The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1883-10-17
TURKEYS MILL.
TURLEY's MILLS, Tenn,
October 5th. 1888

anxious 10 get and pursue It's inter
esting columns. We appreciate the
GAZETTE very much as a home pa
per, but think we farmers over here
would be a great-deal more inter.
ested in reading your paper, if less
of Its columns were filed up with
news concerning the big merchants
and more facts concerning the little
industrious farmer. Poor farmer
he is almost unnOticed, he is kicked
pushed and knocked around until
no l. almost ready TO say let US
give up, we ON worked down.
We saw in your last issue where
a correspondent was speaking des-
pairingly OF the poor farmer. He
saws the farmer had not only failed
10 make mony himself, but had so
skinned off the native fertality OF
the fields that East Tennessee pre-
sentcd To men not accustomed to
such methods an aspect Of sterihty.
He also gives the farmer tits about
red knOlls, rotten fences, grown up
fence rows, unpainted houses, not
having barnes. etc. Well we know
all these things look bad, but Mr..
Editor i think l can tell you the
origin OF all these things. In the
first place the business men regard
the farmer as such a low-down
character that il keeps the farmer
- discouraged that he don't do as
we'll is he could do. In the second
place the merchants are skinning
the farmer from head to foot, they
claim 70 be the farmers best friend
and the fact is they are the worst
enemies that the farmer have to
contend with. They are as sly as
the cunning spider, they will hang
out their shingle on which will be
written "eheap goods for sale, the
highest market price for produce"
Then they will sing their iattering
songs to the farmer, "you are witty
and YOU are wise come in and let |
me sell you something cheaper than |
the cheapest. Poor silly farmer nj
last in he steps and the merchant |
holds him fast. The fact is we
farmers depend too much upon the
stores. We get into the habit OF
going TO the store for so much that
we think we ought TO run there for
everything we think we need, and
50 rob ourselves of a good living.
Brother farmer, let me tell you how
we can beat the merchants: let Us
live on what we make awhile; stay
away from the stores and let the
merchants have to sit down every
morning, forabout twelve months, TO
q cup OF coffee and plug OF tobac-
co with n piece of Simpsons five
cents calico to taper off on. And
the lawyer sit down, each morning,
10 a set of jurymen and plead to
them until the honest farmer eats
his liberal breakfast. And then,
uncle farmer, we can hear them ex-
claim in thunder tones: "Come
back, good farmer, come back !"
yuu are our best friend and we can
not do without you. Without you
our business would falter and fail
and then we cannot do without those |
good biscuits. "Ies," they will say
% the hard-working farmer, Come
back, and we will pay you a liberal
price for your produce" The mer-
chants don't give the farmer a fair
chance; they price their goods rs
Ugh as they can hold their breath,
and then put the low-down price
upon the farmers produce. You
Will hear the merchant pleading TO
the farmer, that that is the best he
can see out; but he never thinks for
the first time about the farmer see
ing out-the fact is he don't care
" neither the farmer makes any
money or not, Just so he makes
about 100 per cent. on his goods
and 100 per cent on the farmers
produce. He never says to the Ia
Iorer, Good farmer, canyon afford
10 take what l have offered you for
vuur producer" Surely all the
merchants haven't learned the Gold
en Rulel "DO unto others as you
would have them do unto you" /
am certain that If they would have
this printed on their walls, and more
Profitable on their hearts, more Of
luem would succeed in business than
TO. You would hear Of less failures
il business. Oh! business men, do
I We the farmer a better chance; be
wants to live-certainly he does.
DO quit fighting and pulling against
him, and work for each others In
terest, that all may prosper. The
farmer is close friend to the mer-
chant and he cannot do without
linn. Then why is il that the
tUsiness man is trying to pull down
tue farmer2 OH business man,
KLy is IL? Let me entreat you TO
Is i've; let us provide for our fami-
lies. We farmers like you men but
would like you much better if you
wei not so hard down against us
Sirs, one and all, we do not intend
this 10 offend any one; we only {
want you to consider, for a moment,
and give us a chance; but, if the
shoe tits any one, why wear II, and
co the best you can.
MIR. Editor, we are troubled with
another desperate character over
here that puzzles US half to death
mat is the L0GfeT. They are nu-
trOus in our country. Have you
layT over about town. Ii not, and
;au want any, send word by return
lit.ii and we will send you a hack
Gao, the Eext time Joe Heath comes
l.Jyr something he knows not what,
~. moving maehines), but says II
.urns round and round
-eiat sowing and sorghum making
> the order of business in our sec
ion, now.
" heat sowing time is about with
ls and farmers are hurryiDg to get