Newspapers / The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, … / April 1, 1890, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY. RALEIGH, N. G, APRIL 1, 1890. No. 8 Vol. 5. i. H 'ill ft V i THE NATIONAL FARMERS' AL LIANCE AND INDUSTRIAL UNION. i President L. L. Polk, North Carolina. ! ddress, 916 E. St, N. W"., Washington, D C Vice-President B. H. Clover, Cain bridge, Kansas. Secretary J. H. Turner, Georgia. Ad dress, 01G E. St., N. W., Washington, Treasurer W. H. Hickman, Puxico, Missouri. Lecturer Ben Terrell, Texas. EXECUTIVE BOARD. C. W. Macune, Washington, D. C. Alonzo Wardall, Huron, South Dakota. J. F. Tillman, Palmetto, Tennessee. JUDICIARY. R. C. Patty, Macon, Mississippi. Isaac McCracken, Ozone, Arkansas. Evan Jones, Dublin, Texas. robth Carolina farmers' state alliance. President Elias Carr, Old Sparta, fT.C. Vice-President A. H. Hayes, Bird- t0SeereV&ry E. C. Beddingfield, Raleigh, N C. Treasurer J. D. Allen, Falls, N. C. Lecturer Thos. B. Long, Asheville, N C Assistant Lecturer R. B. Hunter, Char lotte, N. C. Chaplain J. J. Scott, AlfordsviUe, N C Door Keeper W. H. Tomlinson, Fay etteville, N. C. Assistant Door Keeper H. E. King, Peanut, N. C. Sergeant-at-Arms J. S. Holt, Chalk Level, N. C. State Business Agent W. H. Worth, Raleigh, N. C. Trustee Business Agency Funu W. A. Graham, Machpelah, N. C. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE NORTH CARO LINA FARMERS' STATE ALLIANCE. S. B. Alexander, Charlotte, N. CM Chair -o an; J. M. Mewborne, Kinston N. C; J. S. Johnston, Ruffin, N. C. - GOLD CERTIFICATES. BY OLD FOGY. "The issue of gold certificates and their use is not well understood. Gold certificates are largely use by the importer, the broker and banker. They are cills, or demands on the U. S. Treasury for gold to balance gold accounts. Gold certificates are entirely aristocratic and the farmer and laborer rarely if ever sees one. Below you will find the size or de nomination of the gold certificates and the amounts issued as well as the amounts outstanding since 1866: In In In In In In 20 dollar C 50 " ' 100 tk " 5t0 " " 21,040.000 17,800,000 40,2M,300 56 844,000 167,(81,000 630,540,000 470,450,000 30,000,589 1,000 5,000 In 10,000 " 44 To Geneva award Total, $1,337,78?,889 There is now outstanding less than 20 millions of dollars of these certifi cates in denominations less than $100 each. There has been redeemed in gold one billion one hundred and eighty, three millions seven hundred and forty-one thousand three hundred and twenty eight dollars since 1866. See Rep. Sec. of Treas p. 14, 1889. There wa3 redeemed during the last fiscal year $07,249,598. Turn now to the report of the Di rector of the Mint. The value of fine gold bars exported from May 1st, 1888, to Sept 30, 1889, was $61,435, 989 dollars going to France, England and Germany. 1 want to say that the mysteries of government book-keeping grow en large and expand at every turn. I have said in The Progressive Farmer that the gold in the U. S. Treasury - and the gold certificates based on the said gold are both counted when the modern Anniases make up the amounts said to be in circulation. This has been denied. The official figures and language quoted from the last report of the U. S. Treasurer will confirm my state ments that gold certificates are not in circulation among the people to any extent. I will now prove the other statement to be true. Not by the Economist Almanac, which is said to be fixed up by men who know noth ing of finance; not by The Progres sive Farmers's figures, nor yet by Old Fogy's, but by authority of the great Mogul of figures, the Hon. Secretary Oi the Treasury himself. "The following table shows the amounts of the several kinds of cur rency in tha Treasury and in circula tion June 30th, 1889: Ik Treas'kt SlJi; $303,387,719 InCirc'lat'n. $ 376,675,786 105,613,777 7,421,912 207,228,496 280,384,140 16,S55,000 117,130.229 257,142,5C5 tl,387,55ll35 deposit are, r-A 314,93f ,151 . 1 W'uW bSEk D'0te8' 4'150$7 p f U. b. hank ni-UfQ o'o-i- viu paper uu?. 1,094 Gold certificates, SiWtr certificates. 240,090 26,918,323 5,487,181 Total "The $712,416,883 certificates of i i however, merely representatives ol moneys in the Treasury and to count them with the coin and notes to whish they give title srould be a duplication. If these be eliminated and the actual moneys disposed according to owner ship, the result will be shown below." (Bear in mind the language just used is not mine but the Secretary's ) lx Treasury In Citculatiox Gold, Silver, Notes, $186,257,490 57,7 9',586 34,493,508 $ 493,806,014 32,756,342 530,9:9,478 Total, $278,543,585 $1,387,55 835 The total circulation as given in the first and last table you will see are precisely alike while the amounts said to be in the Treasury in one table are 712 millions, and in the next 278 mil lions. The difference is slight, only about 434 millions. In the first table there is a total of gold and silver in the Treasury of about 618 millions, in the second table there is in the Treas ury only 244 millions. See pages 10 and 11 of the Treasury Report. From time to time in connection with the articles on History of Money I will give our readers an insight into the differences as shown by the differ ent reports and the differences in the tables compiled by the same officer. LETTET FROM PASQUOTANK. Ocisko, N. C. Mr. Editor: It really seems to me that amid all the writing, speaking and arguing in and out of Congress with reference to the impending revo lution now threatening our country, our present Congressmen ought to know and see that the crisis is about to burst upon us, and unless relief is given, the so-called " best government the world ever saw" is doomed. What must be the worshippers when money is their God? And to this we might add, what must be the governed when a partisan demagogue Congress is the ruler? We say again unless some thing is done, and that quickly, civil and religious liberty will be only a thing of the past. " The hand-writing is on the wall." If it be true that in 1850 the farmers owned 70 per cent, of all the wealth of the United States, and paid tax on 85 per cent., whereas at this time (1890) they own 24 per cent, instead of 70, and yet pay tax on 62 per cent, of all that is taxed in this country. I repeat it, sir, that it is high time that we bestir ourselves and rid the country of that vast flock of foul birds now about the " carcass" of religious freedom in Washington City who have bartered away the lib erties of the people. Owing to the usurpating influences of demagogues, railroads, banks, trust companies, mid dlemen, &c, our once prosperous country is in its death agonies the rattles will soon begin then the aver age politician will begin to tremble and shake. We are not Anarchists, neither are we Nihilists nor Commun ists, but friends to a government of equal rights and privileges to all and special favors to none; then if that is politics, we are fully in, and the par tisan pop in-jay can have the pleasure of a long rest, so far as governing is concerned. We have heard it said that railroads are citizens; so they may be to a certain extent, but like the banks, they are a selfish concern, and are demoralizers. I live, and have lived, right on a railroad, i. e. within 50 yards of one for the past ten years, and I have failed to discover in the first instance, where the people contiguous to it have been benefited pecuniarily, only as a matter of con venience. I know whereof I speak when I say the railroad officials are not in sympathy with the "hand" that feeds them. And when I hear a man say he does not want a railroad commission, I locate that man far away from railroads he is ignorant of the many cuils to which those who live near are subject. I feel confident the next Legislature will pass a rail road bill; those who voted against it at its last session will not have the pleasure of doing so again. "Let justice be done though the heavens fall." May the Lord deliver us from plu tocratic rule, from "the Turk the devil and the convict," bankers, mid dlemen, trust compar-ies, money lend ers at exorbitant rates, railroads, &c. Success to The Progressive Farmer and long life to its editor, and " that peace which passeth understanding" to the brethren everywhere. Rally, patriots, and drive your enemies out of the temple. M. G. Gregory, Pres't. Stake young trees if they are liable to be severely shaken by winds. On light, sandy -soils, where the ground is soft and loose, it may be necessary to stake trees from 2 to 3 years old. THE "PROGRESSIVE FARMER " AND WHAT IT IS DOING. Prospects of the Alliance. Mr. Editor: I like the tone of The Progressive Farmer it has the right r.ng about it. If the farmers would heed its teachings they would soon be independent and enrolled among the influential law-makers of the land. You are doing a great work, and though your progress may appear slow and unrewarded just now, the fruit will appear in a few years, and then you may rejoice over your abundant success. The poverty of the farming class, the baneful methods of debt and mortgage, the lack of mutual confidence, the rut of over 25 years cut deep in their ways, all ope rate to impede co-operation, self-dependence and the assertion of these rights as freemen they have so long waived and surrendered to others. When we consider the farmers' condition from every standpoint, his abject poverty, the dark cloud ever hanging in his sky, without friends or money, with money rings, combines and trusts strongly arrayed against him, and last but not least with a gov ernment whose every act adds insult to injury, we wonder why it is that they do not rise up as one man, unite in one strong brotherhood, shake off the shackles which bind them and with an undaunted zeal, labor untir ingly for their universal betterment. When we consider their real condition and beholl with what indifference the farmers all over the land are treating the question of a common brotherhood and co-operative union, it is very dis couraging, but you must not give up. Revolutions work slow. A day of relief will come. The gathering vol cano of public, feeling among the farmers though slowly crystalizing, will became in the near future an om nipotent power, and its loud flood of wrath and, resentment will be poured out in relent?e83 f ury upon the heads of their heartless oppressors. No doubt the lack of co-operation in cov ering our cotton crop of 1839 with something besides jute has give a the jute trust, as well as others, consider able encouragement that the farmers of the country are incapable of united action, while on the other hand it has had a depressing and disheartening effect upon those who have sacredly observed their plighted vows to their several organizations, yet by working, laboring and teaching we shall at length secure that unity which will level party, obliterate sections and bring to our oppressed farmers and laborers the welcome boon of a better life and living. 1 am not discour aged though I remember with humil iation the want of self-interest dis played in the "Farmers' Legislature " which last sat in Raleigh, which, though numerically able to enact any law, yielded, as in the past, to the leadership of others, casting a reflec tion on ther own intelligence and greatly violating the rights and best interest of their constituents at home. Negligent and indifferent to our own rights and interest which appeal to us from the standpoint of the first law of nature, we would be sinful indeed to expect the aid and friendly push of other callings in these days of zeal for selfish ends and self-igrandizement. Once fully awake to our own interest, fully realizing the power in united ac tion, ashamed of the past and humili ated over our subservient relation to other callings, the farmers and labor ers of the country will boom up as a power which the politicians of our land will not longer dare to ignore and disregard. With your motto labor omnia vincet, and buoyed by the con scientiousness of a jast cause, the day will soon dawn and will be the brighter and more glorious because of its long night of gloom and darkness. Every farmer owes it to himself and family, to his neighbor, his people and his country to aid you in your noble efforts to bring about a better condi tion for the producing classes by be coming and remaining paid up sub scribers to The Progressive Farmer. J. W. Sanders. v Sanders Store, N. C, March 30, '90. Crooked Creek Alliance, No. 1,128, McDowell Co., N. C, March 14, 1890. Mr. Editor: As it has been a long time since anything has been written from our Alliance, I will write and let the brethren know that we are still alive and working. Our Alliance now numbers something "over one hundred members and there are some working members in our Alliance. Our members are having their sugar, coffee, soda, flour and other articles of use to the living man, ordered through the Business Agent, and are saving a large profit thereby. Our Alliance is progressing slowly, but we hope to continue to climb step by step until we can reach the top round of the ladder; but we need not expect to accomplish much in sometime yet, for until the business agency fund is raised we can hardly expect much. I think the first of all things is to get the business agency fund established. It seems that there has been enough said about it already to arouse all Alliance men, although there are a good number that are still standing bask. Very respectfully, J. F. Harmon. WHAT THEY SHOULD DO. The farmers of Kansas, in common with those of other Western States, have a number of grievances which, as a matter of simple justice, should be redressed as promptly as possible. Among their grievaLces is the op pression to which they are subject-! by railways who -insist upon takirg about half the crop raised as pay lor transporting the other half to market-. Next, they have a grievance against the dressed beef combine whose meth ods practically destroy the live stock interests of the State, and thereby so much cripple and impoverish them. Next, they have a grievance against the binding twine trust, a monopoly which compels them to pay 30 per cent, more for that article than they should pay. Next they have a griev ance against the general government, particularly the legislative branch of it, for oot providing a sufficiency of money to ao the business of the coun try free coinage of silver, for exam ple, and thus to ena ble them to dis pose of their crops at fair prices. Next they have a very large grievance against a gang of professional politic ians in this State who are in the habit of using them as so much trading capital iSr the various tchemes in which they are interested. These are a few of the grievances of the farmers of Kansas. That th time has come for redress will, The Cham pion thinks, be conceded. The means of redress are in the hands of the farmers themselves. They have the power to protect their interests and to inaugurate political and legislative policies which will inure to their direct benefit as a class. They have the votes, which is the power re quired in the emergency which con fronts them. It is for them to say who shall represent them in the next Kansas Legislature and in the next National Legislature. If they are so disposed they can hold the balance of power in the State Legislature and can say who shall represent Kansas in the lower and upper House of Con gress. The opportunity to help themselves, to take at least the initiative in wiping out the trusts so hostile to their in terests, and to secure the proper regu lation of the railroads of this State is in their hands. They can now cut lose from the whole brood of political cormorants who have so long preyed upon them, if they will. What they should do as a mean3 to this end is to elect men to tbe State Legislature who will not sell them out when they get to Topeka; men who cannot be bought and sold like sheep in the shambles; men who are in sympathy with them and their inter ests, and who have brains enough not to be led by the nose by crafty asso ciates and oleaginous lobbyists; men who are bribe proof, and who have the nerve to legislate with special ref erence to the needs of the agricultural classes. When it comes to members of the National Legislature, they should see to it that men are sent to Congress both branches who are not mort gaged soul and body to corporations, combines and trusts, and who have an adequate appreciation of the kind of legislation required to relieve the de pressed condition of agriculture. If the farmers of Kansas will care fully consider this matter and wisely improve their present opportunity, they will not much longer suffer as they do at present from oppressive conditions. -Atchison Champion. Anthony Republican : It the gov ernment should take charge of the railroads of the country, freight rates would at once be established which would not admit of trusts and combi nations. One man could get a car of goods handled just as cheaply as an other it would be impossible to get a special rate. In other words, the rail roads would ba conducted on the same principle that postoffices are without profit to the government and strictly in the interests of the people. NUTS TO CRACK AT THE FARM ERS' FIRESIDE. The effects of a high protective tariff and of a high freight on railway transportation are identical, yet farm ers favor the former and groan over the iniquities of the latter. Kansas Jeffersonian. Ingalls talks about the " mutterings of discontent heard in the South." If he will lay his ear to the ground some still day he will also be able to detect a low rumbling in several localities in Kansas. Kansas City Star. The word bond as applied to evi dences of American indebtedness, is a most appropriate one. Bonds are the shackles which bind American citizens in a system of slavery to the money lords. Southern Alliance, At lanta, Ga. Sugar is worth three cents per pound in England. But for our " glorious system of protection " we could get our sugar at about the same figures Signal. " The best Alliance any man can join is an alliance with a hard day's work." Strong City Rep. The farmers are being constantly treated to such choice morsels as the above by the old party press. No thing disturbs their peace so much as the fact that the farmers are becom ing educated and beginning to think for themselves, and struggling to throw off the chal-is with which mo nopoly and their pliant tools, the leg islators, and-a servile partisan press has shackled them. Liberty (Ks.) Re view. Railroad officials, bankers, insurance companies, liquor dealers and other corporations go boldly into politics and labor and lobby for their men and measures. They always mean busi ness. But farmers should not meddle with politics. Oh, no. Hands off ! Kansas Farmer. The government has taken the pre caution to issue $8,000,000 to buy bonds at a premium of 27 per cent, in order to tide the bankers over a tight, and thus prevent another "Black Fri day." How would it do for the "Great Father at Washington" to order an extra issue of a few millions for the purpose of tiding tnose West ern farmers over the " Black Fridays" that are occurring among that class of citizens almost daily ?- - Climax Springs (Jfo.) Advocate. Hon. Lucian Baker, of Leaven worth, an old railroad attorney, pre sents figures to show that the railroads of Kansas cost to build them $1 30, 000,000; that the people of Kansas have donated to tiem $150,000,000, or twenty million more than they cost, and the roads earn interest on $800, 000.000. At only fiv3 per cent, this shows that we pay each year thirty three and a half millions too much to the railroads. Divide this $33,500, 000 by 300,000 the number of families in Kansas, and see how much it costs each one more than public ownership would. If our Congressmen would do less monkey work on getting appropria tions made for public buildings and turn theirattention to some issue that will benefit the farmers and laborers, they will be "killing time" f a great deal better advantage than he etofore. Almena Advocate. When another general election has come and gone it will be found that the consolidation of the Knights of Labor and Farmers' Alliance will have done more to dispel party preju dices and sectional animosity than anything that has occurred since the war. Colorado Workman. It was over in Windsor township, recently, a coterie of statesmen were discussing the resubmission question as Ben Clover, our National Vice President, was passing, when they called him up to express an opinion. It was brief. Said he: "The ques tion uppermost right now is not whether a man shall have a right to drink or not, but, whether he shall have a home to go, drunk or sober." A nation which legalizes methods that compel the majority of its citizens to pay tribute to tbe few is hovering dangerously near to despotism. Craftsman. The Kansas City Times states that E. N. Keep, of the Garden City Im print, says: " Mortgages are becoming scarcer in Western Kansas -every day." True ! The loan companies are foreclosing. Western farmer. There are in the State of Illinois over 1,000,000 acres of land owned by aliens. Under a recent law of that State they must become citizens by the 1st of July, when the law goe3 into effect, to retain possession of it. Over three hundred children have been expelled from the public schools of Chicago on account of their ragged clothes and dirty appearance. Even the crumbs that fail from the rich men's tables are being denied the poor man and his children. Kx. Don't pledge your vote to the can didate, but make the candidate pledge his vote for the fariaer and laborer. "Jimmy, stir up the fire and put on some more corn, I want to read the terms of this mortgage." An ob ject lesson which Uw farmers will fail to comprefeead. Nebraska larmer. Farmers and laboiers have dis covered that there is too much of the products of their labor in a dollar and not enough dollars in the products of their labor, hence they are kicking clear over the party traces and will eventually kick the old corrupt parties out of existence. laulhier County Wheel (Ark.) When farmers work together to en force their own rights, they will get them, but how in the name of common sense do they expect to achieve that end by electing to office millionaire bondholders is beyond our compre hension. Our Own Opinion. Cam bridge, Neb. If all the reform factions in this country were to unite, they could revO lutionize the whole world, but the fact is, the leaders of the two "old parties manage to keep them from doing this, so that they, the masses, may the bet ter be robbed. DayUn (O.) Work man. If the government should take charge of the railroads of the country, freight rates would be at once estab lished which would not admit of trusts and combinations. One man could get a car of goods handled just as cheaply as another it would be im possible to get a special rate. In other words, the railroads would bo conducted on the same principle that postoffices are without profit to the government and strictly in the inter est of the people.- Anthony Republi can. There's going to be a great big exit one of these days a" general exodus. Poverty must go, millionairism must go, boodleism must go, the national banks must go, monopolies, trusts and combines must go in fact the people are getting to go it on their o wn hook. Ux. The Farmers' Alliance, of Kansas, which, by the way, kas become an organization of great strength, has, through its president, propjsed a series of questions to Mr. Ingalls, stating at the sime time that the support of the Alliance for him for United Sutes Senator depends upon whether he an swers these questions satisfactorily. Thus far Mr. Ingalls has not answered, but it is safe to assert that he will do so, and in such a manner, too, that the Alliance will be none the wiser. Mr. Ingalls is a past master in the art of beating his satanic majesty around the stump, and he is now evidently doing a good deal of thinking before com mitting himself to paper. luslaloosa l tmes. The People's Signal) Marlin, Tex.) is not uncertain in its faith. It re fers to the time between 18G4 and 1868: When we passed through a period of prosperity neve.- before known in this or any other country. Money was plenty, wages were high and everybody was happy. As a very forcible writer expresses it, "huts became houses, houses became palaces, tatters became garments, garments became robes, and for the first time in the history of the world the poor tasted the luxuries of wealth." Is there any laboring man who can con demn us for desiring this prosperity again ? The abolition of the national bank system, and the payment of the national debt will bring back to the people again the good times from '64 to 68. Do you want it? If so, vote for no man for Congress or State leg islature who will not advocate it. NOTE FROM CATAWBA COUNTY. Mr. Editor: Since my last writing our Alliance, No. 1,876, ha3 received five members, three males and two fe males. We not only indorse the sub trjasury plan, but are "a unit in everything that tends to benefit the farmer and laboring classes, believing that such in the end will benefit all, and save this once "grand republic" Thanking you for yc'ir kind indul gence, lam Your sister in truth, Mrs. B. A. Morgan. ...
The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 1, 1890, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75