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"i I 7 flh-Auw ;:' -7 v - - THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY. RALEIGH, N. C, JUNE 16, 1891. Vol. 6. No. 17 . A A A PROGRESSIVE FAKIER 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 ; " 12 240 March " 12fao August Sept. 19,1890, 16,680 26. 16,680 16,800 16,800 17,040 16,800 17,280 17,040 17,280 17,280 17,280 17,280 17,760 17,760 17.760 2, " 9. " 11, " 18, " 10.560 10,560 10,800 10,800 10,800 10,80 10,800 11,040 11,040 11,100 11,100 11,400 11,2S0 11,280 11, KM 11,400 11,400 11,520 11,040 12, :R) 13,800 lo,;) 16, " 23, " " 30 " October 7 " 14, 21, " " 28 " Nov. 4! " 11, " 18, " " 2.5 " OpfHTih'r 2! " April, 1, 8, 15. o.) 13, May June 18,230 10, 9, " 18,240 16, M 18,240 23, " 18,240 January 6, 1891, 18,240 13, " 18,240 , 21), " 18,240 27, " 18,240 February 3, " 18,240 10, " 18,240 17, " 18,40 1 7, July 1, 8, 15 " 2a, 5, Autnist, Ik Fivl 6 montlis, C07,0S0 Second 6 nicmtlis, 45S,100 Making a total circulation for the year of 763,210; averaging for 52 suc cessive issues, per issue, 14,716, 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 Farrier, and i correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. J. W. Denmark, Business Manager. 1 am Look-keeper for Edwards & Broughton, Printers and Binders, Ral eigh, N. C. The press-work on The Progressive Farrier has been done tor 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 make oath that the statements contained above are correct to the best of their knowledge and belief. In witness whereof, I have hereunto aet my hand and affixed my notarial seal of office this day, February 26th, 1891. W. T. Womble, Notarial Seal Notary Public. EDITORIAL NOTES It is rumored that Secretary Noble will resign in the near future. No reason is assigned for this step except bad health. It seems probable at this writing that England and the United States will agree upon a Close Season in Behring Sea, pending the arbitration of the dispute between the two govern ments over the seal fisheries. The Czar of Russia has recently snubbed President Carnot, of France. The French President need not take it hard, however. For the Czar has given evidence recently that he is morally, if not mentally, insane. There has been a new secret political organization formed in Kansas by the name of the Knights of Reciprocity. It is understood that the new organi zation is intended to combat the Alli ance. The members of the new order are said to be Republicans to a man. They have had a real cold time late ly at West Point. The weather has been so rigorous that the young men and maidens could not enjoy their new summer riggings. Pity that the weather should take ifrinto its head to interfere with the display of frills and feathers. Our information leads us to sympa thize most heartily with the people "in Chile in their efforts to throw off the hated yoke of Balmaceda and his oligarchy. We think it unfortunate, if not wicked, for the United States to use its power to assist in crushing out the aspirations of the men in Chile who are battling for liberty. The New York Times has a dispatch from Charlotte, this State, saying that Mr. B. H. Bronson, a signal officer of that place, had been accused by his superior of affiliating with the Demo crats. Mr. Bronson wrote the Depart ment to know his accusers by name. The reply came back that to frive thf facts would implicate the Republican party, just so! Information from Washington upon almost any subject umieccea witn recent administrative and legislative acts would be likely to implicate the Republican party. We commend those Washington people for holding their tongues. It is a well established principle of Anglo Saxon law that no one can be forced to testify to his own iniquities. The Iowa drummers recently made application to the railroads for cheap excursion rates to Niagara Falls, and were flatly refused. The drummers are mad as hornets, and threaten to take up the work of educating the peo ple to demand cheap railroad fares. Let them do it, and then they will have the satisfaction of knowing that they are engaged in a useful employment foronCe. Sir John A. Macdonald, late Pre mier of the Dominion of Canada, is dead. great For a long series of years this man has been practically the ruler of Canada. The Governor-Gen eral has, indeed, been the nominal head of affairs; but Sir John was the real ruler of the Dominion. It is be lieved that no other man in Canada ever had the influence over her people that was enjoyed by the dead Premier. Ex-Speaker Reed is said to be en crasred at this moment in making a study of the methods of legislative pro ceed ure in the French Chamber. We suppose he is laying in parliamentary information to be bequeathed in his last will and testament to the next gen eration. We know not what else he can be intend in ir to do with it. For the most comforting thing we can think of just now is the assurance we have. that Thos. B. Reed willvnever again be Speaker of the American House of Representatives. A false impression has been made upon the minds of some good men hi North Carolina against the Alliance- men in the last legislature, by the statements in some of the papers that those members of the Alliance took part in a scheme to get the books of certain monopolists used in the public schools. We know what we say, and we say emphatically that there is not one word of truth in the statements that have been made reflecting upon the last legislature. The books chosen by the Board of Education are not trust books in any sense, and all the charges of jobbery are false. We suppose there was never so much uncertainty connected with the con duct of political affairs in this country as at this moment. The oldest political prophets have lost their inspiration and know no more where to look for safety than a goose knows what to do in a thunder storm. This being th case, we feel benevolent, and will tell these people the way out. Here it is Make up your minds to see to it that the government is hereafter conducted for the benefit of the entire people, and not in the interests of the few ; and let the fact that you have changed your mind be made known, and the uncer tainty will be soon eliminated from the problem. The Republicans of Kansas are said to be very much alarmed by the Alh ance. Try as hard as we may, we cannot work ourselves up to the point of either feeling or expressing any sym pathy for the Republicans of Kansas. The-legislation brought forward and passed by the Republican party has been so constantly and so meanly hos tile to the interests of the farmer that we feel like laughing at those Kansas Republicans when their fear cometh. For twenty-five years the Kansas Re publicans have been sowing the drag on's teeth; and now, when at last they are made to see that they must reap the harvest of their sowing, they get frightened. Very early in the records of natural history it appears that there Avere certain animals born who could never get their eyes open until after they were drowned. The Kansas Re publicans seem to bear a remote , kin ship to that celebrated genus of ani mals. La Crosse, Wis., June 9, 1891. The State Farmers' Alliance meeting here to day is a representative gather ing of farmers. It is enthusiastic for the new movement. Col. Polk and Hon. Jerry Simpson, of Kansas, ad dressed a large meeting to-night and were both listened to with marked at tention and enthusiasm. Col. Polk was pronounced to be one of the most eloquent and captivating political orators ever listened to in this State. C. M. Butt, PresT; Wisconsin State Alliance. MAJOR RAGLAND'S SECOND RE PLY TO DR. J. V. BROOKS. Trusts, Monopolies and Privileged Capi tal, and their Politico-Economic Influence in the United States. Hyco, Va., May 10, 1891. In our first reply, we challenged Dr. Brooks to the proof of his declaration that combinations, in the nature of "monopolies, have wrought the great est blessings to the human race," and distinctly admitted that capital, ethi cally used, is beneficial, industrially, socially, educationally and religiously ; but when large aggregations of capital are used in any monopolistic, forestall ing or gambling business, with the avowed or secret intent of over-riding and driving out competition, it is hurt ful and antagonistic to all legitimate, honest business. The doctor accepts the challenge and says: "I will say that I believe the great railroad monopolies of the coun try, such as the Baltimore and Ohio, Norfolk and Western, Chesapeake and Ohio, etc. , etc. , have been, or will be, great blessings to the human race. They have built other roads and cheapened freight and travel to an extent that smaller roads could hardly have achieved to advantage." The word "monopolies," whether justly or unjustly applied to the rail ways named, is fatal to the doctor's proposition, for it is clearly demon- stratable that all monopolies are antag onistic to popular rights and interests. Monopoly, from the two Greek words mono, alone, and polien, to sell, possess or control means says Webster, "the sole possession and power to deal in any species of goods; exclusive com mand of possession, obtained by en grossing the articles in market by purchase or by license from govern ment." Now any act or policy of these or other railways that partakes of a monopolistic character is ethically wrong and cannot be successfully de fended. Railroads can only be constructed by State authority, and, while they are built by corporations, the com panies exercise under a license a f una tion and prerogative which belong to the State, and therefore, as public car riers, they should never be allowed mo nopolistic powers or privileges. To maintain his first declaration that " monopolies have wrought the great est blessings to the human race," the doctor must leave out railroads and bring forward other monopolies that he claims confer such great benefac tions on humanity. We grant that combinations and consolidations of railways have facili tated and cheapened travel and trans portation ; but eVils, as well as benefits, have resulted therefrom, and none but the great railroad kings favor extend ing concentration to the absorption of all the railways of the republic into one giant corporation. Such would, indeed, be a railroad monopoly of the first-class, monarch and dictator of the transportation of the nation, un less restrained by the authority hat creates railroads. Could a directorate of such a monopolistic franchise, if created, composed of the Vanderbilts, Goulds, Sages, Huntingtons and men of like stripe be trusted to manage it for the public good ? Let us have a catagorical answer, doctor. wealth, honestly acquired, is com mendable. . The acquision of wealth by honest methods, legitimate means and fair dealing, is honorable as well as desir able, and the more so where motives for its acquirement have behind them the purpose to bestow it upon elee mosynary and beneficient institutions or etherwise for the benefit of human ity. But, what are the great monopo listic millionaires doing in this most commendable line? Nothing to com pensate for the spoliations they are in flicting on the great body of the people while they are hoarding up their enor mous piles. Then again, see how unfairly are the few benefactions millionaires are mak ing. They rob the great mass of the rural producers and toilers to erect in the cities and towns palatial hospitals, sumptuous almshouses, magnificent churches and memorial colleges for the benefit, mainly, of the city people, and thus the country is ' continually robbed by men living, and after death, to increase the comfort, wealth and splendor of the cities. disproportionate increase of city population. The eleventh census shows the rapid tendencies from rural to city life, the building np of commercial and indus trial centers and the despoliation and desertion of the farms. There is a cause for this shifting of population which few who read these lines can fail to comprehend. During the past cen tury, the population of the cities in the United States has increased from one thirtieth one-third of the total. The urban population in 1890 was in round number 19,000,000. The increase dur ing tbe past decade about 7,000,000. In 1790 the number of cities with populations of 8,000 and over was only six; in 1890 it vas 286, and during the past twenty years the cities with more than 100,000 people increased from fourteen to twenty-eight. The condi tions being favorable, the increase will continue. unequal and unfair distribution of WEALTH. The increment in the wealth of the United States from 18S0 to 1890 is stated at the enormous sum of $22,000, 000,000 twenty-two thousand millions, or, properly, two and a fifth billions of dollars. Of this vast sum nineteen twenticths were absorbed by corpora tions, trusts, monopolses and privi leged capitalists through legalized rob bery, crooked taxation, and unequal and unjust tribute extorted from the masses by the privileged classes. The savings of 550 of the latter class in 1S80 were $2:57,500,000 per year, while the savings cf 12,072,000 of the laboring, burden-bearing, unprotected people were only 2O5,0S0,O0O. The savings of the 550 were $431,S00 each per year, while the average savings of 13,072,000 were only fifteen dollar per year. The expenses of the former were $62, 500 000 per unnum, while that of the toilers were $2,896,520,000. The government adds injury to in sult in basing taxation on expenses rather than on income or wealth, and consequently the poojvpay the bulk of the taxes. " The policy of the government has clearly been to make the rich richer and the poor poorer; to shift the bur den of taxation from those best able to bear it to those least able ; to create a class of wealthy men whose income depends upon legalized robbery; to fctt and encourage vested interests' at the expense of the masses. " Prof. R. T. Ely. The crooked taxation of the McKinly bill puts into the pockets of the nation's favorites more money than goes to the support of the government enonomic- ally administered, and, worse than all, creates a boodle fund to fasten upon the people legislators who will use the power of money to enslave and oppress. condition of middle and laboring CLASSES. The present depressed and ruinous condition of the rural people was not always what we now witness. Twenty five years ago the farmers of this country were comparatively free from debt, thrifty, hopeful and making money. Now, how stands the situa tion? According to the Census Bureau, the farming lands are mortgaged for more than half their value, and farm ers are unable to pay the interest thereon and support their families. Nine millions of mortgages recorded, one for every seven of the population of all classes death-pledged, for that is the meaning of the word mortgaged hanging over the homes of the peo ple! Tax-ridden, debt ridden, robbed, both by the government and the pluto crats; what wonder that he becomes dissatisfied, discontented and restive when sueh confront the American farmer of to-day? What wonder should he seek to solve the cause for such a situation and state of affairs, as he is surely doing? Is he denied the poor privilege of demanding a change? Must he bear uncomplainingly and in silence the burdens and wrongs heaped upon him, and continue to wear the yoke that galls as well as degrades his manhood? No! No! No! Eighteen million times no, say the toilers ! And that no is "not local, not transient, not spasmodic, nor riotous, nor disorderly. It is the steady evolution of a great principle, the growth of a great germ inal idea, the emphatic protest of an intelligent generation, the awakening of the nation to the doctrine of human rights; it is the many millioned cry for justice. That cry was heard across the trampled centuries ; it has caught the voices of the wronged and op pressed ; it swells with the heavings of an honest humanity. To deny it or stop our ears against it and refuse to listen is worse than folly. It i3 a Stentor that will speak, and when it speaks in the sovereignty of its might it will "thunder with more than Etna's mouth to mark an epoch of eruption." THE TIMES ARE SORELY OUT OF JOINT, AND SOMEBODY IS HURT. In the face of manifest and wide spread popular discontent, and the real or alleged causes, Dr. Brooks reit erates the sentiment, "the people imagine vain things, and indulge in the belief that the world is all wrong and everything going to the dogs," and that he ' ' sees nothing to fear in the future. " " He laughs at scars who never felt a wound." If he believes there is not a deep welling and spreading popular discon tent, based upon suffering and wrong, he greatly misjudges the real condition of affairs, and ignores the efforts for reform and redress being made all around him. We have a great country, and this is a most wonderful age ! Yea, this is the grandest industrial epoch of all the ages, for " We are the heirs of all the ages, In the foremost files of time," and the world has never before wit nessed such grand developments and achievements, industrial and intellect ual, as crowd the closing years of the nineteenth century. Wonderful pro gress has been made in the production of wealth, such as Croesus and Solo mon never dreamed of. Egypt, Greece nor Rome, in their palmiest days, ever witnessed such aggregations of wealth as center in a few who may be said to own the government, its lands, houses, stock, ships and people. But the strength, stability and real greatness of a nation lie not alone in concentrated wealth. " Ye friends to truth, ye statesmen who survey. The rich man's joys iucrease, the poor's decay, 'Tis yours the judge, how wide the limits stand, Between a splendid and a happy land." Had I time and space, I could show how the people are robbed of their homes, and how fast landless farmers are increasing in the United States; how the insatiate greed of corporate landlordism is fast monopolizing western farming and driving out whole families, aye, colonies, from home, liv ing anl happiness. We are fast hasten ing fo that condition so truly described by Pope : "III fare! the land, to hastening il s a prey, Where wealth accumulates and men decay; Princes and lords may nourish or mny fade, A breath can make them as a breath has made; But a bold peasantry, their country's pride, When once destroyed can never be supplied." R. L. Ragland. Elbethel, N. C, May 25, '91. Mr. Editor : As I have seen nothing from our section in your esteemed paper, I will write yron a short letter, by which your readers may find that we are trying to keep pace with the grand army of progress and improve ment. The Alliance in this county is strong, and is moving on quietly and harmoni ously with all its neighbors and is rais ing no complaint against any one. In this community the order embraces at least two-thirds of the voting popula tion and numbers about six lodges, which we might very appropriately say grew out of old Washing Grange, No. 366. uur people are taxing, no part m politics as yet, but are busy working in their fields of corn and cotton. In due time a political heat in all proba bility will come over us, and we will be found standing with those who have most cautiously considered the sur roundings. We have established a joint stock company store in our town of King's mountain, and selected brother H. P, Allison as manager. The plan of this store is proving very satisfactory to our people; and the increasing trade shows that the general public are pleased. Bro. Allison has also been elected business agent for the several Alliances in and around King's Moun tain. ; The entire fraternity around here will make an effort to participate in a grand 'picnic about the first of August. Should the committee of arrangements be successful in obtaining a speaker of national reputation, the success of the affair is warranted, but if such speaker cannot be obtained it may be deferred. H..P. Allison, C. D. B. Ware and J. F. Herndon are the committee. By the way, some of us will go down to Yorkville on Thursday to hear Bro. Terrell speak. We are distant from that place 25 miles. It will hardly be expected that a farmer writing maicly to farmers will write a letter and say nothing about crops. Corn is looking very well and has been well worked. The acreage in corn is sufficiently large to yield plenty of corn for man and beast and some to spare. The small grain crop, both wheat and oats, are very promising, and no season lately has the "well prepared" acreage been greater. Cot ton, till the last few days, never made a worse start. The seed remained in the ground so long that in some in stances they rotted. But now as the weather has "got right" the plant is coming ont quite much and may do well yet. PUSHING THE INSURANCE WORl Brother Alonzo Wardall, of Huron, S. Dak., has been in Washington the past week in attendance upon the semi-annual meeting of the National Alliance Executive Board, of which he is an active member. lie goes from here this week to meet the State Com mittee of Indiana and Illinois, to arrange for the location of the place for holding the next annual session of the. Supreme Council, the selection of the place having been left to the Execu tive Board by the last council, with the condition that it be located either in Indiana or Illinois. From there ho goes with President Polk and Hon. Jerry Simpson to LaCross, Wis., to at tend the annual meeting of the open Alliance of: that State by invitation, and from there to Portland, Ore., where he is to assist in organizing the State Alliance on Jiy Sth. He will while on the coast visit the Alliance in Cali fornia, and if Washington is ready, organize the State Alliance there. Brother Wardall, as most of our read ers know, has charge of the life insur surance feature of the Alliance work, and is seeking to introduce it in all the States as rapidly as possible. His plan is to have it adopted as an official fea ture by each State, by means of a co operative degree, to be known as the State Branch of the National Alliance Aid Association, to be conducted by a manager selected by the president and executive of the State Alliance, and approved by the management of the National Aid Association, who shall in turn be under the control and super vision of the National Alliance officers. The plan is almost identical with the ancient order of united workmen, ex cept that it is optional instead of being compulsory, and no one will be accepted unless able to pass a careful medical examination. By this means our mem bers can carry their own insurance (and none need it worse than the farmer) at simple cost of actual death losses, and a minimum expense ac ?ount for cleri cal labor performed, keeping the money all at home, in their own State under their own control and management, and greatly buildup and strengthen the Order.. It is proposed to issue $1,000 and $2,000 policies at present, assessing for one death loss in advance, so that the money will always be on hand to pay a loss when it oceurs. Long years of experience with society com panies show that the average annual cost per $1,000 of insurance carried is from $9 to $12, while in old line com panies it is from $20 to $150. The plan has been in operation two years in some of the Northwestern States, and they have a membership large enough to pay a policy in full, and it is grow ing rapidly. Several States have already approved of it, and it will be presented during the summer to the rest of them for examination. It meets with the hearty approval of the officers of the National Alliance, most of whom carry policies in it; and the plan is recommended to the thoughtful con sideration of the Order. Arrange to hear Bro. Wardall on the subject; he has it all at his tongue's end. The , executive committee are fdso zealously engaged on a plan for a national mutual farm fire insurance company, as directed by the last couneil, and hope to haye it in shape for the annual ses sion. There is no one reform in our entire system of doing business of more financial importance than in insurance. We waste annually hundreds of mil lions on a system that brings almost as much disappointment as relief, and we pay three dollars where the actual loss , is only one, and worse, if possible, we send nearly all the insurance money; three or four hundred millions of dol lars annually, to New York, London and other great money centers, where it accumulates and is sent back to us on mortgage loans, thus becoming a great instrument of oppression. One of the objects of the Order is to remedy these things, 'and Bro. Wardall should be encouraged iirthe good work. Brother A. C. Greek the author ized agent to receive subscriptions for The Progressive Farmer for Wake county, and any business in this lino entrusted to him will receive prompt attention. Mr. Editor: I have received dona tions from twenty Sub-Alliances to aid me in buying an artificial leg. If the other lodges will help me it will enable -me to buy me one, and it 'will be a great satisfaction to me, and the lodges would not even miss it. If any lodge will help me any. will nlease send to J. H. Bishop, Catharine Lake, Onslow county, N, C.
The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 16, 1891, edition 1
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