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2 THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER : JANUARY 12, 1SZ2 THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER. r u L. POLK. Editor and Proprietor. J. L. RAMSEY, - Associate Editor. r. W. DENMARK, - Business Manag'r. Raleigh, N. C. -SUBSCRIPTION- Mtttrie Subcrner, One Year S 1.2ft Six Months 75 five Subscribers, One Year 5.00 "en " One Year 10.00 One copv one year 1'ree, to the one sending Club if Ten. Cash Invariably in Advance. Money at our rik, if sent by registered letter r money or-ir. 1'leate don't send tamp. Advertising Hates quoted on application. To CorretpondenU : Write ail communications, denned for publi cation, on one side of the paper only. We want Intelligent correspondents In every xmnty in the State. We want fact of value, re sults accomplished of value, experiences of value. Mainly and briefly told. One solid, demonstrated act, is worth a Thousand theories. All checks, drafts or money orders intended 'or this paper should be made payable to The PROGRESSIVE FAKMEK. Address all correspondence intended for this ;aper to The Progressive Farmer, Raleigh, RALEIGH, X. C, JAN. 12, 1891. This paper enter! wornd-cli matter at the Pff OjPcf.lu Ilalevjh, X. C. The Progressive Farmer is the Official Organ of the N. C. Farmers' State Alliance Do yc-ii want your paper changed to mother office ? State the one at which von have been getting it. Do you want your communication published ? If sb, give us your real lame and your postoffice In writing to anybody, always be niro to give the name of your postoflice, ind sign your own name plainly. l-W Our friends in writing to any of )ur advertisers will favor us by men tioning the fact that they saw the. advertisement in TnE Progressive Farmer 0T The date on your label tells you Arhen vour time is out. N. R. P. A. EDITORIAL NOTES. It is only rascals that try to ere laborer in ate bad feeling between the the city and in the country. Their in terests are the same. President Butler is in Washing ton, attending a meeting of the Nation al Alliance Legislative Council, of which he is a member. A terrible disaster occurred at McAllister, 111 , Friday. More than two hundred miners were killed and many more injured by a mine explo sion. The poor man has two things that the monopolists want your vote and profits of your labor. If you give them your vote they will manage to get the profits of your labor. Bro. A, H. Perry, President of Chatham County Alliance, writes that he was mistaken about the date for the county meeting. It will be held on the 14th and 15 th of January. We regret to state that the R. D. Robinson Publishing Company were burned out Saturday morning. They lost nearly all their stock of books, stock and printing material. Prof. P. P. Hobgood, an experi enced educator, again has charge of the Oxford Female Seminary. Prof. Hob good is a learned gentleman and has been quite successful as a teacher. A North Carolina newspaper is generous enough to remark that the "farmers worked just as hard last year as they did any other year." We oxect the editor " economized " a long time before he wasted that much generosity. The best dodge that the "bosses'' practiced at the last session of Con gress wras the force bill. It never was intended to bo passed. It was put for ward simply to solidify the sections to inflame sectional prejudice; that was all, says the Southern Mercury. There is not a partisan political boss in Texas that has not denounced the Alliance demands. There is not a loyal member of the Alliance in Texas who has investigated these demands that does not endorse them. What does all this mean, asks the Southern Mercury. A Kansas paper says: Out here we nominate men and let them go into i 4.1 4.x thecaucusof a party that have adopted our demands in full. Then there i3 no trouble about their voting wrong when they go to Washington. That looks like business, and is tho only sure way of success. We desire to publish the names of all who will go from our State to the jjeoruary vumit.-inju iu uu nem at sc. C 4- r. T.r.nia RathI 113 VOUr namf'S. lfrd tho l " " , " 7 V announcement elsewhere published in this paper as to rates, hotels, etc. It is suggested that all who go from our flf-nf filimild arrange to coma bodv and by tho same route. Good idea. vv m The United States Department of Agriculture will say in'its Bulletin No. 1 of the Dirision of Vegetable Pathol- TT t T"V ,1 nn. trfiV f Vl 51 f. if Vina Ogy, u. o. xj.i buubw j.v, v , ,v ... it v, ,rna " nn,i eviaenco maw "peach rosette" are very contagious. Now we dont want to catch this "peach rosette" br any means. The grip is good enough for us. Wonder if this is not a game gotten up by your Uncle Jerry Rusk, to scare the people with so he can gobble up the Presidency? Anyway you must avoid the "peach yellows" and the "peach rosette" as you would a sheriff. More money and less taxes more justice and less misery more confi dence and less mortgages more prin ciples and less party more patriotism and less upstart ism more manliness and less toadyism more independence and less bossism more brains and less inflated humbuggery, and what a stride forward we would make as a people ! The papers that are booming Sherman, the great financier, for the Senate from Ohio, say that "all the solid business men are for him." That may be correct, but how about the 3S0 business men who are failing every week, and the poor farmers? It seems that they would not be for a man that has done more than any one other man to bring about these conditions. Things are mixed in Louisiana. The Democratic convention met and split wide open on the lottery question. The Republican convention met and split wide open on the lottery question, and each of these four factions has a full State ticket in the field. It is pos sible, however, that as fusion has been maie admissable by the Democrats and Republicans of Kansas, that the two elements of both parties in Louisi ana will fuse. Of course the Alliance is opposed to thU huge gambling con cern and will fight to the bitter end. The farmers of the United States are practically, in their relation to the commercial world, nothing more than a respectable class of tenants. The speculator prices everything they buy; the speculator prices everything they have to sell and the profits of their labor are absorbed by the money power, through a cunningly devised system of robbery foisted upon the country by partial, discriminating and corrupt legislation. Under this system, n.er chants, in the agricultural States, have become unpaid overseers, and the farm ers profilss tenants. The most humiliating and dis graceful exhibition of the rotten cor ruption of m )ney politics that ever blackencned the records of the political history of the country is now pre sented by the situation in Louisiana. The party which disgraces the name of Democracy, has espoused the cause of the shameless gamblers of the lottery gang, while the Alliance and the honest men of the Democratic party have joined, hands to defeat these rob ber3 and to save the State from shame. God grant them a most triumphant victory, is the prayer of all honest men. THEN AND NOW THIS. -THAT AND For a hundred years, in all the log school houses, on the Fourth of July rostrums, in our nursery rhymes, in our school books, in our legislatures and in Congress, in song and on tablet, the glory of our forefathers has been extolled. They suffered, fought and died for a great principle. They " pledged their fortunes, their lives ar.d their sacred honor " against the odious crime of "taxation without representa tion." But somehow in th bewilder ing whirl of our rapidly-advancing civilization we have got the thing en tirely twisted around. The money kings and their colossal wealth are in the peaceful and undisputed enjoyment of the fullest "representation without taxation." But some of the descen dants of these glorious old forefathers are fighting to decide, from a moral standpoint, whether King George or the American money king is the greater tyrant whether there was not as much fairness and justice in the one as the other. Our grandfathers went to the cartridge-box with the ono and their grandsons are going to tho ballot-box with the other. THE BIG BRIDGE. Ground has been broken on both sides of the Hudson river for a bridge to connect the heights of Hoboken, N. p,f,r ti,;. . - . u iity. 1 his immense structure is to be 4120 foot inn. isn w.w.i.- water. The center span will be 2,021 feet long the largest the world has ever seen. It will b wid onmh tr carry at least eight car tracks and will be so constructed thnf. v.o c trains will equal that of the fastest ex- urrss xrams. it k t,-k w fi,.;,i, U ' ""lOHCU. m i mije years lHb INCOME TAX ' There is no doubt about th wi,?. tho graded income tax demand of auunce. It is becoming almost absolute necessary. Two hundred rl thousand neoole worth of DrotWtv J:uuu uw much as the two h nrSX "mes I tliniK-inn -"uuu weminiest peonle nwn on vears tt Ai CUP owned 20 d wealthiest neoX JS knnwm ' me. best remedv ow i s a heavy graded income rapid accnimuUtin!!8? this 1 bines or otherwise. tQ Dy com- 1 m COTTON ACREAGE. Is the farmer the only one to blame for the large crops of cotton and the low n rices of that article? There are some who advance that theory. We admit that the farmer is to blame part ly, but let us look some farther into this matter. It is well known that the great majority of the farmers in the cotton belt are under mortgage, and can not furnish themselves nor their tenants unless assisted ; and in the past fifteen years it is well known that a majority of those Avho give mortgages have to plint whatever the party fur nishing them requires to be planted. It is known, further, that merchants and others who had money to lend to farm ers, in nine cases out of ten, have re quired the farmer to plant the most of his crop in cotton, and that whenever it was desired by the applicant to plant crain mostly, no advances could be secured. No questions are usually asked beyond "how much cotton are you going to plant, and how much guano are you going to use?" The average mortgaged farmer plants not less than 20 acres of cotton to the horse, and all his labor is expended on his cotton, the best lands are put in it, and all the manures are given to feed it. The writer knows this to be a fact, not only in the pat but now. Any resolution by the Alliances, or by all the farmers in this country to reduce the acreage of cotton will amount to nothing while those who make ad vances to them continue to control them as heretofore. Now, let those who loan the farmers change their tac tics and refine to furnish a dollar un less the farmer will agree to pi int riot more than ten acres of cotton to the horse, and the remainder to be planted in food crops. If tobacco is to be planted, let it be divided between the i cotton and tobacco, five acres each. But some charitable fellow will say. the farmer has got himself in this fix now let him get out of it. Yes but by was helped to get in it. He was advised ; when cotton was at good prices to quit planting corn and wheat and quit rais ing meat, that they could be purchased cheaper than made. This all cotton crop has grown on the people, on the farmers of the cotton belt until the whole country is thoroughly pervaded by this pernicious system. But will those who advance to the farmer agree to this plan. We are fearful they will net, but hope they will. There are some noble, philan thropic money lenders who would wil lingly do this but there are so many "shy locks" who prefer to continue the same old course that reform will amount to nothing in that line, we fear. We have read with pleasure an article from Col. Branch, of Augusta, Georgia, upon this line, published in the Wilmington Star of a recent date. An excellent article. Some believe that the farmer is an extravagant scamp and is fit to occupy only the place that many of them have been brought to, as 4 hewers of wood and drawers of water," and that all the trouble now is from the ehiftlessness of the farmer and laborer of this coun try. Now, if the reduction in acreage of cotton could bo brought about, systematically, it would benefit our Southern cotton farmers (as the mak ing of supplies is a necessity for every farmer) but I doubt seriously whether it would be better for the whole coun try, especially those outside the cotton belt. We believe that as to the over production claimed and which many of our farmers believe to be true, there is a great mistake. There is surely no more cotton made now than is needed and would be used if there was money in the hands of the people to purchase. Cotton goods are no lower. There is not one farmer or laborer in ten but what would buy 50 per cent, more cotton goods than he does if he had the means to pay for them. Give us a bet ter financial system, something like the Sub Treasury that would keep the money lords from controling the crop, and would loan money to the people at not more than 4 per cent, at the out side, and the overproduction of cotton and the low prices now on us would vanish. The accursed financial condi tion of the country is tho whole cause because it places the power in the hands of a few to oppress the many. Give us tho Sub-Treasury plan, and 10,000,000 bales of cotton a year would not bo too much and it would bring us good prices, because the people would buy more, having more money. There are but few farmers in North Carolina, especially among the mortgaged and laborers, but need at least for their families twice as much cotton goods for actual use as they have. Let the interest be reduced, let money be in creased to several times the amount in circulation, remove the speculator and gambler in agricultural products, and tho cotton acreage need not be diminished but increased. Send" to Congress and to your legislature men pledged to decrease the interest, to in crease the currency, and to loan money directly to tho people, secured on land or products, and the cotton acreage would solve itself. JUST ONE QUESTION. Just now seems an appropriate op portunity and time for all true Alliance men to ask one question. It is sug gested by the appearance of a long and labored article in the Southern Alli ance Farmer from the pen of a promi nent member of our Order, showing that the election of Mr. Crisp to tho Speakership was the best thing for the Alliance. And again it is suggested by a leading editorial in our National Organ of the same tenor and claiming his electiou as "a great victory for the Alliance!" Here is the question : Could Mr. Crisp have beTii elected Speaker of the House if it had been known he was in favor of Alliance principles? Will somebody answer? If not, who gained the victory? Will somebody answer? Not all at once. One at a time. Do we hear you? TELEGRAPH OWNERSHIP. We publish a very able article from the -pen of Hon. Walter Clark, of the. Supreme Court, in this issue. Judge Clark has always stood with ;.he people and against monopoly. In this article he discusses the impor tance of governmental ownership of the telegraph lines and the importance and advantages of a postal telegraph and telephone system. He shows that the telegraph is properly a part of the postal system and that it is a huge mo nopoly as now managed. A3 this article is in keeping with one of the Alliance demands, it will be read with much interest aud profit by our readers. PLAN FOR RELIEF. This office receives many appeals for help from brethren who lose property by fire and stock by disease. At present there is no well defined plan to alleviate this distress in the Al liance. Several very excellent plans have been published in The Progres sive Farmer. We think the problem has been solved and some plan will soon be adopted. At present it depends on voluntary contributions. Many Al liances neglect to send anything while others do more than their share. Tiiere must be a system and then it will be one of the best insurance con cerns in existence. We have suggested what might be called a pro rata con tribution. I f there be a loss by fire of five or six hundred dollars by any brother, then the 2,100 Sub-Alliances could each send 25 cents from their treasury. The brother would be paid back his loss and the Sub Alliances would never feel the 25 cents paid out in this way. In case of a loss of horse worth one hundred dollars, each Alli ance could send 5 cents. These small sums would'be a great help and no Al liance would feel the amount. Some have suggested that losses be estimated and that only about half of the actual loss be paid. That would be better than nothing, but we think at least two thirds of the actual loss should be paid, if not all. Wards ville Sub-Alliance, Chowan county, has suggested that every mem ber be required to pay in addition to his regular quarterly dues, five cents per quarter to be sent to the State Secretary-Treasurer to be kept as a fund for paying these losses. No doubt this could be done, but that sum would hardly be sufficient to carry on the business. Other Alliances have ex pressed themselves in favor of one plan or another. It will not do for each appeal to be sent to the Sub Alliances, for the post age would amount to more than $40 each time. If every Sub -Alliance takes the State Organ, the appeals could be published and each Alliance could re spond. But in this way, in case of a small loss, the postage would be almost as much as the contribution. Hence Wardville Alliance and others who think the same way have evidently struck nearly or quite the best plan. Let the members each pay in addition to their regular quarterly due3 10 cents eachforthi fund. Any member fail ing to pay will not be entitled to help from this fund if his own house burns. In this way for 40 cents a year each member would be insured against loss by fire, disease among stock or loss by storm to the amount of $500 to $1,000, or whatever the limit be fixed at. This i is the cheapest insurance ever known, i We have not the machinery of the regu lar insurance company no omcers or agents to pay. If any one can think of a better way, go ahead and get it up. It is highly important that this matter be system ized as soon as possible. Let each County Alliance discuss the matter in their meetings this weekand then have their Secretary to state their decision briefly through The Progressive Farmer. This is of great importance. Another plan would be for each Sub Alliance to contribute say $1 each, or if necessary $2 each for this fund. County Alliances could also contribute $5 or $10 each. In some respects this is the best plan of all. Discuss it. SOMETHING NEW AND VALUABLE. The new book, entitled "Profit and Pastime, or the Industrial Club De claimer," recently published by the Vincent Bros. Publishing Co., of In dianapolis, Ind., surely is a beauty, and at the same time a mosi timely publication. Our industrial clubs all suffer for a want of social and literary entertainment; so much so that they often loose their attraction for those most wanted. This new book is beau tifully illustrated, and is chockful of poems, readings, plays, dialogues, dec lamations, and, in fact, everything : calculated to arc use and instruct both young and old, while through its 320 pages it never loses sight of the under j lying principles of social and moral re ! form. Prices: paper cover, 50 cents; j library cloth, gilt edge and stamp, i $1.25. It was endorsed by the National Council. STATESMEN VS. CRANKS. is "a rattling great big coun try." It is bounded on the North and on the South by big sheets of water. This water has fish in it. The Ameri can sod is also noted for its having plenty of bait worms scattered around. Another striking characteristic is that our soil produces fools big, cranky fools. Now and then these fools go to Congress. Sometimes a rascal goes, too. Some of these foo's are in Congress this year. A part of the Texas delega tion, with the help of some others, have decided to act the fool, with a big F. Dr. Macune's little boy Charlie bas been appointed a page by the door keeper. "A page is simply an errand boy, filling a position similar to that of the 4 'check boy" who carries bundles in a large dry goods establishment. It seems that the doorkeeper didn't consult the Texas delegation about this important matter. They are mad. They have held an indignation meet ing, are painting the Washington at mosphere blue with profanity and such stuff. Now we want to know it these gen tlemen who are thus engaged have yet met together for the purpose of getting up a plan to relieve their constituents. We want to know if it is good policy for them to spend days and nights about a trivial matter when their con stituents are rapidly failing in business all over the country ; when millionaires are being made by the dozen and paupers by the thousand. We don't know who the parties are. Some of them are from Texas ; some from other States. But wo do know if reports are true that their constituents have made a big mistake. They have sent men to Congress who have not hard sense sufficient to attend to a gap in a fence for fifteen minutes. HOW IT WAS DONE. A friend in the noi thern part of the State has sent us a circular entitled : "Action of the Danville Tobacco Asso ciation," taken on the 1st, 7th, 8th and 9th of September, 1874, in relation to warehouse charges and tobacco pre miums. Accompanying the circular is a copy of a card sent out by Wm. P. Graves, at that time manager of Graves' Ware house, which was under management of the Grange. Here is a copy of the card, in which Mr. Graves shows that he saved the farmers $127.75 in one day's sales : Git WES1 WAREHOUSE. Sold on the 28th of May, 1875, .56,100 pounds to bacco for 13,33ti.2, making an average of $23.77. CCK-T OF CELLING AT ANY OTHER WAREHOUSE. Auctioneer's fees 8 71 6' For weighing 56.10 Commission 2 per cent 513.40 $451.15 . oo3. 40 Co&t of selling at my warehouse. , Amount saved to the planter in one day's sale 127.75 I guarantee as high prices, as correct weights and as prompt attention as any house iu this market. Respectfully, Wm. P. Graves. Then follows the action of the To bacco Association, which met Sept. 7th, 1874. This shows that even at that early date "combines" were not un known. The action of this Association was no doubt carried to other towns and a "fixture" of charges for selling tobacco, which no doubt exists in every tobacco town to-day. Now the ques tion is, how much competition is there in any market when the warehouse charges are "fixed" in this way. An other question is, don't buyers and manufacturers get together and fix prices? If they do, where is the com petition? Tobacco farmers should watch these things and see if they can't discover some more reason 3 "why farming don't pay." Here are the minutes of the Danville Association: At the regular monthly meeting of the Danville Tobacco Association held at Masonic Hall, Sept. 7th, the commit tee appointed to examine and see if there had been any violation of the rule regulating the charges for selling leaf tobacco in this market, made the fol lowing report, which was received and adopted : To the Board of Trade of Danville, Va. : The undersigned, who were appointed a committee, under a resolution passed at a called meeting of your Board, the 1st day of September, 1874, to investi gate and ascertain whether the several . warehouses had made any violation bv : improper or partial ch trges for the sale ; of leaf tobacco, with power to send for persons and papers, beg leive to re ! port i m a. a. T j a i xuai; wiey uuve maue me investiga tion required and are satisfied' that nothing improper has been dons in Farmers', Holland's, Star, Planters' Djnville and Pace's. ' The proprietor, Cnpt. W, P. Graves of Graves' Warehouse, refused to grant your committee the necessary facilities for making an examination, in with holding his bocks and papers, an i also his clerk, Mr. Jed Carter, refusing to answer any questions asked by the committee. All of which is respectfully submitted this 8th day of September, 1874. W. W. Wo'rsiiam, Chr'rn. C. G. Holland, T. L. Brown, M. Sternberqer, On motion of W. N. Shelton, the fol lowing resolutions were adopted : (a) Be it resolved by the Tobacco As sociation of the town of Danville, that on and after the 8th day of September, 1874, this Association will take charge so far as regulating the charges of the various warehouses selling leaf tobacco in this market, and so regulate the charges for selling that there shall be a uniform schedule of charges at each house; and that we hold this Associa tion and not the vorious warehouses responsible for the rate thus established. Resolved, further, that we as an As sociation bind ourselves not to visit any warehouse for the purpose of holding sales, which shall directly or indirecly violate the schedule of charges estab lished by the Association under the foregoing resolution. W. W. Worsham submitted a resolu tion, which was adopted, that the books and papers of each warehouse be sub ject to inspection of sab s committee, and that every member of this Asso ciation be required to sie:n these kws. On motion of C. G. Holland, a reso lution was adopted as follows: (b) Resolved by the Board of Trade of the town of Danville that any mem ber of this Board who shall attend any sale at any warehouse, which has been proved guilty of a violation of the charges this day established, shall be expelled from this Association. On motion C. G. Holland, Resolved that a committee of five be appointed by the President to meet a committee of the Patrons of Husbandry in relation to the charge for selling leaf tobacco in this market. Committee under this resolution W. W. Worsham, C. G. Holland, T. C. Skinner, J. R. Pace and M. Stern berger. At a called meeting of the Associa tion held at Planters' Warehouse, the Sthinst., the committee appointed to confer with the committee of Patrons of Husbandry made the fallowing re port, : We, the undersigned committe, ap pointed by a regular meeting of the Trade, held on the 7th of September, 1874, to confer with a committee of the Patrons of Husbandry, be leave to re port as follows: That after a lengthy interchange cf views upon the subject of the matter of charges of our warehouses, we find that the Patrons of Husbandry are not disposed to make any offer except 2 per cent, including all charges; and we, the committee, recommend that the action of the Board of Trade of yes terday be sustained ; and we also beg leave to submit a communication from the Patrons of Husbandry. On motion the report was received. The question here being discussed by Col. J. R. Winston on the part of the Patrons of Husbandry, and Mr. Jno. W. Holland for the Association, on motion of Mr. G. T. Pace it was resolved that, inasmuch as the Association only re quires of the warehouses a uniform rate of charges, the warehousemen be re quested to meet the committee from Patrons of Husbandry and see if the charges for selling tobacco could be re duced any, from the rate adopted by the committee, March 9th, 1874 The above committees met and after a full exchange of views, six out of seven warehouses reported that tho business could not be done for less than the present rate. Capt. Graves reported that he was willing to sell for the Gran gers at 2 per cent. Then the report of the majority of the warehousemen that the rate of charges remain as pre viously fixed was adopted by the Assc tiation. On motion of C. G. Holland it was resol ved that these resolutions be pub lished, under the supervision of a com mittee of three, in the city papers, and that 5,000 copies be printed for distri bution. Committee J. W. Holland, W. N. Shelton, J. R. Pace. At a called meeting of the Associa tion held at Farmers' Warehouse on the 9th Sept., on motion of T. L. Brown, the following resolution was adopted : (c) Resolved by the Tabacco Associa tion of Danville, that any warehouse that shall violate any rule or regulation of this Association now in force in re gard to the charge for selling tobacco, shall be fined in every case not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars, said fine or fines to be imposed by the Warehouse Committee, and the penalty for any failure to pay said fines shall be expulsion from this Association. AN APPEAL. Burgaw, Pender Co , N. C. We, the members of Branch A lliar.ee in council assembled, do make tbi.- ap' peal for aid to our unfortunate brotb?r W. B. Player, who in the past has 1 his horse and has not been able to buy another. Bro. Player is our Sub-President, and is poor but truly worthy ot assistance, and we do earnestly hope that all Sub Alliances will feel called on to aid our unfortunate brother. e have aided others. Will not others help us? Any assistance will be duiy appreciated by the members of BrnCJ Alliance and will be of great benefit w our unfortunate brother. Send contn butions to R. L. Player, Secretary oi Branch Alliance, Burgaw, Pender uo., N. C. R. L. Player, Secy.
The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 12, 1892, edition 1
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