The Portland daily press., 1878-05-02
A Farmers Views ON the Greenback
Question.
=, April 3Oth, 1873.

-, April 3Oth, 1873.
To the Editor of the Press:
We have got new gree nback club In our
town, and they want me to join it, but don't
know exactly how the thing is going to work,
you see, because have been reckoning up how
much have made since 1860. My farm was
reckoned at $1,000 then, and it was worth 1t,
every cent, because it was a dreadful good
farm for these parts. When things began to
go up kiting in the war times, 1 thought
should make lots of money, because produce
sold we'll and the farm went up in price,
didn't mind paying more taxes on it because
knew it was worth more though the war debt
did come pretty heavy on US. The folks down
to the village did well toe, and Squire Jones, the
lawyer built new house, and bought a span of
horses; Deacon Smith, him that keeps the store
made more'n ten thousand dollars they did
say, and the barber, that tonguey fellow that's
always trying to regulate the nation, he put up
his prices to double, and bought house and
ran in debt all round. Well, wasn't surprised
when the barber failed, because he never could
attend to his own business, and he only owed
me a little; but last year Squire Jones and
Deacon Smith both bust up. Jones owed me q
hundred and the Deacon owed me more than
three hundred for produce. Now, find my
farm won't sell for any more than it would in
1860, and owe five hlndred dollars all told.
think could catch up again in five years, but
IL appears to me somehow as If the barber and
the lawyer and the deacon had been living a
little mora than their share this last fifteen
years, while 1 have worked right along hard
and economical. These fellows are the chaps
that ara running ths greenback club, and they
say if we'1 all take hold and help we can have
good times again, but it seems to me they will
have the good timesand shall find myself work.
ing for Aothing again. The barber says he will
stump the county if he can get some Congress-
man to go with him and argue the other side,
but declare think he'd better stay at home
and earn up some money and pay his old debts.
suppose l have been to blame for voting
away town money foolishly when times were
flush, but it was just those chaps that always
persuaded US into it, and now I'd rather see
them settle down aud earn their dollars nip
aud tuck, like the rest of u.s. As nigh as L
can see through it, il there aint so much money
going round shall be better off, if can get
out of debt, build new barn, bring up my
land to where it ought to be, and have what
machinery l need on the place, even il the
land don't go up, for 1 know L
shall be getting a good living, which is more
than could do when things was SO plaguey
high. Iwish you'd tell me what you think of
it, for lots of our people are getting crazy about
it. 1 tell 'em now's their good time, because
they can get help cheap on account of there
not being any work in ths cities to take the
girls and boys away, and machinery is cheap,
which makes farming mighty sight easier
than it was when was boy, aud we had to
do all the moving, and reaping and hoeiug by
hand, and dress goods and groceries are cheap
er than they used to be in 1860 and produce
sells right along for good prices because folks
can't get along without eating. Bot they are
all up tree. and say we want currency based
on property, and lots of it so every man can
have as much as he wants to do business with.
don't want those chaps doing business with
my currency any longer; I'd rather dicker for
goods, and let them raise their own spans, and
set up their own house frames.
They got up great scheme ten years ago to
make the town prosperous. ST. Wilson had
little shingle mill on the stream, and was max
ing good fair living. But they got up stock
and made US all buy a share or two,
and made shove-handle factory of it, Will
son was Superintendent, the Deacon sold the
handles, the Squire was solicitor, and got in
some pretty big bills too, aud the town az
empted them from taxation, and built over the
lam for them free. Well, in less than five
gears the company slumped through, and the
mill IS all going to ruin. Wilson is working as
Iourneyman in Portland. He got played out
because he lived a little ahead of his means,
thinking his stock was worth 50 much. He
'old me the last time he was hers that Squire
Jones and the Deacon allowed him fifteen hun
ired for the shingle mill and turned it in to the
company at five thousand, and that was the
way they did with everything they bought for
The COMPANY so it couldn't pay no dividends.
Then when the new dam was done they in
creased the stock, and got the farmers to take
it. Wilson says that's what they call watering
the stock, but don't want 'em to water sny
more stock for me, and think we would be- a
heap better off if we had the old shingle mill A
'unning and bringing little money into the
owp, and Wilson living here decently as he
lid before, and no town debt to be taxed for
And what want to know is, if you don't think
ts sight better to earn your money by work.
ng straight up and down like a sheep's hind
eg, than trying to get rich by letting these fell
ows drive financial theory in aud out among
he stumps till you don't know where you are
,oing to? JOHN ALDEN,
The Wabash railroad company was prevented
y an injunction obtained by one Tyson of Illi-
lois, from paying its interest yesterday.