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T T T 11 .i 1 1 1 i ii ji MkIEB. v TEKViWSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY. Vol. 6. RALEIGH, ,N7 C, MAY 12, 1891. No. 12 CIRCULATION. The actual circulation of Volume V, which closed with the issue of Febru ary 17th, 1891, was as follows: February 18, 1890, 12.840 44 .-. 44 1- 'Wl Augrust Sept. . 4 r 4ft October 4ft 44 ftft. Nov. 19,1SW, lft,6S0 12,240 26, ltuwo 16,800 16,800 17,040 16.811) -17,280 17,040 17,280 17,280 17.280 . 17,280 17,700 17,760 17,7iO 18,230 18,240 March 12,0(10 10,560 10,560 10,800 10,800 10,800 10,800 10,800 11,040 11,040 11,160 11,160 11,400 11,280 11,280 11,400 11,400 11,400 11,520 11,640 12,:560 13,800 16,320 16,680 f ft 16, " 44 30, " 7, " 14, " 21, " 28, " 4. 11, " 18, " IS, 25, 1, H, 15, 22, 29, 0, 13, 20, IT. 2i, 1, 8, 15, s; 5, 12, April May June Decemb'r 2, - 9, 16, 18,2 tO 18,240 July January 6, 1891, 18,240 13, " ' 1840 20, " 18,240 27, " 18,240 3, " 18,240 10, " 18,240 17, " 18,240 February August, First 6 months, 307,080 Second 6 months, 458,160 Making a total circulation for the year of 765,210; averaging fpr 52 suc cessive issues, per issue, . 1-1,710, and showing a net increase for the year of 5,400, or more than 113 per week. The above statement is taken from the records kept in the office of The Progressive Farmer, and i correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. J. W. Denmark, Business Manager. I am Book-keeper for Edwards & Broughton, Printers and Binders, Ral eigh, N. G. The- press-work on The Progressive Farmer lias been done for the past three years by Edwards & "Broughton, and I have kept account of the same. I have compared the above statement with the account I have kept, and find it tallies throughout, and is correct. T. J. Bashford. Personally appeared before me, W. T. Womble, Notary Public, J. W. Den mark, Business Manager of The Pro gressive Farmer, also T. J. Bashford, Book-keeper for Edwards & Broughton, and m ike oath that the statements contained above are correct to the best of their knowledge and belief. In witness where f, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my notarial seal of office this day, February 26th, 1891. W. T. Womble,- Notarial Seal Notary Public. Be sure and raise plenty of food plants a sufficient amount to supply the people and animals on your farm for the following year. Let "hog and hominy " take precedence. m The raising of mules to supply the market of North Carolina is an indus try for Western North Carolina which would pay well. In fact it seems to us that every farmer should raise his own horses and mules. We have learned from the proprietors of sale stables that one of the largest trades for many years in horse flesh has been made with the farmers in our eastern and middle counties the past four months. Cannot this waste be stopped ? No wonder Kentucky can boast of her fine stock farms when such large amounts are anaually deposited there for the purchase of her horses and mules. EDITORIAL NOTES. SENATOR VANCE'S 7 IONS. INSTRUC- In our notice of the interview, which a reporter of the Asheville Citizen had with Senator Vance in regard to in structions given to him by our last legislature, we said as we understood the instructions they 'were to support the "plan of financial reform as con templated by the Ofcala convention, and not auy particular bill." We printed this much thinking it would be sufficient, but finding we were mis understood, we will add that he was instructed "to. vote for and use all honorable means to secure the objects of financial reform as contemplated " by that convention. Read the resolu tion : Resolved, By the House of Represen tatives, the Senate concurring, that our Senators in the 51st and 52d Con gress of the United States be, and they are hereby instructed and our Repre sentatives requested, to vote for and use all honorable means to secure tho object of the financial reforms as con templated m the platform adopted by the wciiiii meeting of the National Farmers' Alliance, held in December, .1890. That a copy of the above reso lution be sent to our Senators and Rep resentatives in Congress. v In our next issue after the adoption of "this resolution, we said this : It-Trill be seen that the legislature has made the instructions broader and stronger than anything contemplated in President Carr's letter to Senator Vance. In that letter Mr. Garr only asked if Senator Vance would obey in structions to advocate the Sub-Treasury plan of financial reform. But the in structions passed by the legislature em braces the 4 ' objects " of financial re form set forth in the declaration of principles at the late convention at Ocala. The Ocala declaration embraces not only the objects set forth in the Sub-Treasury plan, but includes the objects embraced in the Land bill, the free coinage of sdver and the abolition of the national banking system. While our Senators are left free by these in structions, as weTthink they should have been, to employ their own meth ods in the securement of reforms, they are actually committed to the advo cacy of all the objects of financial re form put forth by the Alliance at Ocala. ' Now, that all may understand exact ly what the deman Is for financial re form as adopted at Ocala were, we print them in full : la. Wo demand the abolition of nQc tional banks. b. We demand that the government shall establish sub treasuries or deposi tories in the several States, which shall loan money direct to the people - at a low rate of interest, not to exceed two percent, per annum, on non-perishable farm products, and also upon real es tate, with proper limitations upon the quantity of land and amount of money. c. We demand that the amount of the circulating medium be speedily in creased to not less than $50 per capita. 2. We demand that Congress shall pass such laws as will effectually prevent the dealing in futures of all agricultural and mechanical produc tions; providing a stringent system of procedure in trials that will secure the prompt conviction, and imposing such penalties as shall secure the most per fect compliance with the law. 3. We condemn the silver bill recent ly passed by Congress, and demand in lieu thereof the free and unlimited coinage of silver. 4. We demand the passage of laws prohibiting alien ownership of land, and that Congress take prompt action to devise some plan to obtain all lands now owned by alien and foreign syn dicates; and that all lands now held" by railroads and other corporations in ex cess of such as is actually used and needed by them be reclaimed by the government, and held for actual set tlers only. - 5. Believing in the doctrine of equal rights to all and special privileges to none, we demand a. That our national legislation shall be so framed in the future as not to budd up one industry at the expense of another. b. We further demand a removal of tho existing heavy tariff tax from the necessities of life that the poor of our land must have. c. We further demand a just and equitable system of graduated , tax ont incomes. d. We believe that the money of the country should be kept as much as pos sible in the hands of the people, and hence we demand that all national and State revenues shall be limited to the necessary expenses of the government economically and honestly adminis tered. 6. Wo demand the most rigid, hon est, and just State and national gov ernmental control and supervision of the means of public communication and transportation, and if this control and supervision does not remove the abuse now existing, we demand the government ownership of such means of communications and transportation. 7. We demand that the Congress of the United States submit an amend ment to the Constitution providilig for the election of United States Senators by direct vote of- the people of each State. " Immediately after the adoption of these demands, brother Davie, of Ken tucky, wishing no doubt to emphasize the first demand, and desiring to let the world know that it was the chief and mast important of all the demands of our reform movement, introduced the following resolution, which was adopted by a rising vote, only four votes being cast against it. Read this -resolution carefully : Whereas there is now a bill known as the Sub-Treasury bill in the hands of the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives which should have been reported and acted upon at the last session, and which if enacted into law would bring the finan cial relief so much neededby all classes and industries : -Therefore, be it Resolved, That this national conven tion of the Farmers' Alliance and In dustrial Union do most respectfully and earnestly ask that said bill be en acted into law as soon as possible, or some other measure that will carry out these principles and meet the necessi ties of the toiling masses. Senator Ransom, as well as Senator Vance, was instructed. We think the instructions are very plain, and that Senator Vance is ' pledged to the Sub Treasury bill, if some other measure cannot be substituted, embodying the objects and principles of said .bill, which carries with it the building of sub treasury warehouses and the loan ing of money on them and land, at a low rate of interest, "not exceeding two percent. WHAT IS MONEY? AND B. J. N. ACKNOWLEDGED. " Mr. Editor: It certainly affords me great pleasure to knowthat my former communication, making some objec tions to TnE Progressive Farmer's definition of money, deserves by it a passing notice. The only difference between us can be expressed in a few words. It affirms that "money, is a persistent value." We deny, and affirm that money is only the repre sentation of a comparative persistent value. We also gather some encour agement from the fact that Henry Clay, Thomas Jefferson, and John C. Calhoun agree with me. Not only these" powerful, minds so decided when a question akin to this was up for national discussion, but also every wo man and man in the United States call that which is authorized by the gov ernment to represent a value, money, to day; let it be paper bills, coppers, silver or gold. If this' discussion had been only about a name, we would have remained silent ; but Ave saw The Progressive Farmer making straight headway on this subject towards the camp of plutocracy, as we thought, inadvertently. Ancient Rome, which adopted its theory (as is said), was owned by 1S00 individuals at its disruption and down fall, but Venice, adopting our view, from a small nest of islands in the Mediterranean, became mistress of the sea and of commerce, and remained so for five centuries. "'Money is a per sistent value," is the plutocratic idea. ' 'Money is the representation of a com paratively persistent value," is the democratic idea, and the idea of the foremost civilized nations. That money is a value in itself, much less a persist ent value, is a barbarian idea of the middle ages very well suited to the oppressors of . the human race in all countries. It is old, gray and mossy, and bespattered with the tears and blood of ages. - Let us draw some deductions from The Farmer's idea of money being a persistent value. The first thing it will do, it will force you to ignore all paper bills as money. The next step to be" taken, and which you will be forced to take, is to ignore all the metals in use as money, which have not a persistent valjie. First, we will dis card copper; second, we will ignore nickel ; and third, we will ignore sil ver, for that- fluctuated last year 26 per cent. What then? You will be driven into the company of the gold bugs, and become a complete worship per of the gold itself. You then " will note with pleasure that Mr. Cleveland thinks the country needs more money. ' If he shall thus be soundly con verted (to free silver) wo shall under stand that he represents many things which tle f aimers and laborers of this country are demanding, and so may expect to be not unacceptable to them." We care not whether money is called the medium of exchange, the measure of values, or the measure of the power to buy. Neither of these definitions cover' tho whole ground, if wo exact logical correctness ; but they may have their uses for explaining particular functions of money. We have taken the suggestions of The Farmer kindly, and have pro ceeded to consult the dictionaries and to study money, but we fear with some fatality to his cause" First, we find the word " value " as evanescent in its meaning as the hues of tho rainbow, as variable as the wants and fancies of man, as shimering as the sunshine on a glass of water. What The Farmer terms stable or persistent, is persist ent, and constant never. Dives would give a world for a drop of water, and Richard III. a kingdom for a horse. Therefore, when we talk of values, we can only say they are comparatively persistent, for every . individual has his own estimation concerning-the value of anything, and even this estimation is made changeable by circumstances, time and place. Money is the standard t)f comparison of these values, nothing more and nothing less. The most persistent value in this world is land; but this value is immovable and not transport able ; but the government can stamp paper bills representing that value, and by authority of the government narform all the needs of monev. The value of gold is "all the eye;" it is mostly a matter of human fancy. You can't eat it; you can't drink it; you can't grow crops on it; it is simply use ful for plugging teeth and making quilt butterflies. But on account of its; scarcity and indestructibility, it makes a good representation of value. Sdver is a much more valuable metal in the arts and uses of life than gold. But it is more plentiful and compara tively it is made to represent value with gold as 15 is to 1. But there is riot 15 times more silver in the world than gold ; hence, before the tyrannical act of its demonetization it was above par, says B. J. N., of Morrisville. Thus we conclude from the aa:ure of value itself, and the standards adopted by the human race to represent value, that money is not a persistent value in itself, but simply a representative of value. Before, we have, said that where the metal has a value of its own, as in gold, silver, nickel and eopper, just to that extent of value they represent a value in themselves and where any money has no value itself, it must represent a value in something else called security or backing. - While we are passing, we will re mark what is money in one country is no money in another country. Every nation has its own money and com parative representations of value ; as B. J. N. says, the balance of trade must be settled in bullion as such. Therefore, it was a vain effort on the part of The Farmer to endeavor to stretch his definition of money so as to cover one universal money. . There is no such thing. What we call money in one nation is no money in another nation. The Progressive Farmer no doubt will excuse us- for not noticing many points he made on account of more important matter requiring our atten tion ; because tho resultant of his theories would ultimately combat the rights, civilization and Christianity of the age, and lead to the worship of the golden god. To B. J. N., speaking for B. J. W., we ought to say we meant no person alities. Also we will say that we did not mean to be critically correct to the figure. Therefore we thank him for all proper corrections. My arguments made for the free coinage of silver, cut and trimmed, were these : 1. All argument grounded on the present price of silver is unsound and misleading. First, because free coin age will increase the demand, and the increased demand will increase the price. Why? Because when silver was demonetized it was at par (above par.). Why? Because the nations of the world will raise the price to pre vent its loss. . " - 2. The demonetization of silver in the roguish manner in which it was done, is an insult to the American peo ple, and it is the duty of every Ameri can to spew every one who had a hand in the matter, as well as their abettors, out of its mouth, and to reinstate the free coinage of silver by way of con demnation. 3. The demonetization of silver was a fraudulent change of the contract of the United States with the bondhold ers, for the silver dollar was the unit and standard of value made so by laics then existing. The coinage of this unit was stopped, the bonds thereby made payable in gold; thus changing the contract, doubling the burdens of the people and robbing them of untold millions. . When I thought of these things, B. J. N., how Grover Cleveland, elected on a' free coinage plank, did not defend the honor and rights of the nation, but actually went to private banks to bor row gold to pay bonds when there was a surplus of paper money and silver in the treasury. When I thought of these and many-other villainies perpetrated by this government upon the rights of an inn6cent people, I went out to an old field and ripped and snorted and threw up dirt for two level hours. This is what makes me so touchous, when one says ' ' money is a persistent value" in itself, and not a representative of value; when one says we shall hesicate to right these wrongs, because there is so much silver; because it will jeopar dize the political interests of some party or individual. The eternal laws of right, justice and freedom should be first vindicated and let party or mn standing . in the way go to h 1. We are mad ; mad as a wet wasp. We cannot comnromise the honor of the nation. We cannot compromise right, .justice and the principles of freedom. We are willing to a full, faee discus sion on all measures; but anything looking to leniency towards these scoundrels or -to a compromise of the above eternal truths, will meet with my sharpest weapons of defense. We say none of this for B. J. N., or The Farmer, remember. ' Lucius Lagone. FROM THE STATE." BUCKEYE Columbus, O., April 18, 1891. Mr. Editor : President L. L. Polk has just organized the Farmers' State Alliance of Ohio. This was an extra ordinary occasion, and replete with in terest. President Pa k possesses that wonderful and rare combination of qualities that pre-eminently qualify him for his responsible and .exacting duties. No man can foresee what shall be on the morrow ; fame is a vapor and riches take easy wing ; but I cherish the hope that the words and works of President Polk, being guided by, large wisdom and uncommon sagacity will abide the crucial tests of the on-coming future, and conserve the prosperity and happiness of this great nation. Parties may pass away, and new ones succeed, but principles, equal and exact justice, pulses this farmers' movement ; and just so far as it does this, if will demonstrate its right to live and succeed. It certainly has as sumed high patriotic grounds, and the battle is upon us, and we cannot shirk responsibility. Misrepresenta tion and false prophecies will not bring enduring success, because it will put doubt and suspicion even upon our aims and objects. We must ges the step, if we march and fight together, for cherished principles and patriotic purposes. Some would prefer that the music should be "our party ism," as they are familiar with . its strains. Vitiated tastes and depraved appetites and unstinted praise of demoralized managers only degrades the rank and file, and we must none of this, for it is sure to defeat us. President Polk received aright royal welcome. We hail him as one from the ranks, and not born to the purple. Experience has taught him the hard ships of the struggle, the pleasure of conscious victory, and has put him in touch and sympathy with the masses. In the directness, vigor and power of his speech, he has few equals. lie .is a born leader. He has the greetings and cheers of the millions of our peo ple. He demands purity and integrity in politics with an eloquence that is sublime, in which one feels the visible touch of geniusr We never think of- him as a ' 'bad Johnny in gray," but as a loyal son of tho Nation, and spelled with a capital N. And any suspicion on this point, any man would feel himself away from home in Ohio. We have only eulogy for the courage and valor of the South ern soldiers that we met in battle ; but but only loathing for the cause for which so many heroic lives were sacri ficed. But the war is over, and now one country, one nation, one flag, is the glory of us all. Our souls are touched with deepest sadness as we think of all the blood that our country men poured out so freely upon its thousand battle-fields. And with a common anguish we may well weep over the slain. They were brothers, all. But we are confronted with new difficulties and new dangers, which demands courage of a high order, and principles which no danger can shake, and which defies the party lash. We are sanguine for the future of the Fanners' Alliance in Ohio. The signs and omens are with us; the field is white, and the harvest is near. The 'Democratic party claim that this will bo their victory. We shall see. Yours, W. R. Parson, Chaplain O. T. F. Alliance. Henderson, N. C, April 30, 1891. Mr. Editor: The delegates appointed by the County Alliances under the call of President Elias Carr. President of the North Carolina Farmers' State Alliance, met in the court house in Henderson, at 12 m. on the 23th inst. J. fl. Ball, Esq., President of Vance County Alliance, called the body to order, and at his request, J. H. Dunn, Esq., read the call for the convention, after which Dr. D. Reid Parker, of Randolph county, was called to the chair. . A committee on credentials was ap pointed, which committee reported thirty-two counties properly repre sented. A committee on permanent organi zation was next appointed and re ported as follows : For President, Dr. D. Reid Parker, N. C. ; Vice-President, J. E. Robertson, Charlotte county, Va. ; Secretary, E. C. Bullock, Halifax county, N. C. ; Chaplain, W. B. Up church, Wake county, N. C. The convention elected the same, and then, after some discussion, re solved themselves into a penrianent A VOICE association to be known as "The Al liance Tobacco Growers' Association of the State." A committee on constitution and by laws was appointed whose duty it is to report at next meeting of the Associa tion. An executive committee of five was also appointed. Much work was mapped out to be done which elicited some lively and interesting discussions. A resolution was adopted endorsing the demands of the Supremo Council passed at Ocala, Florida. The following resolution of thanks was passed by a rising vote : Resolved, That we, the Affiance To bacco.. Growers of the States, extend our hearty thanks to the citizens of Henderson 'for their kind and unlimited hospitality; to the Tobacco Board of Trade find the warehousemen for theii splendid banquet, and to the ladies our special thanks for their graceful atten tions on that occasion. We thank them again and again. God bless the young ladies and the matrons. The convention adjourned to meet at the call of the executive committee, which will name time and place of meeting. J. II. Dunn. DOES RELIEF AWAIT US? In what form is it to come? Can it be speeded? With many the tension is great grows with the days. To them life is a burden. Longingly they look for relief. Its form they do not pre scribe ; anything'that will spare them from utter, complete ruin. This is not figurative; it is fact, nor does this em brace the few ; it is applicable to the many the toiling millions who have long been shorn of their just earnings to the fostering and fattening of a pandered and select few. a clique taken as a whole of unmitigated scamps. This I say with all that the language implies, without a question as to its being sustained by the "facte. True it may be that some of these fa vored ones have not directly used their means to accomplish this result, yet they are nevertheless guilty since they are particeps criminis. They do not repudiate the action of the majority by refusing to share in the spoils and booty, nov do they put on tho barriers of compression and use this fund , or any portion of it to the relief of the down-trodden, the oppressed, and this too in a so called Christian land in this age of Christian civilization (?) civilization indeed. If this is a civili zation, then what must be barbarism? Measured by Christ's standard, the action of this favored class is not worthy to be tolerated ; it is not only selfish, it is mean, contemptible. They exemplify by their actions that they neither fear Him, nor do they make any pretension to love their fellow man. How long, oh God, shall this iniquity last? How long shall this class of wicked ones who seemingly exult in spreadicg themselves as the green tree be suffered to stand ? May the day be hastened when the places that know them now shall know them no more forever! God uses man to further His purposes. He helps in every good work. Lets call on Him, and with ginjed loins lets enter this contest resolved that this yoke of en slavement shall not longer be worn a yoke that is not easy, nor is the bur den light. ' , Duty to .our loved ones, duty to so ciety demands this of us. We can Ge, we must be freed, of these burdens that have been born too long. J ust here the church, the so'called followers of Christ will do well if they would re tain their influence over society prove themselves worthy of their high calling. Let them tak up ttm fight, one that the Master inaugurated, one which will not end till miCbniura is. ushered in. Tiie enslaved must be., they will be made free. Neither the devices of man or the machinations of the wicked one can forever hold them in bondage. Relief must and will come, and the powers of all hell cannot nrevent it. Alliancemanv HIBERNATION OF SQUIRRELS. The idea that squirrels remain torpid through the winter is not sustained by facts. Recent observ ers, On the con trary, report that squirrels have often been seen abroad during severe weather in winter. It is sugg( sted that, like many other wild animals, they prob ably do sleep more in winter than in summer, but that they are continually waking up and taking food. Repro duction takes place before warm weather, newly-born squirrels having been found as early as March 21st. i
The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, N.C.)
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May 12, 1891, edition 1
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