Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1874-02-19
8arm an6 3nusfhnt6
o 81
MiddIemen.

\ correspondent of the Ath-
ems Tenn Post has this to say
in reference to the Changers and
middlemen:
| believe as yet there has not
been a single Grange organized
in NcAIinn county. Since
Brother Charlton addressed our
people, there has been some in
terchangc Of ideas on the sub.
,ject, but [ do not think the
Grange movement is well I'M
derstood by our farmers, and
hence they are cautious and
slow to act about the matter
So far as [ have been able to
learn, they heartily endorse ev-
erything in the movement that
tends TO increased production
of crops, to thorough cultiva-
ton and improvement of lands,
TO economy, to a frequent and
fraternal interchange Of ideas on
farming, and to secure a cheap
transportation offarm prOductsto
market, &c; but there are feat
ures init they most earnestly de-
preciate. | shall briefly notice
one Of these: the MERCHANT OR
MIDDLE MAN. The interests
of the two classes, when prop
erly considered arc not adverse
the merchant is about as nee
essary and convenient to the
farmer as the farmer is to the
merchant. History informs us
that merchants, traders, bust
ness men, have lived in all COM
muLities, not utterly savage,
from the earliest time. Abra-
ham paid for the cave Of Mac
pelah in silver money that was
current with the merchants"
Hamor, the Hiyite prince, per-
mitted the sons Of Jacob to
''trade ia the land" Joseph's
brethren sold him to a company
of Midianitish "merchants," who
were trading with Egypt. The
city Of Tyre was the Royal
Eychanoe" of the world. Car
thage and Rome were rivals in
trade" as well as power. The
commerce Of Athens was at the
summit Of It's prosperity when
Athenian genius was most pro-
life in philosophy. history, poe
try, oratory, and the fine arts
Corinth "The Wealthy" was the
greatest Of the Greek centers
Of trade"
But to come down to more
modern times, we sec that Eng
land by her commerce mdiRty,
has become the most powerful,
free and enlighted country in
the world. The commerce Of
our own country is now very
great, and is rapidly pushing
forward to supremacy. The
laws Of trade--commercial law,
or mercantile law-are almost as
fixed and memorable as the laws
of nature. They are not stat
ute laws, but are the outgrowth,
the compacts, the embodiment Of
the usages and customs Of all
ages and of all civilized nations.
Merchants do not make war up
Oh any other class, but they
rather recognize the common
brotherhood of mankind, and in
their business relations they do
more 10 establish confidence
in the honesty and honor Of h
man conduct than any other
class; and hence men on one
side of our globe are almost ey-
cry day consigning shiploads of
the most costly merchandise to
men on the other side, whom they
have never seen and never ex-
Qect to see, with the fullest con-
tidcnce that their goods will be
received with care, disposed of
with skill and fidelity, and that
faithful returns will be promptly
made.
Merchants are not mere drones
Ia society-mere consumers of
the wealth of the county. They
are live, active, intelligent,
working men, who originate,
manage and control the practi-
cal affairs Of the world, by which
the human race live and pro-
gress. Merchants contribute
largely to the wealth of a coun-
try, by building up its towns,
its cities, its railroads, its
churches, its colleges, &c.