Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-02-13
The Farmers and Grangers, Fer
tilizers, &c.

| At no period since the war have the far
mers Of the State been moro awakened to
their true interests and to the great impor-
tance Of organization than at present. From
| the mountains to the seaboard there seems to
be an uprising against what they justly deem
| an imposition on their class in the action Of
! the manufacturers OF fertilizers, demanding
an increased price. Local and county meet
ings have been held generally, denonncing
this action, and memorials have been fnre
warded to the State Grange from many sec-
tions, asking that body to take some action
in tho matter. If the State were under
thorough Grange system, any action by the
Oranges would come with peculiar force, but
with the sporadic Oranges now existing, the
action of the State Grange will hive little
weight.
We believe the farmers ought TO havo some
organization to protect their interests, but
whether tho Grange is tho proper ono may
we'll be doubted. A great many nre unwilling
| to pay the dues assessed in those organiza.
tioDs, while others are opposed to them as
| secret org mutations, 80 that their usefulness
is defeated to great cxtont 1t might be
that system of agricultural societies would
better effect the purpose Of the farmers. This
is a matter for them, and surely they must
SEQ and feel the necessity Of touching arm to
arm. not only in tho matter of fertilizers, but
| in many other matters.
The earth is tho mother Of oil animal and
| vegetable life, and through its cultivation it
| is made to yield food adapted to man. While
| the merchant, the doctor, the lawyer, the
mechanic aud the manufacturer are all ncces.
sarY factors in civilized government. they
arc all subsidiary to tho farmer. without
whom no employment could prosper and 10
life exist. Nevertheless the farmer is made
to dance Attendance on all these avocntions
and professions. and sccms..to be rather do
pendent on them than the life and soul Of
them. The merchant, with his lien, calls for
ten to fifteen cents for bacon and ten to
twelve dollars per barrel for -four, realizing
from on hundred and fifty to two hundred
per cent. profit, to cover losses for bad credits.
The doctor, for few hours ride, demands
lawyer can, to q great degree be dispensed
with by proper caro-, but when needed he
must have his living out of his clients, and
80 on with the others. Why cannot tho far~
mors, by combining on merchant or O a:.physi,
clan in community, make better terms than
those they usually get. We follow rrofes
sion, but we had rather 500 the country pros :
porous than involved in litigation, and would
gladly sec tho farmers pay their dcbts and in
the future keep out Of Debt. Whenever md
wherever there is general prosperity no man
will suffer for bread or omployment, and
general prosperity with us can only come
through the agricultural interests of the coun.
try. Whatever tends to foster them has our
best wishes. In view of these facts it may
provo mattor Of future congratulation that
tho manufacturers Of Fertilizers took tho action
they did at Augusta. IT has reused up this
farmers of tho State, and once awakened they
may work out many benefits to thor class.
1t struck tho farming intorests centre shot
when it was determined to raise tho price of
fertilizers, while tho prices of commodities of
oil kinds had declined so largely. We trust
thoro will bo organization and firmnoss on
their part. for these will secure good results,
whilo paper resolutions and buncombe talk
can accomplish nothing Lot tho farmers
once determine to stand and act together and
they will remedy existing expressions and
prevent future ones.
| Adper CO11epe.