our farmers do not make
enough meat to trace the grease in
their smoke-house, and not enough
corn to keep the mice fat. This is one
kind of farming and the kind that has
driven us almost into . starvation.
Now, brethren, we have neglected
doing our duty in the past. There is
no Alliance or union of any kind in
the world that will feed and clothe us
as well as a union on raising corn,
meat and flour. We must do tips or
we are forever gone. "I can nake
more clear money on raising cotton
than I can on raising corn.". This
very man will come to a mail who
raises corn about the first of April and
say, "Mr., please let me have a few bar
rels of your corn but but fl can't
pay you until next fall" tali about
your clear money on cottoh. The
Devil is lose in this country again.
Some scoundrel, whose adamantine
heart throbs only in a pool; of cold
blood toward humanity, burned our
Lodge on the night of the 26th ult.
Yours in truth,
J. F. Grantham.
NOTES FROM ROWAN COUNTY.
Rock, N. C, Jan: 15, '89.
Col. L. L. Polk. Dear Sir : I
herewith send you the demands of the
N. C. F. Alliance which it affords mei
pleasure to say were unanjmously and
heartily approved and endorsed by
Rock Alliance, No. 829, at its meeting"
on Saturday,- the 12th inst. We cer
tainly need some wholesome legislation
all along on that line. It has been ru
mored in this section that Ben Gratz,
the jute bagging man, has formed a
combine with the various " sand -bag "
guano companies to furnish sacks for
their use and to advance the, price of
commercial sand in order to reimburse
him for the loss sustained by him in
the jute bagging trust. Should you
learn that such is the case, just sound
the alarm, and we are ready to take
our places in the front rank, nor quit
the field until the guano and jute bag
ging trusts shall slumber side by side
unhonored, unwept, and unsung. I
trust that the; brethren - all rover ; the
cotton belt will look after their inter
ests with vigilance - and let nothing
impede their onward march to happi
ness and prosperity., This .section of
country (Rowan) is generally a good
Alliance section, only a few good but
doubting people are beyond its protec
tion by1 remaining outside. U The Pro
gressive Farmer makes good, Alliance
men, and inspires a feeling of, confi
dence wherever i is read, and . con
vinces everybody that its J Zeal in the
Alliance cause comes from a pure and
earnest desire-1 benefit and bless the
laboring masses of , North Carolina.
Let the beacon light blaze forth to
the world, and we trust that the time
is not far distant when the farmers
of ' this our grand' old ! Union may
joyfully exclaim,; the Alliance leads
the .world! . r ; ,
: . H Fraternally,
W. W. Harris, Sec'y.
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