THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OP OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OP STATE POLICY,
RALEIGH, N. C, NOVEMBER 12, 1889,
No. 40
Vol. 4.
n I RECTORY OF FARMERS' OR
DIBE GANIZATIONS.
0AB0LI5A rAEVKRS STATK ALLIANCE.
President-Elias Carr Old Sparta, .C.
ftesident-A. H. Hayes, Bird-
L L. Polk,' Raleigh. N. O.
SOT AllS, Fall,?. CL
Lecturer Thos. B. Long, Longs, N. C.
SSlntLecturer-R. B. Hunter, Char-
aplain-J. J. Scott, Alfordsville,
NlSor Keeper-W. H. Tomlinson, Fay-
etteville, N. C. tt
Assistant Door Keeper H. E. King,
P SeTgeaaAniis-J. B. Holt, Chalk
Level, N. 0.
State Business Agent W. H. Worth,
Raleigh, N. C. '
Trustee Business Agency Fund W. A.
Graham, Machpelah, N. C.
IIXCUTIVS COMMUTE Or THK WORTH CARO
LINA FARMERS' 8TATK ALLIAKCI.
S. B. Alexander, Charlotte, N. C,
Chair-oan; J. M. Mewborne, Kinston N.
C.; X. S. Johnston, Ruffin, N. C.
0EFICE2S OF THE VIRGINIA STATB ALLIANCE.
President G. T. Barbee, Bridgewater,
Ya.
Yice-Pres'dent Ifaj. Marm Page,
Brandon, Va. . ,
Secretary J. J. Silvey, Amissille, Va.
Treasarer Isaiah Printz, Stonyman,
Ya,
Lecturer J. D. Shepperson, Smithville,
Assistant-Lecturer P. Hi Strode, Step
hen City, Va.
Chaplain Wm. M. Rosser, Luray, Va.
Doorkeeper B. Frank Beahen, Kim
hall, Va.
Assistant-Doorkeeper, G. E. Brubaker,
Luray, Va.
Sergeant -at-Arms Milton Pence, For-
State Business Agent S. P. A. Bruha
ker, Luray, Va.
Ch'mn Ex. Com. E. T. Brumback,
Ida,Va.
LET US EXPOSE ALL HUMBUGS.
. October 22, 1889. ,
ilB. ;ditos: if I understand tne
object of the Farmers Alliance, it is
to break down all monopolies, trusts
and combines because of their evil
and ruinous tendencies; being as they
are, "born in sin, and shapen in in
iquity." And it might be truthfully
said of all who belong to them that
"God is not in all their thoughts."
But what are monopolies, trusts and
combines but humbugs on a large
scale? We can see them in no other
light and if there is any difference
between monopolies, trusts and com
; bines and humbugs it must be as
slight as that between man and wo
man as discribed by a primative
Baptist preacher when discours
ing upon the creation. So if
there is any difference between
monopolies, trust, combines and hum
bugs, it is so very slight, that, from
my standpoint, it excites no gratitude
in my heart. The object is evident
ly to deceive, cheat and defraud in
piost cases the honest and hard-working
farmer. Those engaged in hum
buging years ago relied upon deceiv
ing the people, but of late the same
chaps have gone a step beyond and
have deep laid schemes that in the
event they cannot deceive us, they
will force us to take their articles,
however defective, and at their own
price, as exemplified in the . bagging
trust, i. e., we will force you to use
jute bagging.
And now, brethren of the Alliance,
while we are battleing against large
humbugs let us see if we cannot kill
some of the smaller ones before they
get grown; and the way to do this is
for every brother to publish every
humbug that comes to his knowledge
tod that will put the brethren on
their gard, and save to the brother
hood many dollars, and perish out
humbugs who are the worst of all
bugs. And now, brethren, I will
practice what I preach at once by
saying I regard H. A. Ellis & Co.,
161 La Salle Street, Chicago, dealers
in what they call the "Excellsior
Safety Burner," as frauds, humbugs
tod cheats. They want agents to
8ell their burners and a family right
to make the fluid, asserting that the
articles to make the fluid can be
found in almost any village store,
tod that it is much cheaper, and
safer than kerosene oil To this I
fcy brethren, I have tested their
tements at the cost of several dol
krs to me and find the above state
ijents untrue. And when I found
t&em untrue and wrote to them for
tisf action not one word of re
ply could I get. They will send you
sample can of fluid that makes an
excellent light in their burners but
Hen you undertake to make the
r?e you will meet with difficulties
rUess you are more fortunate than I
as- I have a number of burners
now on hand that were engaged and
I paid for them, but I did not deliver
them, because I regarded them as' a
humbug and as an honest man I can
not deliver them. So brethren let us
all expose humbugs.
Geo. E. Hunt.
A VOICE FROM THE WEST.
Plateau, N. C, Oct. 28, 1889.
Mb. Editob: The Wesley Chapel
Farmers' Alliance, No. 1,513. is byno
means on the back track. We were
organized last February by Col. H.
A. Forney, the organizer for this
(Catawba) county. Since that time
we have Deen growing until, at this
date, we have near 90 members.
And the beauty of it is, we constiute
the men of this part of the county.
We have men of pure fidelity,
strong, resolute, determined and as
tenacious as the bark on a hickory
tree. The moral, social and educa
tional benefit of our order is already
being felt in this community. .- Reso
lutions against drunkenness, profane
swearing, etc., is having a very de
cided effect. Church members of dif
ferent denominations are being knit
together and feel like they are one
brotherhood, fighting the battles of
life under one common flag. Then,
sir, we are acting in harmony with
our brethren all over this fair, sunny
South ht ours.
We have acted, and are still acting,
our part in the cotton matter. We are
throwing our might and strength
against the jute bagging. Only at our
last meeting we resolved to use not
one pound of jute during the year 1889.
Also a resolution to have a high grade
cotton fertilizer for spring of 1890,
something to stimulate an early open
ing yield rather than bulky stalk
yield. We will put the matter into
the hands of our active and energetic
Business Agent, Bro. Worth, very
soon, in order to give him time to
make special arrangements for the
-Alliance for - A 'sptcial-eoUon fertilizer.
We will trade through our own agent
and not guano companies' agents here
after. We think it time the long-talked-of
agency fund was secured so
we may begin to get benefits thereby.
Next week we will send Bro. Gra
ham 30 or 40 dollars in addition to
what we sent last spring. Yes, sir,
Mr. Editor, we are looking forward
with anxiety to the completion of our
Exchange. When we read of what
Georgia has done and is doing, and
Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and
other States, we begin to think its
time the Old North State was kicking
around.
And, by the way, I want to say one
word for the Atlanta Constitution.
He's a wholesouled fellow, isn't he. I
feel like getting up a subscription of
500 for his paper. His buying that
house right in the heart of the city
and giving in to the Alliance Ex
change for five years makes me
kinder like him. And then he is rally
ing for the Alliance in general. I
say hurrah for the Atlanta Constitu.
tion. Hurrah for The Progressive
Farmer, hurrrh for the Alliance, now
and forever. Amen.
J. M. Clampitt, Bus. Ag't.
FROM BELVIDERE.
November 1, 1889.
Mb. Editob: Not having seen any
thing from Belvidere Alliance, No.
1,109, since July, I will" endeavor to
inform you and the brethren through
The Pbogbessive Fabmeb that Belvi
dere Alliance is still living and mov
ing slowly but surely, and with an in
domitable determination to succeed in
helping to carry out the designs of
this great and noble order. A few
weeks ago at one of our regular meet
ings, the proposition published by a
brother to provide for the families of
deceased brethren, was thoroughly
discussed among our brethren, after
which we agreed that it was just,
right and honorable for us as a society,
and a duty,that'we should not neglect,
to make provision for the wives and
children of our deceased brethren.
Therefore we, the members of Belvi
dere Alliance, heartily endorse the
plan suggested by the brother, and
we hope that every Alliance in the
State will give this subject due con
sideration and publish their opinions
in The Pbogbessive Fabmeb. The
farmers of this country have long been
borne down by combines, trusts and
monopolies, and yet it is said that we
are living in a free country, where
equal rights and privileges are granted
to every one. Yet the farmer is not
allowed the liberty to pnce his own
products, but has to take whatever the
purchaser is pleased to give him.
Brethren, it is time for us to begin
thinking about J where we stand and
what a grand position we hold. Are
we not the props which support every
other industry ? Certainly we
are. Then why should we be so
cowardly and neglectful as to allow
others to rise and dwell in splendor
at our expense ? The- farmer's place
is at the top of the ladder, and he
makes the rounds by which to ascend,
but these other industries have man
aged to control him by trusts and
combines and have kept him at the
bottom.
Brethren, we have allowed such,
and there is but one way by which
we can attain our rights, and that is
to give our energy, influence and our
means towards advancing the great
Alliance movement. Let us double
our exertions and work with a stout
heart and a resolute will, ever looking
forward to the great victory that will
soon be ours. We shall always re
member our old friend Jute. We
have nothing against him, but it was
the company he kept.
Our Alliance passed a resolution at
the last meeting not to use any jute
bagging for the year 1890.
I hope soon to send you a long list
of subscribers for your valuable papar.
T hope that our brethren will read it
more next year than they have this
and learn thoroughtly the principles
of our great order.
Yours fraternally,
Jas. A. Whitehead, Sec'y.
ORGANIZERS' REPORT.
Evergreen, N. C, Oct. 26, '89.
Mr. Editor: In complying with
Art. 9, Sec. 5, of the Constitution, I
hereby submit my report as organiz
ing officer for Columbus county:
On the 18th inst. I met a number
of farmers at Mt. Calvary and organ
ized Mt. Calvary Alliance with 16
members, 12 males and 4 females.
President, W. W. Merritt, Prong, N.
C; Vice-President, B. B. Thompson,
Prong, N. C.; Secretary, A. J. Babs
ton,"Prong, N. C. ; Business Agent,
H. T. .Williams, Prong, N. C.
I shall endeavor to organize a lodge
in every community where there is
not one, in Columbus county. I have
not canvassed any yet, but hope to
make a thorongh canvass of the county
by January 1st, and hope that I shall
be able to send you a long list of sub
scribers for The Progressive Farmer.
I want to see it flying hither and
thither all over the State, bearing its
golden message to every Alliance man
and farmer in its borders. So I hope
to make a better report next time.
Fraternally,
D. W. Nance, Organizer.
FROM THE FISH AND OYSTER
" COUNTY.
Aurora, N. C, Oct. 29, '89.
Mr. Editor: Having been elected
Corresponding Secretary for Aurora
Alliance, No. 1,277, I feel it my duty
to let the brethren hear from this
Alliance through the proper channel,
The Progressive Farmer. As will
be seen by examining the map, we
are on South creek, a tributary to the
Pamlico river, only a few hours sail
from Pamlico Sound, which abound
in fish and oysters in almost endless
variety. This Alliance was organized
a little more than 12 months ago and
has been gradually gaining ground
ever since. It has a membership now
of 50 or more. This Alliance has
made satisfactory trade arrangements
with Mr. J. B. Whitehurst, and am
happy to say that a large majority of
the members appreciate the situation.
Am sorry to say there are a few only
who are dissatisfied; am satisfied
when they realize what they are do
ing' and take time to consider what
they are doing they will change. - I
entreat the brethren throughout, the
State to Btand by the action of your
several Sub-Alliances; don't get dis
satisfied because the majority see
differently from you, for united we
stand and divided we fall. It is plain
to the mind of every farmrer (if he
takes time to think) that properly
organized there is nothing they can
not accomplish. Farming is too
independent an occupation. As
soon as he gets his corn in
his barn and meat in his smoke
house and the organization he be
longs to don't do exactly to suit
him he quites and says he don't care,
as he can live without them. Row,
brothers, this is a sad calamity, we
have got to guard against such and
be satisfied to let the majority rule,
as the organization of otfcer profes
sions do. It is not uncommon to hear
men ot other professions say that
farmers have not got sense enough to
run 'an organizations. Brothers, it is
not for the want of brain ; it is on ac
count of a want Of confidence in each
other, and they are led about by their
particular pets and friends who are
members of other organizations who
are continually throwing cold water
on this organization.
; Fraternally, R. H. L.
FROM STOKES COUNTY.
Wilson's Store, N. C, Oct. 30, '89.
Mb. Editor: It may be that the
outside world does Dot know that
there ia-such a thing in existence as
Vaughn Alliance, but nevertheless
such is the case by a large majority.
Bro. S. A. Hauser organized our Alli
ance the 21st day of May; last with
seven members, we now have twenty,
six and still they come. Very few
drones in the hive.
Well, Mr. Editor, we read in your
valuable paper reports from farmers
from different parts of the State about
their good crops, big potatoes, etc.
While fwe do not raise cotton and can
not compete with the east in raising
potatoes, we will get there this1 year
on bright tobacco and a good corn
crop. We are sowing tho largest
acreage of wheat in Stokes this year I
think sjnce the war. We are whoop
ing up the farming interest, in old
Stokes and . don't you forget it; the
Farmers Alliance being the great
moving power by which we expect to
make the farm self-sustaining and set
tle that much perplexed question, does
farming pay?
So we are going to make a long
pull and a strong pull, and with the
faithful old Pbogbessive Fabmeb
to scotch for us we will reach the top
of the hill that we have been balking
on for pears. Expect to get a good
list o subscribers for The Pbogbes
sive Fabmeb pretty soon, so with the
promise of doing better next time,
hope this will not find its way to the
waste basket. With best wishes for
The Progressive Farmer and its
editor, I am
Fraternally yours,
.vt . J. ,W. .Vaughn Sec'y. 4
FROM BLADEN COUNTY.
Brompton Alliance, No. 573,
Oct. 26, 1889.
Mr. Editor: Our Alliance was
organized by Col. Tom. Hall, of Cum
berland county, the 19th of March,
1887, with 10 charter ; members, and
we now have about 45 in till 8 fe
males and 37 males. We have a few
of that number susDended but will
soon be restored again. We are all
very poor down here. v Sent $5 to the
State business agency. We have had
no deaths in our Alliance and but one
marriage. Bro. Anthony A. Brisson
and Miss Mittie Dowlass, of Tar Heel,
were married near Purdie's church
last morning, C. W. Lyon, J. P., offi
ciating. . We meet twice a month now, and
have some knocking at the door to
get in. We are fighting the Jute
Trust with all our might and we are
trying to work in unity, trusting that
we will soon see a better day. Long
life to Bro. Polk and The Progres
sive Farmer.
Fraternally yours,
A. J. Evans, Sec'y.
LETTER FROM OREGON.
Salem, Oregoit, "Willamette Valley."
Mr. Editor: I have been invited
by some of the good patrons of The
Farmer to tell them a little more of
this 1 'Paradise of Farmers," so called,
by some of the real estate men here
in Salem. I don't wish to impress on
yur minds that this is & paradise or
even akin to paradise, but I will say
this: It is certainly a fine country in
which to live and make money, as all
the production of this country is very
fine. Wheat made on an average this
year from 35 to 40 bushels per acre;
oats from 40 to 70 bushels; hay from
2 to 4 tons per acre. Vegetables yield
bounteously and fruit is simply im
mense. The eastern cherry or plumb
gives but a faint idea of the Oregon
production.
No country produces finer grasses
both native, etc., than this valley. We
have for fuel both wood and coal in
super abundance. Our timbers are
principally the evergreen variety, still
we have oak, birch, maple, alder and
many other kinds. We have fine
water power, enough to run all the
machinery of the State. One of the
largest mills in Oregon is located in
Salem and run by water.; The streams
are not muddy and sluggish but the
water is clear and the currerit is swift.
The oldest Oofegonian will tell you
that that he has never flailed in a crop
in this Willamette Valley.
A North Carolina farmer can get
along here hugely. When . you saw
you can usually 1 depend : upon About
how nicely you ;will reap. Summers
are cool and pleasant, always have a
cool breeze from the sea, while in
winter the grass is always green,
hence this valley is often called the
" Ireland of America." If any one
wishing to make a change and want
ing a little more information and will
write me encloing stamp, I will
answer in all candor and truthfully
give them such information as they
desire.
Most respectfully,
G. W. Meeks.
Salem, Ore., Oct. 25, 1889.
TIMBER LANDS.
BY OLD FOGY.
Brethren, I have an opportunity of
selling a few thousand acres of timber
lands for cash, either oak, hickory,
ash, poplar or pine. I cannot find
you customers for small tracts; it is
difficult to sell 500 acres, but if it can
be had in blocks of 1,000 or more at
reasonable figures, good title and not
too far from railroad, or if in very
large blocks even away from rail
roads, if low in price, I can find you
customers
If you desire me to sell, describe
your lands fully and accurately;
above all, don't make them better
than they are, and quote your lowest
cash prices. Address
Old Fogy.
Care Progressive Fabmeb.
HOW MONEY RULES.
There is no economic fact that is
more notorious and indisputable than
that legislation, both State and Na
tional, has, for the past twenty-five
years, been manipulated entirely in
the interest of the rich and against
the po&r. The one per cent, money
to the rich banker and the 8 to 40 per
cent, money to the despairing poor, is
unmistakable evidence of this lament
able fact.
The oppressive and unholy scheme
inaugurated in pursuance -bf the de-'
mands of bankers has resulted most
disastrously to the unfortunate debtor.
" It has contracted the price of the
products of the country, making money
thrice as valuable in comparison with
property as it was twenty years ago,
making it twice or thrice as hard to
pay a debt now as then, thus putting
the debtor in the power of the creditor
and passing his property into the
hands of the creditor and usurer.
By these crooked and unhallowed
methods more than half of the wealth
of this nation has been concentrated
in the hands of 2,500 unprincipled
money oligarchs, each holding from
one-half a million up to hundreds of
millions of money which they use as a
monstrous engine of oppression against
their fellowmen.
; It is calculated by statisticians that
the, wealth of this country has a yearly
accumulation of about two billions.
Just think of this, you struggling
debtors and wage men and weep. No,
don't weep, but consider what cursed
fools you have been to vote for a sys
tem that permits and perpetuates such
a terrible state of things.
Just consider that one-half of this
accumulation of wealth is dumped
into the coffers of 2,500 greedy, soul
less millionaires, and over fifty-nine
millions. get the balance. Myriads Of
them are worth less than at the end of
the year, with all their toil and scrimp
ing, than at the beginning. It is not
unlike throwing soup through a ladder
those who produce all this vast
wealth get what the rounds catch.
Every philanthropist and political
economist that has ever written pre
faced his essay .with this :
" The diffusion of wealth tends to
the happiness and prosperity of the
mass of the people; its concentration
has the Opposite effect."
Now all this menacing concentration
of wealth has been brought about in
the last twenty years by the unscru
pulous activity of the moneyed class,
and the apathy of the people, superin
duced by .bhnd, unreasoning party
zeal. Voters have been and are to
day voting their prejudice instead of
their sober judgment. The hot, pas
sionate prejudice engendered during
the war; the bloody shirt; and the
tariff bosh have all been used to blind
the eyes and befog the mind of the
voters.
And year by year this will go on
until men learn to cast away prejudice
and follow the dictates of reason. And
as the time passes rapidly along the
wealth is going into the hands of the
very few and the great mass are be
coming abject slaves whose vote3 can
be bought for cash, and thus is shown
again the mighty , power s of money
over the wage slave. Ottumwa lowa
Werld.
A LAW AGAINST DRUNKENNESS
Mb Editor: I may as well " break
the ice" in The Fabmeb as anywher
else; it has to be broken. A prohibi
tory law, enacted by our general gov
ernment, might kill out the manufac
ture and sale of the numerous kinds of
intoxicants, but when will we get it
done? Our Representatives in the
Houses of Congress (as a rule) ara
good and great men, but the little
word liberty, for which our forefathers
fought so long they would be lotii
to infringe. And for a single Stata
to undertake Prohibition, surrounded
by other States Maine and Kansas
have tried that, fairly; Why, they
say, they haul the V liquid hell fire,"
as Sam Jones calls.it into thos
States, ensconsed in large pumpkin
and pasteboard boxes in the form and
labeled "family Bibles." We want a
law against drinking to intoxication.
Make it a misdemeanor, and when &
man is seen unquestionably drunk;
let any one - notify an acting magis
trate and let said magistrate send and
bring him into his court and fine or
imprison him. This will not touch
his liberties any more than numeroui
laws now in full force. In towns and
cities in our State when men ara
"drunk and down" they are takea
into custody and punished by the
government of said town. Being ft
free man and living in a free country
wiil not excuse him; he has to lightea
his purse, work on the street or go to
jail. Our law now is that big town
and court houses' may sell the sweets
smelling, yellow, (colored with tobacc
stems,) fluid and little, one-horse town
like mine are protected from the
traffic y but men may swagger along
our street (having laid in a good craw
full at town) cursing and slanging on
Sunday or Monday and we have only
to bemoan the abuse of liberty and
the sacrifice of human character, and
only think how much less we are in
commoded than the trembling, 4 heart
broken woman and weeping children
to whonrhi'goes homer' v-
The North Carolina Legislature caa
make a law without any constitutional
difficulty that will do more, for the
boys, and their fathers too, than ever
the General Government need be ex
pected to do. Make it a misdemeanor;
worthy of punishment, to be seea
drunk, and it will hurt the respecta
bility of drinking and save thousand
of our promising boys and young
men from even entering these high
licensed, gilded hells with gree
screens, just inside the door. Many
a noble-hearted fellow who has gotten
into the habit unintentionally, . goes
to town with his tobacco and goe
home to a weeping wife whom he
promised God and her father he would
tenderly care for during his or her
natural life. Take him up, and put
him to work on the streets, or fina
him $20, and he'll quit drinking. It
will do him more good than ail the
temperance speeches I could make in
a calendar year, and Gen. Fish to ex
hort after me, every time.
Two of the Northwestern States
have enacted this law, and it is said
that great good is being effected by
it. North Carolina is now upon a
"boom" in every conceivable re
spect; our farmers are coming to the
front, (poor modest, down-trodden,
horny-handed farmers! Who that
lives abovt the front regrets it ? They
who feed the nations of the world,
and grease the mighty wheels of com
merce; they who constitute the great
subtratum of civilization; who denies
that they should have a "place in the
picture," of this rapidly growing
country?) Improved methods, new
enterprises, multiplication of colleges
and churches, increase of State pride
and fancy for the general good; all
things and all conditions and classes
of our people look to the State to cur
tail the growing habit of drinking to
excess, and nothing will check it like
punishment, publicly administered.
Pocket and self-respect will do mora
to send a drinking man home to his
family sober than all the high license
the mayor can levy. I want the press
of the State to help eufffcring inno
cence and agonizing mothers and
crowded jails and inundated courts,
by advocating, punishment for intem
perance as a means of its cure. Take
out Pennsylvania and New York, and
there is not a State on this broad con
tinent whose press can grin at old
Rip Van Winkle. Our broad vales
and beautiful hills are the homes of
as pure a population as ever the sun
looked down upon. Save all classes
of our honest people from the hell
originated habit of drinking, and our
lovely skies, our balmy atmosphere
and fruitful fields and generous popu
lation will win the fancy of the nations
of the world. Truly, etc.,
J. W. Vandives,
...j
V':'