Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-06-26
THE FARMERS MEETING.

THE FARMERS MEETING.
THE QUESTION OF THE MERCHANTS
TAX-THE FAIRNESS REFUSE TO SUB
NIT TO THE MERCHANTS AGREEMENT
THEY ADJOURN TO AWAIT A RE
COMMUNICATIONS SENTIMENTs OF THI
MEETING.
&C., &C., &C.
In pursuance of a call published in the
VINDIcAToR Friday last, a meeting of the
farmers was held in the Courthouse on
Monday last The call was Ito consider
the remarkable agreement of the mer-
chants of Staunton to saddle their taxes on
u.s." Though the attendance at County
Court was not as full as usual OH account
of harvest, there were three hundred per-
sons at the meeting, of whom a number
were merchants Of the city, and the high
character of the men brought in from the
county, showed that an unusual degree of
interest WAS felt in the objects of the as
seInbly. The meeting was presided over
by Colonel William A. Abney, Of Mint
Spring, while John Paris, Esq, President
of the Board of County Supervisors, was
chosen Secretary. Captain John n. Opie,
offered the following resolutions.
Whereas the produce merchants of
Staunton have very unjuStly determined
to compel our farmers to pay their taxes,
as shown by a card recently published over
their signatures and whereas the farmers
of Augusta, desiring to prevent any bad
feeling OF Misunderstanding between town
and country, believing. as they do, that
their interests are identical and insepara-
BILE, therefore, be it
Resolued, 1st. That the chairman ap-
point committee of five to call upon the
merchants of Staunton, who published the
card that caused this meeting to be assem-
bled, and request them to give us a salts
factory explanation of said card and agree
to its withdrawal.
End. That in the event OF a refusal to
retract, on the part OF said merchants, that
we, the farmers of Augusta, will take such
steps as we may deem proper to protect
our interests.
COLONEL NJ. G.. HARTMAN,
moved to lay the resolutions on the table.
He said there were other merchants in
besides those whose names APP
peared i'll the combination regarding the
tax and even with those whose names
were signed, he would wish that they
should have time for reflection and retrac
ing their steps. He was astounded to find,
on investigation, how little some of the
who signed this agreement,
paid in the way Of taxes, and he thought
that if they also had time to consider the
matter fully, they would withdraw from
the arrangement.
CAPTAIN J. N. OPIE
differed with Col Hartman. He called the
of the meeting to the fact that
The agreement had been signed by all the
produce dealers in Staunton, with, per-
haps, one or two exceptions, and that
agreement stood as the unretracted action
Of those merchants as a body. This be-
ing the case be could not understand the
Importance OF expediency Of the farmers
hesitating in their action. Ii they did
nothing it would be taken by the mer-
chants as an evidence that they were afraid
to do anything. The farmers should at
least do something. [Applause.]
Col. Hartman said he by no means favor
I'd submission to the action of the mer-
chants, and if the eight or nine gentlemen
who signed the agreement, do not With
draw from it there will soon be some eight OF
nine others to take their business, and the
will lose nothing by waiting. He
only desired delay that the signers who
were good men, but whose heads had been
badly turned in this affair, might have an
opportunity to withdraw, and thus avoid
the disastrous results that could not fail
to attend their adhering to it. The farm
ers then could see who it was that were
to adhere, and who were not.
AS for himself, the speaker Intended to
carry his produce to no man who tried to
make him pay the merchants tax on it. Ii
the meeting delayed action he pledged
himself to produce at the adjourned meet
ing a list Of these signers who had deter
mined to adhere, and those who had agreed
to withdraw The signers would be glad
to withdraw, for if they did not they
would do no business with the farmers. 1t
was absurd for a party OF merchants OF
Staunton to start a Legislature, as it were,
of their own, and say who should pay
tax and who should not, and what part
they will pay, and there are very large
of merchants here who do not
agree with them.
MR.. G.. w. KOINER,
the District Deputy of the Patrons of
Husbandry, said the farmers had assem-
bled not to consider what taxes the mer-
chants paid, but to express their in
Indignation at the action taken by the
produce merchants OF Stanton. They
have signed an agreement not to buy our
produce unless we pay their tax on it, and
that is noY their position.
Col. Harman-I have not meant, by
anything / have said. to justify the action
of these merchants.
MI. Opie-Here is a list of the mer-
chants who signed the agreement and
they are the men only with whom this
meeting has to do:
P. B. Hoge & Bro, Powell & Blackley,
Mcclure & Miller, j. P. Kavenaugh, j. A.