Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-10-23
5f1istellaneults &eadimg.
THE CHANGERS.

THE GRANGERS.
The Atlanta Herald, has report of an in
terview with the Executive Committee Of the
Patrons of Husbandry. Mr.. Livingston, of
Newton, the Chairman, and Mr.. Lavender,
were spokesmen for the committee. We
quote as follows:
Reporter I have called to get
from you statement of the business that calls
you together to-day.
Mr. Livingston-We have met for the pur-
pose of making arrangements in regard to the
printing and publishing for the Oranges, and
for the purpose of making definite answers to
proposals that have been received in regard
to buying and selling for the Oranges.
Reporter-How many answers have you
received to this circular2
Mr.. Lob hundreds of them. We have
answers here from the very best merchants
all over the South, and many from leading
| New York firms.
SOME FRIENDLEss, ONE JOKE, AND ONE RE
BUFF.
Reporter-What is the general spirit Of
these letters?
Mr.. Lavender-Oh, well, they all breathe
thorough spirit of concession, and many Of
them are expressive of sympathy with the
farmers in this great effort to disenthral them
selves from despotism that is running them.
One prominent cotton merchant Of Augusta
wrote that he could not treat with the order
at all, or listen to any proposition from it.
All the letters, though, are courteous and
clever.
Mr. gstor-Yes, and you remember
that Savannah Dutchman that wrote in a jo-
cose sort of way, and said that if we wanted to
die game, the best thing for US to do was to
go to work and raise hog and hominy. He
didn't hurt much, though.
WHAT THE CHANGERS WILL SAVE BY MOVING
TOGETHER.
Reporter-Do you find there is much to be
saved by buying this way in bulk?
Mr.. Lavender--Oh yes, an immense
amount. There are scores of letters on this
table in which merchants offer TO sell us GER
tain goods at one per cent. advance on cash ;
others at two and halfpe cent, and others
at five per cent. We will save something on
everything we buy. You see the main profit
arises from forcing farmers to buy for cash.
Why, last year l had a neighbor richer than
I was who bought his corn on credit, and
paid 81 40 per bushel for it; while l bought
for cash at eighty-seven cents. And then we
force them to buy in bulk, and they thus get
the advantage of wholesale rates. Now, on
guano: we get ten per cent. off on the cash
price at the factory, and thus save forty per
cent. on this item. On some goods we save
one hundred per cent. By the way we have
here an offer from leading bank to furnish
the farmers all the money they want at one
per cent. month, if borrowed under the seal
Of the Grange. 1t would pay farmers to bor-
row at two per cent, rather than continue to
buy from commission merchants on long time
and give crop liens.
HOW THE ATLANTA MERCHANTS BID.
Reporter do the Atlanta merchants
bid for this patronage?
Mr.. L.-They are coming up nobly. They
make as close or closer bids than any place
we have got bids from. For instance, one of
your merchants offers to sell us two and
quarter bagging at sixteen cents. This is ex-
tremely low. Another Atlanta merchant Of
fers to buy provisions for the Grange direct
from the producers, and sell to the Oranges
at an advance of five per cent on the produ-
GERS bill of sale; the merchant takes all loss.
age, and shrnkage and risk himself, and
charges the Oranges only the five per cent
commission and the actual freight charges.
These are just some samples Of what your
merchants are doing. Atlanta will control
very large amount of our trade.
Reporter-What did you mean by answer
ing proposals to "sell?"
Mr.. L-Why we have arranged to have
all our crops sold by contract and in bulk.
To show you what we mean: We have this
day closed contract with an Atlanta cotton
buyer, by which we agree to ship him all our
cotton, and he agrees to sell it for twenty-five
cents charge on the bale, and twenty-five cents
per bale per month for storage. Forsyth,
Fort Valley, and other cities do the same
thing. Savannah charges scVenty-hve cents
per bale.
THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHANGERS.
Reporter much cotton will you con-
troll I?
Mr.. LIVE will control at least 100000
bales. We have one hundred and sixty
Oranges, with an average membership OF
forty people-about $500. Of them six hun
dred are farmers. They are of the very best
class, and will average twelve bales of cotton
each. By next season we will have treble
this membership. New Oranges are being
organized every day Of the week.
PROJECTS ON FOOT By THE ORANGES.
Reporter-What projects of Importance
have the Grangers on foot now?
Mr.. L.-Several They speak of establish
ing a cotton factory in Atlanta. General
Austel made proposition to me to-day which
I will put before the Oranges, and l am pref