o THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OP STATE POLICY.
VOL 5-
RALEIGH, N. C, JANUARY 20, 1891
No. 46
I
it 7 NATIONAL FARMERS' AL
LIANCE AND INDUSTRIAL
UNION.
p Pdent L. L. Polk, North Carolina.
Address, 344 D. St., N. W, Washington,
n P
yice-President B. H. Clover, Cam-
krdie, Kansas.
epVtary-Treasurer J. H. Turner,
oeoriia- Addr 239 North Capitol St,
Leirer J. H. Willetts, Kansas.
EXECUTIVE BOARD.
0 W. Macune, Washington, D. C.
A'onzo Wardall, Huron, South Dakota,
j F. Tillman, Palmetto, Tennessee.
judiciary.
R C. Patty, Macon, Mississippi.
Isaaj McCracken, Ozone, Arkansas.
A.. E. Cole, Fowlerville, Michigan.
NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
The Preside - ts of all the State organi
istions with L. L. Polk Ex-offi.cio Chair
man. KOBTH OAROLISA FARMERS' STATE ALLIANCE
President Elias Carr, Old Sparta,
V.c-e-President A. H. Hayes, Bird
town, N. C.
Secretary E. C. Beddingfield, Raleigh,
N C.
T easurer J. D. Allen, Falls, N. C.
L.-cturer Thos. B. Long, Asheville,
L A'sistaot Lecturer R. B. Hunter,
I mtersvilL?, N. C.
C aplain S. J. Veach, Warsaw, N C.
Do-r Keeper W. H. Tomlinson, Fay-
itte.-ille, N. C. .
A distant Door Keeper H. E. King,
Feaiut, N. C.
Sirgeant-at-Arms J. S. Holt, Chalk
Levl,N.C.
Sta.e Business Agent W. H. Worth,
Rale srh, N. C.
Tr istee Business Agency Fund W. A.
Grab an, Machpelah, N. C.
IXECUT VE COMMITTEE Of THE NORTH CARO
LINA FARMERS' 8TATE ALLIANCE.
S B. Alexander, Charlotte, N. C.
Char nan; J. M. Mewborne, Kinston N.
C; J 3. Johnston, Ruffin. N. C.
STATE ALLIANCE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
R. J. Powell, Raleigh, N. C; N. C.
English, Trinity College ; J. J. Young,
Polenta; H. A. Forney, Newton, N C.
NOTES ON CURRENT EVENTS.
The La Grange Spectator thinks
Col. Polk is a man of one idea. Well,
it may be so. Aid if it is so, Col.
folk seems to have just one idea more
than some people we could mention.
W. S. Powell & Co., of Baltimore,
Md., have published an attractive
paoaphlet of 34 pages, entitled A. B.
C. of Agriculture, which they will
lend free of charge to any farmer who
asks them for it.
It is understood that O'Brien and
Parnell have cobbled up a compromise
f the difficulties which have ruined
the usefulness of the Irish parliament
ary party, by which Parnell agrees to
retire from the leadership, if Mr.
Justin McCarthy will resign his
laims to Parcell's old shoes.
We see, with pleasure, that a bill
lias been introduced into the General
Assembly to lower the rate of interest
in this State from eight to six per
entum. We hope the bill will be
come a law, and we hope the law
nakers will attach such penalties to
the measure es will secure the en
forcement of the law after its enact
nent. Such a law as is proposed will
to of little value unless it is enforced
proper penalties
The legislature proposes to do some
thing for the common schools by put
tang into the school fund one dollar a
year for every dog in the State. This
ill will work good in two ways. It
iU be the death of thousands of
ignoble cur 3, and thus make sheep
husbandry a more profitable business;
it will put some needed money
the school fund. If any one
wall say that a farmers' legislature is
ot level headed, tell him he is mis
taken.
X
a here was an Alliance caucus or
onsultation held upon the eve of the
"Ming of the present General Assem
bly, from which the Republican mem
" of the Alliance were excluded.
18 action in our judgement, was
wroag. We take the broad ground
every Allianceman, no matter
at politic! party he belongs to, is
entitled to be present at, and take part
in, any consultation of Alliancemen
upon any question of public policy.
We are glad to believe that the Re
publicans who are members of the
Alliance in North Carolina are just as
true men, and just as much entitled
to the confidence of their brethren, as
any other class whomsoever.
The Farmers' Alliance in North
Carolina is happy in having able
friends and helpers amongst the law
yers of the State, and it is indebted to
its friends in the legal profession for
eminent services rendered to its cause.
But it is perhaps indebted to no one
of these more deeply than to Col.
Harry Skinner, of Pitt county. Col.
Skinner has many of the qualifications
for leadership. He is clear-headed,
true sighted, brave and faithful to the
people. We predict for this talented
young North Carolinian a brilliant
future in his county's service.
Dr. R L. Abebnethy, President of
Rutherford College, is anxious to
secure funds to rebuild his institution
of learning. Our readers will remember
that the College buildings, apparatus,
were recently destroyed by fire.
Dr. Abernethy is a member of the
Alliance, and he wants every one of
his brethren to send him a contribu
tion for his work. The Pboobessive
Farmer has called the attention of its
readers to th s matter once before, but
it cheerfully repeats its suggestion,
that a little help just now would be of
great service to this veteran educator.
The New York Htrald has been
trying for some time past to get the
Legislature of the Empire State to
elect Mr. Charles A. Dana, editor of
The Sun, to the Senate of the United
States. The Herald has been trying
to get Governor Hill to declare in
favor of Mr. Dana for the Senate.
But so far the Governor is as mum as
an oyster. In fact, it looks as if the
editor of the Herald was the only man
in the country, excepting Mr. Dana
himself, who is at all enthusiastic over
the elevation of the Nestor of the
Sun to the Senate. We admire the
courage of the Heral i, but we cannot
say as much for its judgement.
It is said the University will ask
the Legislature for an extra appropria
tion, in order that that excellent in
stitution may be able to give free
tuition to ths young men of the State.
There has been much said about the
advantages of free tuition, and it looks
liberal and appears to be wonderfully
helpful to bestow the benefits of free
tuition upon poor young men. But
after all there is much more of promise
than of performance in any plan of
free tuition at. the University. For
unless charges far tuition at the Uni
versity are much higher than at other
schools of like grade, they are a very
small part of the expenses of a young
man's residence there. It would not
help poor young men much in their
efforts to obtain an education at the
University to give them free tuition,
without lessening the other expenses.
Free tuition would be some help; but
not much. Besides, we think the
Legislature ought to turn its attention
to helping the thousands and tens of
thousands of poor children in the
State who can never go to the Univer
sity, and who are dependendent upon
the common schools for all the educa
tion they will ever get. The Univer
sity cm wait for the means to make
tuition free for the sons of the more
fortunate people of the State until some
respectable provision has been made
for the primary education of the chil
dren of the poor. It' will be no an
swer to say to this, that we are opposed
to the University; for such a state
ment would be untrue. We are in
favor of giving a good common
school education to every child in this
State; and such a policy as we advo
cate, will give to the University the
largest possible number of students,
the wildest usefulness and the largest
revenues it can ever have.
ALLIANCE CORRESPONDENCE.
Grant ville, N. C, Dec. 17, '90.
Mr. Editor : While the Alliance,
State and National, are publishing
their legislative demands, it seems ;o
me one important demand is being
overlooked, and that Is the present
county government system, whereby
the people (the farmers) are deprived
of choosing the men that lay their tax,
control their roads and schools. Now
will the Alliance, in the next legisla
lature of North Carolina, look to
these small things, as some would
call them ? 1 believe in the Alliance
order and think we should correct or
endeavor to so shape legislation so as to
give the people an opportunity to act
directly in the government of State
and county matters as well as national
matters. Yours fraternally,
S. O. Deater,
Lecturer Mars Hill Alliance.
This is to certify that in the late
election in which our worthy brother,
J. M. Mewborne, was the Democratic
candidate for Congress in the second
congressional district, was, by a few
prejudiced and ill guided men, badly
misrepresented. Both his political
principles and his ability to perform
the duties inncumbent upon a Con
gressmen have been often and con
tinually attacked. Now, in behalf of
this noble man, the undersigned would
speak to the public abroad some words
of truth, and in so doing we feel
sure that we utter the sentiments of
the peodle who know him. We have
known this worthy gentleman for
more than twenty years, and most of
us have known him from his very
cradle; and we can, and do hereby
testify that he is fully competent to
s jrve the people in this high capacity,
and further that we have never known
nor heard of, except by this same few,
a low or ungentlemanly act to proceed
from him. He has every outward
appearance of a Christian gentleman,
and if a tree if known by its fruits, he
must possess the extraordinary quali
ties of a thorough Christian. His
moral character is without a blemish.
His political character is purely and
wholly of the Jeffersonian type. And
although this envious few are yet con
tinuing their outrageous attacks upon
him, to the great disgust of his many
warm friends, we yet hope and ex
pectantly beliave that the day is not
far distant when J. M. Mewborne will
truly represent the people of the second
congressional district.
This committee appointed by Char
ity Alliance to set forth these facts,
asks The Progressive Farmer to pub
lish the same.
G. W. Mewborne, Cnm.
N. J. Allen,
B. F. Dixon,
L. Bird,
F. Dail.
Adopted by Charity Alliance, Dec.
27th, 1890.
Haywood, Haywood Co., N. C.
Mb. Editob: I am not used to
writing letters, and I don't know
hardly how to start this one. I am
in a heap of trouble, though, and I
want you to tell me what I must do.
I have talked to my neighbors and
they can't tell me. You must excuse
me for writing a long leiter, for I
want to tell you all about it, so- you
can give me some advice on the sub
ject. One of my friends, Mr. Bond
holder, came over to our house on one
occasion some years ago, and after
talking about the crops and praising
Mrs. Seele's coffee and cakes and tell
ing her how pretsy the children-were
and chatting about this and that, he
got up to go home. Just as h9 took
hold of the door he stopped and
turned around. Says he: "Mr. Seele,
don't you want to go in with me and
buy a horse? I know," says he,
" where we can get a real nice one
mighty low down." Says I, "no,
neighbor Bondholders, I don't believe
I do. I've got team enough to do my
work." Well then he. goes to work
and tells how this horse looks in har
ness and what a fine driver he was
and that if I could see him cavorting
around I would be sure to like him.
Then says he (and he took a seat)
"neighbor Seele, at your time of life
you ought to commence to enjoy your
self some. It is a shame for you to
let Mrs. Seele and these fine, interest
ing children languish for the want of
exercise and enjoyment." Mrs. Seele
glanced at me and I saw had to give
in. Well we buy the horse, and as I
didn't have a buggy and a plenty of
other team, 1 told Mr. Bondholder he
could take him home with him. Says
he, "Mr. Seele, you think a heap of
Zeb. Vance and so do I, let us name
our horse Zsb. Vance." I was very
glad he said that, for I was thinking
of the same thing, so I said very well,
and we called him Z3b. Vance. Weil,
every once in a while I had to go to
town to get some coffee or something,
and I was very apt to see Mr. Bond
holder with his friend Mr. National
Bank out driving Zeb. Vance. .Well,
Mr. Editor, it was a pretty sight, I
can tell you. Zib. was rigged up with
gold -mounted harness and a nice silk
sash around him. He would lay his
tail over on t le right side and let it
lay there awhi:e, then he would lay it
over on the left and let it lay there;
he would gracefully shy from this
objeci on the left and that object on
the right. The town-4)and was play
ing a tune on one occasion, called
"The gold bugs are coming," and,
Mr. Editor, that horse actually kept
time trotting on them streets to that
tune. WcJ1, I can tell you 1 was very
proud of that horse, and I would
stand around and call the boys' atten
tion to our horse, and I told them
what -he could do and praised him so
much they got to thinking as much of
Zeb. Vance as Mr. B. or I.
This went on for a long time, but
I could never find time to take Mrs.
Seele or the children out to ride. The
fact is, we got poorer and poorer all
th,e time, and didn't even think of
pleasure. Well, last week I lost one
of work horses, and I thought to my
self it was a good thing I went in with
Mr. Bondholder to buy that horse. I
went to see him about getting Zeb.
Vance to plow. He said it was all
right I could take him along. He
was smiling all that time to hinself,
and said he would go with me and see
how Zab. died. I put a good pair of
black harness and iron traces on him.
Zeb. looked like he was thunderstruck.
He was right sullen but I got him be
fore the plow right smart easy. I
threw my rope bridle over his head
and went to the plow to start him off
Now, Mr. Editor, what do you think ?
Zeb. Vance would't move an inch. I
tried to coax him but that wouldn't
do. I tried scolding and that didn't
do any good. Mr. Bondholder smiled
worse than ever, and at this I got
mighty mad, for I had been sending
lots of my best hay, oats and corn to
feed Zsb. on all the time. Mr. Bond
holder had been driving him. I
jerked the lines smartly and gave Zeb.
a cut. Well sir, with that he com
menced to kick. I jerked out my
knife and was going to cut his throat,
but Mr. Bondholder caught hold of
me and told me it was unlawful, it
was unconstitutional, it was injustice
to undertake to make Zeo. work with
that kind of gear. Well I stood- and
looked at the man and then at the
horse. The horse looked at Mr.
Bondholder. After awhile Mr. B.
says to me: "Let me take the horse
home again and maybe the next time
you will have a different kind of gear
and work for him. I let him go, but
I ain't satisfied. The town folks are
all down on me, and the newspapers
almost everywhere are abusing me
for trying to kill Zeb. Now, Mr.
Editor, come to my assistance. Tell
me what to do with that horse, and I
will be everlastingly yours.
H. A. Sxxl.
Wade, N. C, Jan. 1, 1891.
Mb. "Editor: Permit me a small
space in your valuabh paper for a
few lines for No. 129. We are very
quiet down here, but are moving
steadily along. We are a unit on the
Sub Treasury bill and plan, also every
other Alliance principle, and we ex
pect the Legislature of North Caro
lina, during its session, to do the
necessary work to secure the national
legislation we need.
In compLance with the recommen
dation of the State Alliance, all neces
sary preparations were made here to
observe January 1st as a thanksgiving
day. Notwithstanding the morning
of the day being rainy, at 1 1 a. m. at
McMillan's Chapel there had assembled
about four hundred people, composed
of Wad as, Geddies and several
brothers and sisters of Godwins,
South River and other neighboring
Alliances, also several friends among
them. The service began with the
singing of appropriate hymns and
prayer. Bro. David Aui.ry, one of
our county lecairers, who had been
invited to address the people on the
occasion, was present and addressed
us in a happy and entertaining speech,
then after the singiag of a hymn, re
cess for dinner was announced after
which the people retired to a table
165 feet long on the grounds which
was completely filled with everything
that could be destred to make up a
wholesome dinner. After all had
eaten and were filled, there were more
than twelve baskets of fragments
taken up.
At 1:30 o'clock jp. m. the crowd re
assemoled in the house and were
pleasantly entertained . by speeches
from Bros. D. W. Williams and Riley
Brown, of Sampsod county. The ser
vices were ;hen closed by singing and
prayer.
We never spent a day more pleas
antly in our life, and it is hoped that
much good was accomplished. I
could describe several other pleasant
things of the occasion of worth, but
as my letter is already too long, I
will close, with many good wishes
for The Pboobessive Fabmeb and its
patrons. J. C. B., Cor. Sec'y.
Swspsontille, N. C, Dec. 15, '90.
Mb. Editor: I wonder what the
farmers are doing these long winter
evenings now that "crops are over,"
as Bill Nye says. We have had an
other bounteous crop of corn, cotton
and tobacco, and if wheat was a fail
ure we hive no cause to complain.
Some of our people thought the
millennium was not far off when the
election returus came in, but I don't
think it will be along for several years
yet, and I am glad it won't, because
we ain't buite ready for it yet.
Some people have a mistaken idea
about the Alliance. They think it is
solely to enable them to buy goods at
reduced prices to save 10 cents on
every dollar they spend. Of course
that is all very good and even neces
sary, because a dollar saved is a dollar
made. But that is not the object of
the Alliance, or at least not the great
object. Its uim is to improve the
man, to help him to farm better, to
give him higher and broader views,
and to lift him up on higher places
out of the clods where he has been so
continually groveling for so long. If
you will look about you, my brother
farmers, you will find more things
needed to make you a successful
farmer than cheap soda and molasses.
I was traveling one of the most public
roads in tiis county some weeks ago,
and I passed an orchard that reminded
me of a piece of poetry I learned when
I was a little boy:
" I passed by his garden and saw the wild
brier;
The thorns and the thistles gTOW broader and
higher."
Only it was sassafras sprouts instead
of thistles, and the sprouts looked far
better than the fruit trees, and that
man, I am sorry to say, was a member
of my own Alliance.
Now that brother don't need cheap
soda and molasses; they would not do
much good in his case. He needs the
discipline applied in the form of some
good agricultural newspaper.
Some people sneer at what they call
" book farming," but a little book
farming mixed with experience, in
dustry and good common sense, would
be an advantage to the moat of us. I
am sure it , would be a good thing for
that orchard.
And nov as the Alliance has some
represmtrtives in our legislature, I
want to make some suggestions:
First, let me remind them that
North Carolina pays less per head
than any State in the Union save one
for public school purposes. I think
we have borne this disgrace long
enough. We as a State can well
afford to double our taxes for educa
tion. I hope to live to see the day
when all the higher branches will be
taught in our public schools; when
there will be a sufficiency of money to
carry them on at least six months in
the year, so that the generations to
come will prove that the old North
State can produce something more
than turpentine and "phools."
Talk about bringing the farmer up
in his ignorance and bettering his con.
dition, until he is better educated. If
he was up he could not stay.
Solomon said: "Wisdom is weal tk
and knowledge is power," so that the
wise and intelligent of this or any
other country will always be the
wealthy and the powerful. And both
ol these carry in them seven (other
things being equal) the elements of
perpetuation.
And there is another old and time
honored relic of barbarism that ought
to be abolished- The Constitution
entitles parents to the service and con
trol of their sons until they are twenty
one years old, and holds them respon
sible for their debts, etc; and then the
laws of North Carolina comes in and
disarms the parents on certain days,
and says that boy (if he be a country
boy) shall work a given number of
days on public roads after he is 18;
so that if a man has as many sons as
old father Jacob had he is cheated out
of thirty six years of his time. I ask
in the name of justice and all common
sense, is it right ? And when you
come to think this only applies to
country boys, I ask is it equal rights ?
Now with the kindest of feeling for
the town boys, I ask what great or
good things have they done that en
titles them to these special favors ?
They pay no town tax, so all they
have done is cone to town. We are
heard saying, "keep the boys on the
farm, give them inducements and go
on and tell them that Washington,
Garfield and most, all great men of
all ages were farmers' boys," and then
in the face of all this make them pay
a fine in the shape of so many days
work on public roads.
Alamance county has as many as
fire incorporated towns, ranging from
250 to 2500 inhabitants; all these
towns have their share of eighteen
year old boys that are getting ad van.
tage over the country boys.
Now I want it understood that I
don't want the to vn boy brought out
and made to work on public roads,
but let all be treated alike exempt
the country boy. I believe the time
is close at hand when all our roads
will be worked by taxation the
sooner the better.
The two most repulsive things in
the lives of most boys is turning the
grindstone and working public roads;
and the only way he can escape either
is to move to some incorporated town.
There he soon learns to smoke, chew
and curse, and look on the poor coun
try boy with the most' profound pity,
and congratulates himself that he ii
not like other boys (country boys.)
Now, my brother farmers, let us
ask the legislature to provide more
money for public schools, to repeal
the act that requires eighteen-year old
boys to perform road duty, and let us
put a treadle to our grindstones and
see how much more happy and con
tented our boys will be and how much
less ready they will be to leave the
peaceful country home for the pleas
ures and temptations of town and city
life. H. M. Catis, Cor Sec'y.