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THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL ERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY.
LEIGH, N. C.,v APRIL 16, 1889.
No. 10
Vol. 4.
i i
if-
DIRECTORY 6F FARMERS OR
GANIZATIONS. FORTH CAROLINA FARMERS' STATE ALLIANCE.
President S. B. Alexander, Charlotte,
Vice-President T. I vey, Ashpole, J.O.
Secretary L. L. Polk, Raleigh, N. C.
Treasurer J. D. Allen, Falls, N. C.
Lecturer Dr. D. Reid Parker, Trinity
College, N. C.
Assistant Lecturer D. D. Mclntyre,
Laurinburg, N. C.
Chaplain Rev. Carr Moore, Towns-
ville, N. C.
Door Keeper W. H. Tomlmson, Fay-
etteville, N. C.
Assistant Door. Keeper R. T. Rush,
ML Gilead, N. C.
Sergeant-at-Arms J. S. Holt, Chalk
Level, N.C. '
State Business Agent W. A. Darden.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE NORTH CARO
LINA FARMERS' STATE ALLIANCE.
Elias Carr, Old Sparta, N. C, Chair
man; Thaddeus I vey Ashpole, N. C; J. S.
Johnston, Ruffin, N. C.
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.
VIRGINIA STATE ALLIANCE.
President G. T. Barbee, Bridgewatar,
Virginia. ,
Vice-President T. B. Massey, Wash
ington, Virginia.
Secretary J. J. Silvey, Bridgewater,
Virginia.
Treasurer Isaiah Printz, Luray, Vir
ginia. Lecturer G. H. Chrisman, Chnsman,
Virginia.
Asst. Lecturer J. S. Bradley, Luray,
Virginia.
Chaplain Wm.. M. Rosser, Luray,
Virginia.
Door Keeper B. Frank Beahm, Kim
ball, Virginia.
. Asst Door Keeper G. E. Brubaker,
Luray, Virginia.
Serg't-at-Arms C. H. Lillard, Wash
ington, Virginia.
State Business Agent S. P. A. Bru
baker, of Luray, Virginia.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
E T. Brumback, Jas. E. Compton and
Geo: H. Ohrismaa.-- ,-'-Jcf'1v-- -
LETTER
FROM THE
ISLANDS."
"BURNT
Aixenton, Robeson Co. N. C,
March 1, 1889.
Mb. Editor: Our Alliance, No.
350, is in good working trim and we
think it high time that we step fear
lessly upon the platform of Alliance
existence by letting people abroad
hear from us through the columns of
The Progressive Farmer. We have
raised a goodly sum towards the Busi
ness Agency Fund and expect to
stand with our shoulders firmly to the
wheel, though the mire be deep and
the bog be heavy. We are situated
away down here in a section known as
the "Burnt Islands" of Robeson
county, and as our talent is but a
small one, we are weak, as farmers,
and as a matter of course, weak finan-
. ,. cially. We do not raise an abundance
pof cotton, owing to the non-adapta-)
bility of most of our lands, and also
to the non-ac-aptability of some of our
I selves. We are pretty well adapted
to tho raising of "hog and hominy,"
potatoes, etc., simply because our
y- "daddies" before us knew how to do
Ijv that sort of thing. However, we are
I pulling to get apace with the times,
and we fancy already that we can read
the word " success " printed on the
mile stones as we pass them slowly by,
and by-and-bye, when the grand army
1 of Farmers' Alliance men shall have
assembled to. answer to the victor's
roll-call, we hope to be able to say
: present.
We could have lots more to say, but
as we see so many letters from differ-
ent parts of the State, we fear we
I might infringe on more valuable space
. than that set apart for our communi-
cation. Success to The Progressive
Farmer and Farmers' Alliance.
J. A. Barker. "'
SUSSEX COUNTY ALLIANCE.
Upon a call issued from the State
Alliance by the President, the Sub
Alliances of Sussex county, Va., met
at'the court house March 28th, 1889,
to form a County Alliance.
The election of officers of County
Alliance resulted as follows: Presi
dent, J. D. Owen; Vice-President, J.
A. Wlnfield; Secretary, G. W. Jack
son; Treasurer, H. F. Scott; Chaplain,
John Schafer; Lecturer, S. E. Briggs;
Assistant, Lecturer, L. R. Bailey;
Doorkeeper, A. F. Eppes; Assistant
NDoorkeep3r, J. J. Faison; Serg't
at 2rms,n W. E. Raines; Business
Agent, John B. Jarratt.
After a few remarks from the State
President, the County Alliance closed
to meet at the court house on Monday,
April 8th, at 1 o'clock p. m. '
J. D. Owen, President.
G. W, Jackson, Sec'y.
( 7 MkMt&F
-mmmmm
caft. w, a, mm, mm mi of the state imm aluahge. .
Capt. William A. Darden, Business Agent of the State Alliance, was
born May 1 5th, 1836. He entered the Freshman class at Randolph-Macon Col
lege and remained thereuntil his junior year, when he was compelled to leave on
account of impaired health. 'He then, at the a;e of 21, settled upon a farm
and continued that occupation until the breaking out of the war. Among
the first he volunteered on the 23d of April, 1864, and was elected Second
Lieutenant in Capt.. R. H. Drysdiles company, the Third North Carolina
Regiment. He was elected and was the youngest member of that body
a delegate to the State Convention which passed the ordinance of secession,
May 20th, 1861." After the adjournment of the Convention, Capt. Darden
again volunteered and was elected Second Lieutenant, Capt. A. J. Moore's
company, 6 1st North Carolina Regiment, Clingman's Brigade. He was with
the regiment during the -siege of Charleston, including fifteen days at Battery
Wagner, where some of the hardest fightinj: of the war was done ; at
Drewry's Bluff, Cold Harbor, Bermuda Hundreds, siege of Petersburg and
the storming of Fort Harrison, where he was captured on the 30th of Sep
tember, 1864. He was promoted to be Captain after the resignation of Capt.
Moore, who was wounded at Battery Wagner. C apt. Darden was as brave
a soldier as ever shouldered arms and was in every engagement in which his
regiment participated, except one, from the 2d of November, 1862, until he
was captured. After his capture he was taken to Fort Delaware and held
there until the month of June, 1865.
With the close of the war he returned to his home and again settled
upon his farm, where he was engaged in agriculture until he was placed in
his present position by the State Alliance. In every campaign since the war,
beginning with 1868, when he took strong grounds against the Canby Con
stitution, Capt. Darden has taken the stump in behalf of the Democratic
party. In hiscounty (Greene) he has been a tower of strength to his party. He
was Chairman of the Inferior Courtof Greene county fouryears. Whether Dem
ocrats or Republicans controlled the county, Capt. Darden's eminent and
recognized fitness has caused his services to be commanded for public duty.
At two different elections he received the unanimous vote of the Democratic
and Hepublican party for Justice of the Peace. In 1884, although his county
is Republican, Capt. Darden was elected to the House and made a faithful and
efficient member. Jn 1884 he was a candidate in the Democratic Convention
for nomination as State Auditor and received a large vote. His name was
again presented to the Democratic Convention in 1888 for the same office.
Capt. Darden has been twice married and is now a widower. He has
enjoyed the complete confidence of the people of his section and State, and
they have always been ready to honor him. There is no truer man no more
faithful and conscientious public servant and there was no braver soldier.
The Alliance, in making Cap;. Darden State Business Agent, selected one of
its truest men and one who firmly belie'ves in the principles of the Alliance.
NEWS AND VIEWS FROM NASH.
Gold Mine Alliance, Nash Co., N. C,
March 4, 18 89.
Mb Editob: Having been recently
appointed Corresponding Secretary
of Gold Mine Alliance, I have con
cluded to write a short communication
for your excellent paper. We regard
our Sub-Alliance in a healthy condition
from the fact that we have asood
material among our membership as
can be found anywhere. Yes, men of
firmness and stability who can be re
lied upon anywhere, and who did not
join the Alliance to be half scholars,
but to do their whole duty, and as far as
lies in their power they intend to make
the Farmers' Alliance a success. We
transact our business in great harmony,
and with very few exceptions our
membership on almost every subject
appear to be of one mind. Our mem
bership is not now increasing rapidly,
from the fact that nearly all proper
persons living in our vicinity belong
to our Alliance or some other.
And as to the question of guano,
we stand on the same ground occupied
by other Sub-Alliances, viz' If we
buy guano at all, it must be at as Iowv
figures as those of last year, and 1 hope
no Alliance man will go beyond that,
as no cause whatever exists for any
advance in the prices of standard
brands of guano. The object beyond
doubt is to extort more and more upon
our down-trodden farmers. I wish to
say to the brethren everywhere, stand
firm, and if you cannot get guano as
cheap as you did last year, do uot buy
a bag; and if you harvest less next
r.nv.vv.v."..".v V vv
fall, you will no doubt have just as
much as you would have had after
paying out of your crop a heavy guano
bill; and at the same time you will
prove to your would-be oppressors that
you are a man; that you are fully de
termined to come out from under
every galling. yoke heretofore placed
upon your neck by speculators and
trust companies. - It is said of some
of the Israelites that they desired to
return to the flesh pots of Egypt; but
I tell you, brethren everywhere, that
we have made a start to get out of a
bondage equal to that suffered by
Israel in Egypt, and let none of us
think for a moment of turning back,
for there is no flesh pots for us to re
turn to among speculators and trust
combines, for they will have the last
particle of flesh out of the pot before
you get to it, for the piece was remark
ably small left in the pot for us before
we made any attempt to get out
of bondage, and of course, to go
back now, . we would fare much
worse than we did before. So
let the word forward go all
along our line, until, in a sense,
victory over speculators and trust
companies shall be obtained for every
true and worthy Alliance man. But
some may ask, how can all this be
accomplished ? I answer: It may not
be done easily, but it can be done by
firm and united effort on the part of
Alliance men everywhere. And,
brethren, we must not only stand firm,
but we must work, every man of us,
with muscle, brain and money. We
must loolc forward and consider, not
only our present wants and condition,
and now our present necessities are to
be met, but we must look ahead and
begin now to work and plan to make
things turn up, just as we will want
them, to do after awhile. - We never
can get fully out from under our op
pressors until wo, as an organization,
reach that point when we can manu
facture and carry on trade, and com
merce among ourselves. Cotton raised
by Alliance men should be sold to
Alliance men and bv an Alliance man.
Tobaqco raised by Alliance men should
be sold to Alliance , men. The Alli
ance man's plows and other farming
tools 'should be manufactured by an
Alliance man, and so on, until all
would work like & " wheel within a
wheel.','
Where, I ask. are our men of
means ? Men are often perplexed to
&nbw where to lay out' their' money.'
It appears to me that every Alliance
mah.df means could now see how and
whento invest his money, so as to
benefit his brethren in the Alliance,
and yet realize that' per cent, that
ought to satisfy any honest man. We
claim ,hat we are extortioned on by
nearjj? every manufacturing company
or OSy . trust companies,' through and
from , whom we get our supplies.
Then is it not plain, that if any Alli
ance ram or men would lay out their
money, in preparing for and in the
manufacture of such articles a 3 Alli
ance men are bound to have that they
could: supply their brethren with
cheaper articles, and yet make a fair
profit on their money ? And, as a
matter'.of course, Alliance men would
prefer1' trading with Alliance men,
even if everything else was equal, and
with .the advantage that could be
given as stated above, they would be
certairi of the Alliance man's trade or
patronage. Then, before another year,
let us have a guano factory among us.
A tobacco factory and so on, and
above all, let us commence now to
mature! our plans, and let; us by all
means pave an Alliance man or men,
if neccJUary, at the . very best cotton
markets next fall, so that Alliance men
may ship their cotton directly to .them
and thereby get the very highest mar
ket price for their cotton, and soon a
brighter day will dawn on us all.
Yours fraternally.
Geo. E. Hunt.
f For Thk Progressive Farmer.
PRINCIPLES WHICH MUST
GUIDE, AND MEANS WHICH
MUST BE USED, TO INSURE
SUCCESS TO ORGANIZED
RURAL INDUSTRY. .
No. 5,
By Maj. R. L. England, of Hyco, Va.
In the early ages of the world,
when there was a popular belief that
every avocation or calling in life was
presided over by a supernatural being
called a god, people were taught that,
" The cods help those who help themselves "
And a firm adherence to this faith
did work wonders, that went far to
confirm the superstition as truth.
Our people, whose God is the Lord
infinite in truth, justice and mercy,
have the consolation of His approval
in our laudable efforts to promote our
welfare and happiness, when guided
by His counsel.
In this utilitarian practical age, the
aggregate popular opinion of the peo
ple is wiser and safer than that of any
leaders or bosses, who attempt leader
ship, industrial or practical and we
might justly add political. The in
dustrial people of this great country
are awaking to the stern realities of
their situation, rather than becoming
the devotees of a theory, or followers
of a party; and realize, that they
must "construe the times to their ne
cessities.". They see that fortune's
favorites have been: holding them
" In human action and capacity,
Of no more eoul, and fitness for the world,
Than camels in their war ; who have their provend
Only for bearing bnrden, and sore blows
For einkiDg under them."
"STRONG REASONS MAKE STRONG ACTIONS."
The man engaged in husbandry who
does not see the - necessity for action,
to protect his rights and interests,
must be ignorant or stolid indeed.
And yet there are some such shame
be in said who have not the will or
capacity to see their true situation, or
the nerve and courage to force deliv
erence. Of such society expects but
little and their influence is nil. But
the yeomanry pf the country are
uniting and resolving; and as good
resolutions lay the foundation for suc
cess, we may expect something salu
tary ere long, for success rarely fails
to crown persistent efforts with con
summation. The industrial people are meeting
regularly in council, discussing the
best means to promote the reyival of
prosperity, the betterment of their
avocations, and meas ares most likely
to promote the greatest good to the
greatest numbers the welfare of all
the people and the good of the nation.
And we trust that their deliberations
will result in action, which shall com
mand the approval ani support of the
masses of the best people of this coun
try. It is an augury of better times
coming, when we behold good citizens
combining, organizing and acting for
the general good.
Their coming together and taking
counsel, each of the other, cannot fail
to educate the people to their true
situation, and in devising remedies to
correct evils and in inspiring incen
tives and means for accomplishment.
PRUDENCE.
If prudence and moderation char
acterize their deliberations and efforts
in attending to their own business in
their own way, they will surely ac
complish very great good, without
officiously antagonizing other business
interests.
When roads get too rough or im
passable for travel, it is prudent to
open up new and smoother ways,
where locomotion or driving is far
easier and more pleasant. To go
around obstacles is easier and more
expeditious sometimes than to persist
in efforts to remove them. It is wise
to cease encouraging oppression by
withholding patronage, and in trans
acting your own business. . When
you can do it more effectually and
cheaper than any one else
PERSEVERANCE.
When men are forced to act for
self-preservation they realize that:
" Self-love is not so vile a thing as self-neglecting."
Perseverance keeps honor bright, and
" They will not for one repulse, forego the purpose
they have resolved to effect." .
They know, too, that the relief they
seek is possible and their motives laud
able; that "thrift is a blessing, if men
steal it not;" that individual effort
can accomplish only partial good ; but
that united, concentrated, persistent
efforts will set them free.
"To fail is to mock the expectation
of-the"wmld.A'
But we confidently look for the de
velopment of "grit" enough in the
men who are organizing the great In
dustrial Revolution to carry it to sub
stantial accomplishment.
Sociological views of Farming, and
Farmers as a class will be treated
next, and some wholesome trade
secrets told for their benefit.
R. L. Ragland,
Hyco, Va.
ITEMS
FROM "TEN-MILE"
ALLIANCE.
Howellsville, March, 23, '89.
Col. L. L. Polk. Dear Sir: I
herewith hand you a few items from
our corner. At our meeting, held
last Saturday, we changed our place
of meeting from Bro. S. E. Britt's
dwelling to Oak Grove and Barber's
School House. We had previously
rented Bro. Britt's house, and still re
tain it, so that if the moving fails to
give satisfaction, we can return to the
old buildiKg. We meet semi-moathly
and are getting along very well. The
more the antis try to kill us out the
stronger we become; we don t mean
numerically, altogether, for, a few
weeks ago two of our members asked
for withdrawal cards, and, to be sure,
they got them. If every other mem
ber in America withdraws, here is one
who expects to hold fast and maintain
his integrity, till the last day in the
morning.
Fraternally yours,
G. A. R.
A SISTER WRITES A LINE.
Essex Farmers Alliance, No. 885.
Mr. Editor : Will you allow a farm
er's daughter a small space in your
valuable paper just to say a few words
in regard to the Farmers' Alliance?
I have been thinking for some time I
would write but not feeling competent
have delayed until now.
We have a very flourishing Alli
ance with about forty members at
present. Of this number thirteen are
ladies. Owing to the late spring and
excessive bad weather the farmers of
this section are somewhat behind in
their farming proceedures biit hope it
may not be long before they may be
able to go ahead with much skill and
earnestness. May the coming of
another spring find us all in better
condition both financially and other
wise. We have long heard it for a
saying that " every dog must have his
day." We earnestly hope the time is
soon coming for the farmers to have
their day and also their rights.
As I have never -written before, I
will not say more this time, and will
close with many kind wishes for The
Progressive Farmer and all who read
it. Your sincerely,
Lightning.
COMMERCIAL RELATIONS BE
TWEEN THE NORTH AND 1
THE SOUTH.
Our correspondent. " Diamond," of
Laurinburg, write? as follows: " 1 am
in receipt of a cordial and sympathetic
letter from a lady in our State (an en
tire stranger to me) endorsing all I .
had to say in regard to our commer
cial relations with the North, which
elicited quite a lengthy poem, running
along in the same groove with my
article, which she requested me to
send to you for publication; but
owing to its length I knew it would
go into the waste basket. I will quote
a verse or two as a sample :
Becaaie we lost in fateful war
A hope of independence,
ifwst we forever " hew and draw,"
tte poor and cheap attendants ? "
G!1 war-times we can live again,
Oi! r lads and lassies true,
Oar u atrons and our goodly men
Can don the homespun blue.,,
Our ladies God bless them aie
always ready to make sacrifices for tJhe
good of our Southland. Thanks, "S&b
Alliance," for your kind words. 'Hie
"sand" business; well, that is all
right. To put a quantify of sand in
the middle of a bale of cotton, in a
sly way, would be fraud; but when it '
is put in evenly throughout the bale,
with a double duplex sand injector-
in a scientific way that would' be
business. No fraud about it, for the
buyer could see what he was getting.
Snow-white, atomized byrates put into
flour, sugar, candy, soda, soap, &c, is -fraud,
for the reason that we can't
detect it. If our Northern neighbors
are not disposed to let us have money
and take the sanded cotton at a higher
price, they can let it alone, and we will
narrow the thing down to buying
postage stamps at their face value and
pay cash. Let our people go to work
and organize our Order No. 12, rep- .
resenting the Twelve Cotton States;
let the password be " two-ten," and,
with our two eyes, watch the ten;
fingers of our Northern neighbors' '
practicing fraud on our people.
' ONE OF THE 'FIRST. " "
Mr. Editor: Zion Sub-Alliance,,
N j. 35, was organized in the summer
of 1887. It is not yet two years old,
with a membership of about seventy.
The zeal and enthusiasm of the mem
bers, and their devotion to the princir
pies of the Alliance, are not less
apparent than at the very beginning.
New members are added to the roll:
at almost every meeting. Two lady
members were received at our last
meeting. These ladies' are among the
best farmers of the community; and,
to the surprise of all present, without
solicitation, they came forward at once
and took shares in the Business Fund.
But where is Zion Alliance ? some
one might ask To say that it is
located at Zion church would be an
exceedingly indefinite reply, as the
name is a favorite one with all Chris
tian denominations, and they all have -their
Zions distributed from the mountain-crested
Cherokee to the wave
washed shores of Currituck. But our "
Alliance takes its name from a Meth
odist church of the same name, situ
ated in a community of well-to-do -farmers
in Richmond county, four
miles east of Rockingham. Here,
long years ago, was a famous encamp
ment, and annually multitudes of our '
ancestors assembled together in camp
meeting to worship God in a style
characteiistic of those primitive times.
The people of this community come
down as the worthy successors of a
generation of the purest blood that
ever settled in our State. There are -those
still living among us that have
heard their great-grand parents tell of
the pioneer days of the Pee Dee sec
tion; when, what is now known as
Richmond county, was settled by six
families, and there was only one -needle
to the six, to be borrowed
"from house to house," and when
droves of wild horses roamed at large
where we now grow cotton, corn, peas
and potatoes.
Near this place, along the Pee Dee
river, is some beautiful scenery and
some points of traditional interest; -among
them may be named DeBerry's
Island. This island is surrounded by
the waters of this majestic river, and '
tradition has it that here the Pee Dee
Indians had their fisheries, and that
the Indians from further east, in the -section
now covered by Cumberland
and Robeson, were desirous of fishing,
there also; but being prohibited by the
Pee Dee Indians, a great battle ensued.
This battle was fought on this island,
and the bones and mounds are there
to this day to mark the battle field.
But enough; we have a community
of as happy, prosperous farmers as .
one often sees, and farmers, too, who
love the principles of the Alliance and
are willing to exemplify the same.
Zion Correspondent.